Allison Torem is an award-winning Chicago-based filmmaker and actor. Her most recent explorations of the grotesque and absurd in everyday life include "Don't Come Home Before Midnight" (Nitehawk Shorts Festival, Critics Choice Award at Cinema Femme Short Film Festival, Bizarroland Film Festival) as well as the absurd comedy “ROAD HEAD” (Facets Film Trivia, Cucalorus, Tallgrass, Chicago Underground Film Festival, BizarroLand, MidWest Weird Fest (Best Actress), Filmfort, Cinema Femme Short Film Festival (Mentorship Award Recipient), Heartsick - a Valentine’s Day Screening Event at Fringe Records NYC), Midwest Film Festival (Best Actress) and the dramedy “Essentials” starring Austin Pendleton (LAShorts International Film Festival 2023, NewFilmmakers LA 2023, Chicago Underground Film Festival (Chicago Made Award), Cinema Femme Short Film Festival (Mentorship Award), nominated by IndieOutlook for 2022’s “Best Short Film Of The Year”). Allison is inspired by artfully imagined, existential film and television in which the comedic value and elements of the ridiculous are inextricable from the vulnerability and commitment of the characters. Allison is currently developing three feature screenplays, including the irreverent ensemble comedy Wannabe (Semifinalist for Screencraft’s 2021 Comedy Competition, Quarterfinalist for Scriptapalooza’s 2021 Feature Competition and Screencraft’s 2021 Writing Fellowship). As an actor, she has performed in leading roles at Lookingglass (Jeff Award Nomination for Actress in a Principal Role for Trust dir. David Schwimmer), Victory Gardens, and Steppenwolf and she can be seen on screen in Stephen Cone’s The Wise Kids (voted by Michael Koresty in The Village Voice Poll for Best Supporting Performance of the Year; the film was named named NYT Critic’s Pick, received Grand Jury Awards at Outfest and Sidewalk/SHOUT, received a spotlight on Criterion Collection, and screened on Mubi), Ignatiy Vishnevetsky’s Ellie Lumme (BAMcinemaFest and BFI London), and Bradley Grant Smith’s Our Father (SXSW 2021). Learn more at atorem.com.
