"What you get for your money is not just admission to the films but admission to a subculture" -- Roger Ebert
The Chicago Underground Film Festival is the longest-running underground film fest in the world, showcasing the freshest and most daring documentary, experimental, and avant-garde narrative films and videos. Our goal is to select and screen works that push the boundaries and focus on filmmakers who are shaking things up and exploring new approaches to established practices. We foster new forms of media art and build an audience for this type of work by putting on an accessible and enjoyable event that's unlike any other. If you think your film is "underground," chances are it is.
We started this thing back in 1993, and our mission has always been to showcase the work of film and video makers with unique and independent visions. We're not interested in imitating mainstream, market-driven festivals like Sundance - we want to create our own niche by presenting a user-friendly showcase for avant-garde and cult cinema. We've got all sorts of films and videos of all lengths and genres that are experimental in form or content, including recent programming highlights like the world premieres of Triple Trouble by The Residents and Homer Flynn and Circus of the Scars by Cory Wees, as well as Chicago premieres of Provo by Emma Thatcher, The Love Witch by Anna Biller, and Evaporating Borders by Iva Radivojevic.
We're not just about supporting the up-and-coming either - we also recognize and pay tribute to the rich history of underground and independent cinema by presenting retrospectives of legendary filmmakers like John Waters, Kenneth Anger, and Alejandro Jodorowsky.
And it's not just about the movies - we also offer panels and workshops and host some pretty epic parties and concerts featuring artists like Pedestrian Deposit, Brett Nauke, Fire-Toolz, and The Handsome Family.
Every year at the Chicago Underground Film Festival, we give out awards to recognize the best and most interesting films and videos. A jury will select six winners in various categories, and each of these filmmakers will receive a custom-made trophy. We'll also present "Made in Chicago" and Audience Choice awards. While making movies isn't a competition, these awards are a way to honor and celebrate the badass work of our filmmakers. The awards might change from year to year, depending on what the jury decides, but one thing stays the same: they're all about celebrating the underground vision of our talented filmmakers.
