FILMMAKER FOCUS
The theatrical premiere is here for a Chicago-made grand jury prize winner. Waiting for the Light to Change opens at the Gene Siskel Film Center this weekend through September 28th,…
In a groundbreaking cinematic endeavor, the gripping documentary Hotshot unveils the harrowing reality of Hotshot firefighters, the unsung heroes who combat wildfires without water. With the current fires in Hawaii…
If you ever picked up a comic in the 80’s, you are in for a treat, courtesy of one overachieving Marvel Comics aficionado. Chicago filmmaker Harry Bauer has been perfecting…
The Chicago- and Midwest-made thriller Silent As the Grave has just made its worldwide digital release, and the writer and co-director Brad Podowski is here to tell us all about…
The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA), the Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group that celebrates the art of film and film criticism, released their roster for 2023-2024 today, announcing…
Would you create a film if you knew it would only be seen once, and then immediately destroyed, never to be seen again? Four Chicago filmmakers are saying yes to…
Filmmaker Sean Fahey details the life of action star Eugene Thomas in For Kicks, a feature-length documentary premiering at the Chicago Underground Film Festival on September 17. Besides telling the story of an actor who…
Cinema is often at its strongest when we find ourselves inspired by individuals displaying extraordinary courage and conviction. Such is the case with Chicago filmmaker Brent Huffman’s latest documentary feature…
A fresh new comedy will be heading to your local theatres and film festivals in the new year. The microbudget comedy feature film Not If I See You First wrapped…
Mezcla Media Collective announced that Co-Founder Colette Ghunim is among the first cohort of 100 emerging changemakers selected to participate in the Obama Foundation’s Leaders USA program. The Obama Leaders…
A half-dozen shorts will screen continuously at the Cultural Center during DisFest, a free and accessible celebration of artists and performers with disabilities, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday,…
We could use a little more comedy these days. Good news: There is a microbudget comedy feature film ready to begin production later this month in the near North Chicago…
Shawn Papazian has built an impressive record of success in the film business throughout his career, including an Emmy nomination and collaborations with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions. Now, he…
It’s a historic week for Chicago motion picture studio Bad Little Thing, Inc. Their debut feature film, the dramatic comedy The Crusades, will be released on VOD and Digital this Friday,…
A select group of indy filmmakers will showcase their work during Meet The Makers, an event hosted by Chicago’s Sinema Obscura at The Logan Theatre Lounge from 7-10 pm on…
We’ve all had dating woes. Some of us have had marriage woes. And almost all of us have taken pleasure at some point in the titillating TV turbulence that is…
When Hulu’s The Bear dropped last summer, it took the internet and the Chicago food scene by storm. Filmscape Chicago is the largest film and television expo in the Midwest…
Terrence Howard is best known among Chicago TV fans for his tenure as “Lucius Lyon” in the popular Fox series Empire, which filmed primarily in the Windy City. Born in…
The award-winning, Midwestern-based short film, A Cloudy Moon, screened at the Cannes Short Film Corner in May. An ode to cozy flirtations, wistful recollections and spontaneous song, the six-and-a-half-minute mini-musical captures…
Charles Jenkins’ music video for “God Be Praised” is an awe-inspiring visual spectacle that seamlessly intertwines the power of music, breathtaking cinematography, and the poignant beauty of a historical setting….
Fans are buzzing about the season finale, and the dynamic duo behind the show is here to talk all about it. The critically acclaimed HBO Original comedy series Somebody Somewhere,…
Daryl Sledge is bringing his next project back home. The Chicago native and Brooklyn resident is currently in pre-production on the feature film Why?. Why? is the award-winning debut novel…
The Telly Awards, the world’s largest honor for video and television across all screens, has announced its 44th annual winners after a record-breaking year for entries. Winners include some of…
The upcoming comedy About My Father unites actor-writer-comedian Sebastian Maniscalco with the great Robert DeNiro and an all-star supporting cast. The filmmaker in the director’s chair for this movie is…
As you begin making plans for the Summer, there is one weekend you can confidently ink into your calendar. Filmscape Chicago is set for June 24-25 at CineCity Studios. Today,…
Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is the final installment in the film series’ blockbuster trilogy. Written and…
Filmed in Kentucky, right in the heart of Oldham County. The comedy indie Going Nowhere is now out for your viewing pleasure and receiving great reviews. We have the trailer,…
On the set of About My Father, actor-writer-comedian Sebastian Maniscalco worked side-by-side with not one but two superstars: the great Robert DeNiro… and Sebastian’s Dad. DeNiro and Dad had a…
The premiere is here, and the daring duo behind the show is here to give you a sneak peek. The critically acclaimed HBO Original comedy series Somebody Somewhere, starring and…
The Third Annual Shorts-a-Palooza film festival takes place on Tuesday, April 18, at Morrison Tech in Morrison, Illinois. Hosted by the Northwest Illinois Film Office, the celebration highlights a stunning…
The premiere is here for a cornerstone of the Chicago production community. Patricia Frontain, who has served as Script Supervisor for more than 200 episodes of the popular NBC series…
The Grey List is a curated list of original, high-quality, market-ready feature and pilot scripts from writers over the age of 40, and the script for Oriole Park made the cut….
NBC crew members and an internationally renowned photographer are among the filmmakers screening shorts during the sixth annual Patrick Lives On Film Showcase, March 11 at Resolution Studios. They will join a…
Exciting news for documentary fans, a new film is about to hit your screens! The documentary, titled How (Not) to Build a School in Haiti, explores development, history, and colonialism…
Robert “Diggy” Morrison has been scoring films in Chicago for over thirty years. His latest endeavor has led him to the highly popular original series for BET, The Family Business,…
Michael Glover Smith’s fourth feature Relative, which launched a joint premiere theatrical run at the Music Box Theater and Gene Siskel Film Center last summer, is set to return to…
Five years ago, Don Hatton joined forces with a group of artists to start shooting an indie film that would eventually look like a blockbuster. Coordinating finance, locations and talent…
It’s time to get the band back together! So say Nora Kaye and Whitney Uland, who co-wrote, co-directed and co-star in The Cosmos Sisters, a dark comedy about two high school…
Director Patricia Frontain completed production on a Lifetime movie starring Mena Suvari in mid-November. Managing about 30 crew, she worked an “incredibly intense” 12-day schedule in Los Angeles to shoot…
Is Wolf Hound one of the most ambitious independent films ever made? It’s a question worth asking. This death-defying thriller from director Michael Chait, alongside the VFX expertise of Turncoat…
Submissions for Chicago’s beloved Patrick Lives On film festival will run from December 1 to February 15, 2023. Open to anyone from the Chicago film community, entries can represent any…
Estefania Bonilla Hernandez and Craig Whitney are on the brink of what could be one the most impactful films of the decade. After spending the past six years documenting the…
Quad Cities filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films will premiere their new documentary An Infantryman from Hero Street during Veterans Day weekend, Saturday, November 12 on the…
Michael Giacchino is already widely acclaimed as the composer behind numerous Oscar-, Emmy-, and Grammy-winning scores for a growing number of feature film and television masterpieces, including eight Pixar movies….
Coming off a prestigious win at a film festival in New York and a high-profile Los Angeles premiere, a Chicago indie will continue to add more screening dates at fests and…
“The most hopeful film I’ve done.” So declares Oscar Nominated director Darren Aronofsky as he spoke with SCREEN’s Dan Patton in an exclusive interview. Aronofsky was in Chicago to present…
Chicago native Haroula Rose burst onto the independent film world with her debut feature and festival darling Once Upon a River, and she has now wrapped production in Chicago on…
The Blacklight is a suspenseful thriller that combines murder and magic with a large dose of the supernatural. It’s also funny as hell. Filmed partially throughout Northern Illinois, the low-budget indie…
Fourteen years ago, Michael Cook had an inspiration about escaping. The Illinois-based artist, writer and director felt that many Americans, including himself, could make good use out of a break…
The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA), the Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group that celebrates the art of film and film criticism, released their roster for 2022-2023 today, announcing the…
Passion, Planes and Pyrotechnics with ‘Wolf Hound’ Director Michael B. Chait and VFX Guru Ryan Urban
A Hollywood action thriller on an indie budget. That was the ambitious mission accomplished by director Michael B. Chait, VFX guru Ryan Urban, and their talented cast and crew. Wolf…
Chicago Filmmakers is pleased to announce that the Chicago Digital Media Production Fund (CDMPF) has awarded cash grants ranging from $3,000 to $20,000 to seven Chicago artists for the production…
OneChicago and Breaking Bad fans will see some familiar faces in the latest feature film from Chicago-based Lakefront Pictures. Chicago Fire star Christian Stolte and Breaking Bad mainstay RJ Mitte…
![Chicago Screenwriter Brett Neveu Teaming Up with Oscar Nom Michael Shannon for 'Eric LaRue' [Exclusive Interview]](https://screenmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Brett-Neveu-Michael_Shannon-200x300.jpeg)
Two Chicago powerhouses will be teaming up for a promising project this August. Two-time Academy Award Nominee Michael Shannon and Joseph Jefferson Award winning playwright Brett Neveu will be collaborating…
There is a slasher flick in the works in the Chicago and Illinois suburbs this month. Writer-director Clinton J. Phillips and his production company Three Feathers Films are bringing the…
Filmscape Chicago is here. The mantra for this year is “New Dates, New Venue, Same Mission,” and it’s a must-attend for anyone in the Midwest production community this weekend, June…
Chicago Film Project has announced the expansion of writer/director Michael Glover Smith’s (pictured here with his father at the theatrical premiere) fourth feature film, Relative, into suburban Woodridge and Wilmette…
![Tribeca World Premiere for Illinois Indie; Interview with Director Alex Heller and Producer Eugene Sun Park [Exclusive]](https://screenmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/full_theYearBetween-Still001-1920x1080-1-200x300.png)
A very personal story for an up-and-coming director is about make a very public World Premiere. The Year Between will debut at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City…
Oak Park residents Adria Dawn and David Tarleton, of Tarleton/Dawn Productions, are making their mark through their films for social change. On May 24th, Dawn’s birthday, the filmmaking partnership and…
Full Spectrum Features presents the Chicagoland Shorts Vol. 8 premiere at the Gene Siskel Film Center today, May 26 at 7pm with a post-screening Q&A. Click here to purchase your passes for tonight’s festivities. This…
The eight-episode Max Original limited series “The Staircase” debuted this month on HBO Max. Inspired by a true story, “The Staircase” explores the life of Michael Peterson (Colin Firth), his…
A Chicago filmmaker has a new pilot, it’s winning awards, and it’s here for you to watch right now. SCREEN brings you an exclusive chat with Sonny Kruger, creator of…
Newcity/Chicago Film Project has announced the World Theatrical Premiere of Michael Glover Smith’s fourth feature film RELATIVE in Chicago in June.
The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced today the names of the mediamakers selected for the new Humanities Sustainability Fellowship, a year-long program providing 20 U.S.-based under-resourced nonfiction mediamakers whose work and livelihood…
Illinois Production Alliance Executive Director Christine Dudley, Chicago Media Angels Executive Director Ted Reilly to discuss the expanded Illinois State Film Tax Incentive.
It’s been a busy year for cinematographer Christopher Rejano, and he is just getting started. This week marks the worldwide premiere of the highly anticipated horror feature Night’s End, which…
Many Chicagoans have been heading back to school of late, to either move up the ladder in their field or to pursue a new profession altogether. If you are looking…
Fact: On March 30, 1282, as the bells of Palermo, Sicily, tolled for Vespers, a Sicilian woman crying “Death to the Angevins!” led a people’s uprising against the French garrison…
A new colorist collective is off to an auspicious start. Matt McClain, Thrive Colour Founder/Colorist, announces the completion of the company’s work on three new feature films: A Day to…
It’s time for a fresh and honest take on the world of professional sports, and this scripted Chicago-made drama might be getting its call to the field. The pilot Devonte…
It’s always great to open your festival run with a win. And Michael Glover Smith’s fourth film, Relative, did just that. The dramatic feature, which was shot in Chicago last…
Back in 1996, Wayne Brejcha, current Co-Owner/Creative Director of Calabash, was just beginning his animation career at the Chicago-based studio when the first Space Jam movie entered his life. Directed…
Directors Steve Conry and Christian Schultz recently released this heartfelt documentary that celebrates the 10 year anniversary of world famous music festival, Electric Forest. Electric Forest is co-produced by Madison…
Two OneChicago fan favorites will be reuniting, though it won’t be in Chicago. Miranda Rae Mayo is reteaming with her former Chicago Fire co-star Yuriy Sardarov on Daddy, a dark…
Dave Wooley did not mind that Dionne Warwick hesitated to let him do a movie about her when he mentioned the idea five years ago. “When Dionne says she’s really…
Racial identity and female-driven storytelling are at the heart of the profound and elegant psychological drama, Passing. Vicky Cristina Barcelona actor Rebecca Hall makes her directorial debut with this feature,…
As The Matrix Resurrections trailer continues to break the internet, with well over 50 million views worldwide, the film has also shined a light on a highly touted VFX artist…
With “The Suicide Squad,” writer/director James Gunn and Warner Bros. Pictures have earned worldwide acclaim for creating what many consider to be the best DC Universe film of all time….
Director Curtis Matzke’s five-minute short, The Orchestra, premiered this month at filmshortage.com. A one-act thriller with virtually no dialogue, the film transforms a student music rehearsal into a crescendo of…
Are you a filmmaker, cinematographer, producer, editor, key grip, gaffer, or content creator or any genre or community? If so, your weekend plans are set. Filmscape is excited to announce…
Director John Mossman knows a thing or two about the good-guy-with-a-gun theory. A lifelong hunter and target shooter, he has witnessed its ability to upset liberals and thrill conservatives, to…
Capturing a single complete scene in one shot is quite an achievement. Capturing an entire feature length film in one shot is nothing short of historic. A single 91-minute take…
The new season of hit comedy Ted Lasso is off and running, and audiences are once again in love with the charming and uplifting show, led by Chicago comedy scene…
Is there anything better than a film that can make you laugh and scream at the same time? So it goes with the new horror comedy Werewolves Within, now in…
The best trips are never planned. When a straight-laced high school student has a regrettable first sexual encounter, she and her and slacker best friend have 24 hours to hunt…
An epic journey for a Marine veteran, and a very special event here at Screen. The gripping documentary Bastards’ Road brought home the coveted Audience Award at Slamdance as well as…
A buddy comedy set in the world of ladies arm wrestling? Yes indeed! Female-driven sports films are few and far-between, but today a fresh, funny, and critically acclaimed one is…
Triple Threat is leaping from its world premiere at the Cinequest Film & VR Festival to a rigorous festival run. But before the film begins its prolific roadtrip, writer-director Stacey…
SCREEN’s Joanna Kay talks with powerhouse female filmmaker Iram Parveen Bilal about her critically acclaimed new film I’LL MEET YOU THERE. Enjoy the uplifting interview below then click here to…
Writing, producing, and shooting a feature film in less than a month is quite a feat. But that’s exactly what happened. “We wanted to do something silly and we wanted…
God literally forbids she turn off a vibrator gone rogue, so an Orthodox Jew sets out on a quest to find someone who can. Screen’s Joanna Kay chats with director…
Who is THE FIXER? This short-form crime thriller is set to premiere at the Oscar-qualifying #HollyShorts Festival and stars the inimitable Danny Trejo. Screen’s Joanna Kay is chatting with Michael…
Dating ain’t what it used to be. Hilarious comedy SHIRi is set to premiere at the Oscar-qualifying #HollyShorts and Screen’s Joanna Kay is chatting with Director Micah Coate, Writer and…
The Oscar-qualifying short film showcase HollyShorts is bigger and better than ever, and this year, it’s virtual. Enjoy some of the best and brightest short form filmmakers from across the…
HollyShorts 2020 is here! Screen Magazine’s Joanna Kay is bringing you exclusive interviews with filmmakers from the short film spectacular, and today, Joanna takes a walk with THE PRIEST, a…
HollyShorts is here and one of the filmmakers starring in front as well as behind the camera is Andrea Rosen. Today in Filmmaker Focus, Andrea chats with SCREEN’s Joanna Kay…
Ever had a tornado hit your film set and crush your production van? Well, that is one of several remarkable stories from the making of the new critically acclaimed indie…
What is Tony Hawk’s favorite Tom Cruise movie? What was going through his mind when he hit that 900? And what about this new documentary of his that just released?…
What is Tony Hawk’s favorite Tom Cruise movie? What was going through his mind when he hit that 900? And what about this new documentary of his that just released?…
The explosive and controversial documentary IMMIGRATION NATION is now on Netflix and rattling viewers on both sides of this national debate. Screen Correspondent Joanna Kay sat down with co-directors Christina…
In turns disturbing, insightful, and moving, ASK NO QUESTIONS was described at its Slamdance premiere as a real-life version of BLACK MIRROR. Directed by Jason Loftus and Eric Pedicelli, the…
“Quietly magnificient and deeply resonant” raves Richard Roeper, as the story of a life-long factory worker who searches for purpose after his plant closes, WORKING MAN becomes available at an…
While the rest of us were sitting at home complaining about canned soup and network reruns, documentary producer extraordinaire, Emmy winner, and Kartemquin Films co-founder Gordon Quinn was in the…
These weeks in quarantine can be a catalyst of creativity for some filmmakers, and that is the case with Chicago independent filmmaker and advertising director Larry Ziegelman. Larry has a…
There’s a lot that has changed in the film world. One of the most exciting times for a filmmaker is getting into festivals and reading critics’ reviews of their films….
Nearly 20 years after the scandal, the story is finally out about the $24 million McDonald’s Monopoly fraud. “We’re just happy somebody told the story,” an FBI spokesman said, at…
EVENTS
Calendar of Events
S Sun
M Mon
T Tue
W Wed
T Thu
F Fri
S Sat
7 events,
Every Wednesday: Cinema/Chicago’s Summer Screenings
Visitors are invited to enjoy the annual free film series that casts a spotlight on a different country’s national cinema each week all summer. All Summer Screenings are free and...
Every Tuesday: Millennium Park Summer Film Series
This summer, DCASE is pleased to present the Millennium Park Summer Film Series on Tuesdays. Films start at 6:30pm. Guests may take a seat at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or...
National Black Business Month
National Black Business Month highlights the vital role of Black-owned businesses to the overall economy.
Submissions Now Open for Chicago Irish Film Festival
Annual festival of the best independent films created in the past year by Irish filmmakers working around the world and filmmaker from all over the world working in Ireland. For...
PopCon International Film Festival
PopCon prides itself as being Indy's "only" locally owned and operated large pop culture fan event. PopCon Indy will be programming a full-lineup film festival. Filmmakers from around the world...
No Coast Film Fest in Kansas
No Coast Film Fest is committed to promoting the short film genre by bringing together established and first-time filmmakers from Kansas and all over the world in a forum to...
4 events,
Iowa Independent Film Festival
We are looking for creative, innovative, thought-provoking and entertaining independent films. We are especially interested in films made in Iowa and the Midwest. The festival has showcased short films, feature-length...
Royal Starr Film Festival
The Royal Starr Film Festival (RSFF) is an international film festival centered in downtown Royal Oak Michigan at the state of the art Emagine Theater and planned by the non-profit,...
6 events,
MKE Short Film Festival
The Milwaukee Independent Film Society was founded in 1996 by Dan Wilson. Its mission and goals were to provide a grass roots community where local filmmakers can share their ideas,...
Milwaukee Short Film Festival
The Milwaukee Independent Film Society was founded in 1996 by Dan Wilson. Its mission and goals were to provide a grass roots community where local filmmakers can share their ideas,...
5 events,
Kansas City Underground Film Festival
The Kansas City Underground Film Festival is dedicated to bringing the work of independent filmmakers with unique and underappreciated visions to the people of Kansas City. The Kansas City Underground...
Chicago Underground Film Festival
The Chicago Underground Film Festival is an annual international festival dedicated to the exhibition of underground and avant-garde cinema, video, and performance. Click here for the full lineup and passes....
6 events,
Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture,...
7 events,
One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest
The One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest is part of the One Earth Film Festival which presents approximately 50 screening events all over the Chicago region every March. The Young Filmmakers...
6 events,
Hell’s Half Mile Film & Music Festival
The Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival (HHM) is the perfect mix of independent film and live indie music. Our taste is eclectic, everything from quirky comedies to hard-hitting...
Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival is the second longest-running film festival of its kind, and prides itself on showcasing the best LGBTQ+ films and videos each year. From...
Chicago South Asian Film Festival
Founded in 2010, the Chicago South Asian Film Festival is the largest annual South Asian event in the heartland of America. #CSAFFestival is organized by the Chicago South Asian Arts...
7 events,
Dayton Independent Film Festival
DIFFs mission is to provide meaningful artistic and cultural programming to Dayton’s thriving community. It will inspire those to act on their passions in a place where passion always shines,...
8 events,
Chicago Horror Film Festival
The Chicago Horror Film Festival has become a Chicago institution. With a past that started with the historic 3 Penny Cinema and a future continuing to grow with new venues...
4 events,
Port of Fear Film Festival in Kenosha
The Port of Fear Film Festival RETURNS. Fear is Here for Part II for an event that is bigger, badder, and more horrifying than before! The Port of Fear Film...
