Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan To Receive Vanguard Award at Cinema/Chicago Soirée

Today, Cinema/Chicago, the presenter of North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, the Chicago International Film Festival, announced that acclaimed Chicago filmmakers Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan will receive the Vanguard Award at the 62nd Anniversary Cinema/Chicago Soirée, to be held Saturday, July 18, 2026 at The Geraghty, located at 2520 S. Hoyne Ave. in Chicago. The bi-annual fundraising event supports Cinema/Chicago’s year-round artistic, educational, and industry programming. 

Returning as host of the biennial celebration is Al Roker of NBC News’ TODAY. The 62nd Anniversary Cinema/Chicago Soirée is co-chaired by Steve Dolinsky and Amy Dordek Dolinsky, and Jon and Allie Harris. 

The Vanguard Award recognizes artists whose work is shaping the future of independent cinema through innovation, creative excellence, and bold storytelling. Through their collaborative work as filmmakers, writers, and storytellers, Thompson and O’Sullivan have emerged as leading voices in contemporary independent film, earning national acclaim while remaining deeply connected to Chicago’s vibrant filmmaking community. 

(L-R) Alex Thompson, Kelly O’Sullivan

“Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan perfectly exemplify the type of filmmakers that we celebrate: artists with a distinctive voice telling deeply human stories with heart, wit, and a strong sense of place,” said Mimi Plauché, Robert and Penelope Steiner Family Foundation Artistic Director of Cinema/Chicago and the 62nd Chicago International Film Festival. “Their uniquely collaborative work feels both immediate and enduring. This Soirée isn’t just about a single spotlight – it’s about the city and its indelible vitality, the transformative power of the art we love, and the independent artists who keep our film culture and community vibrant. Alex and Kelly embody that spirit.”

“Making films is always an act of collaboration, and we’ve been lucky to build our work alongside an incredible community of artists, collaborators, and supporters here in Chicago,” said Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan. “To be recognized by Cinema/Chicago, an institution that has long celebrated daring and human-centered storytelling, is deeply meaningful to us. We’re grateful to be a part of this city’s vibrant film culture.”

Through films that balance humor, empathy, and emotional authenticity, Thompson and O’Sullivan have built a body of work that reflects the creativity, collaboration, and independent spirit of Chicago filmmaking. Their work has resonated with audiences and critics alike while helping elevate Chicago’s profile as a center for innovative independent cinema. 

Thompson is an Illinois-based, Kentucky-born film director, producer, and screenwriter whose work has become a defining force in contemporary independent cinema. He directed and produced ‘Saint Frances’ (2019), which won the Audience Award and Special Jury Award at the SXSW Film Festival, and directed ‘Rounding’, which premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival and was later distributed by Music Box Films. Thompson co-directed and produced ‘Ghostlight’, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2024 and was named one of the National Board of Review’s Top 10 Independent Films of the year. A Gotham Award nominee for Breakthrough Director and a two-time Independent Spirit Award nominee, Thompson continues to build a bold and emotionally resonant body of work rooted in collaboration and character-driven storytelling. 

O’Sullivan is a writer, director, and actor whose work has established her as one of the most distinctive voices in American independent film. Her debut screenplay, ‘Saint Frances’, premiered at SXSW in 2019, winning both the Audience Award and Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Voice, while her starring performance earned her a Gotham Award nomination for Breakthrough Actor. Named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film,” O’Sullivan followed with ‘Ghostlight’, which premiered at Sundance in 2024, earned Gotham and Independent Spirit Award nominations and was named one of the National Board of Review’s Top 10 Independent Films of the year. Alongside Thompson, she continues to expand her creative partnership with the forthcoming features ‘Mouse’ and ‘The Steel Harp’, for which she wrote the screenplays and co-directed. 

The biennial Cinema/Chicago Soirée raises funds for year-round programming, including the Chicago International Film Festival, celebrating its 62nd edition October 14 – 25, 2026; Summer Screenings, presenting global cinema to Chicago audiences with 19 free screenings presented Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer; CineYouth, which showcases the work of filmmakers age 22 and younger; the Chicago Industry Exchange Lab (CIX), a year-long feature film development program; Industry Days, the Festival’s annual conference for filmmakers and industry professionals; Community Cinema, which presents free screenings in neighborhoods throughout Chicago; and other educational and public programs that connect audiences with filmmakers from around the world. 

Additional event details and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit www.chicagofilmfestival.com. 

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