Short Films

CHICAGO – One of the longest running and most important Black film festivals is right here in Chicago, as the 25th anniversary of the Black Harvest Film Festival continues through Thursday, August 29th, 2019, at the Gene Siskel Film Center in the downtown Loop. WEEK TWO features two major shorts programs and a debut work from a first time director, for the calendar schedule, click here. The overall Festival link is below.

CHICAGO – One of the longest running and most important Black film festivals is right here in Chicago, as the 25th edition of the Black Harvest Film Festival has Opening Night on Saturday, August 3rd, 2019, and runs through Thursday, August 29th, at the Gene Siskel Film Center in the downtown Loop. For Opening Night details and ticket information, click here.

CHICAGO – One of the new Film Festival “kids” on the block is the Windy City International Film Fest, now in its 3rd edition. Touted as an indie film festival that celebrates local, national and international filmmakers, the fest has four days – July 18th through the 21st, 2019 – of networking, screenings and special events. One of the co-founders (with Josh Hope) of the fest is Mindy Fay Parks. For a complete schedule, click here.

CHICAGO – Has it been a week already? Has it been 25 years already? The 2019 Cinepocalypse Film Festival is drawing to a close with the film “Airheads” (1994), celebrating its 25th Anniversary. The All-Star cast, in their younger days, includes Brendan Frasier, Steve Buscemi, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Joe Mantegna and Judd Nelson. Director Michael Lehmann (“Heathers”) will appear on behalf of the film at the historic Music Box Theatre in Chicago, with a Closing Night after party to follow. For more information and tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – As the 2019 Cinepocalypse Film Fest rolls on through June 20th, short films take center stage. On Sunday, June 16th (9:30pm), the “Shorts Block 1: Shadows Within” takes the screen at the historic Music Box Theatre. Chicago is represented in this block through “The Orchestra,” written and directed by Curtis J. Matzke. For more information and tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – Genre films, those categories of movies that have specific themes – horror, thriller, comedy – but remain undefined in their unique qualities, is exactly what the Cinepocalypse Film Festival is all about. The week-long 2019 edition of the fest kicks off on Thursday, June 13th, at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre with the World Premiere of “Verotika,” written and directed by Glenn Danzig, founder and vocalist of the legendary band Misfits. Danzig will appear on behalf of the film. For more information and tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – Tonight what heights we’ll hit. The 7th Chicago Critics Film Festival (CCFF) begins on Friday, May 17th, 2019, and offers a week of 2019 film greatness, selected by Chicago Film Critics from the major festivals so far. This will be a whole week at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, Click here for the schedule.

CHICAGO – The relationships in our lives affect who we are, whether they are momentary or long term. Interestingly, like the Oscar nominated Live Action shorts, the Animated Short Film nominees have that similar connective themes in four of the five stories. Family relationships, son-to-mother, mother-to-daughter, daughter-to-father and parents-to-child, are explored in poignant and expressive ways. The Landmark Century Centre Cinema in Chicago are currently showing all the shorts in one program. Click here for more information.

CHICAGO – There are four films among the five Oscar-nominated Live Action Shorts for 2019 that have childhood in their theme, and they all are telling about situations in the more in-your-face dark circumstances of life today (or in the case of one film, 25 years ago). The Landmark Century Centre Cinema in Chicago are currently showing all the shorts in one program. Click here for more information.

CHICAGO – The opportunity to showcase talent beyond day-to-day client work is one of the reasons the Advertising Community Shorts is one of the most popular “First Tuesdays” of the Midwest Independent Film Festival. On November 6th, 2018, ten short films will screen, selected by a jury of advertising professionals throughout Chicago. For more information about the jury, the event schedule and ticket info, click here.