Frame in Focus Film Festival is a premiere festival that showcases: Independent films, experimental films, animation, science fiction, horror, fantasy, drama, comedy, art films, low budget films, documentary, feature films, shorts, period pieces, costume dramas, romantic comedies, action films, adventure films, silent movies, children's movies, and cult movies.
Held annually in Chicago at the historic Davis Theatre, Frame in Focus has an incredible new venue for theatre goers of all kinds. Our Festival promoters have done many valuable and engaging festivals in the past in genre film and would like to open this festival up to many other kinds of independent films, so have created Frame in Focus to do that.
Our festival runs all evening and into the night and features brand new independent films and animations as well as classic films, and contains a segment for shorts that spotlight many up and coming independent-filmmakers.
Programming:
This year, we will open our festival with a marathon of screenings at The Davis Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. You can expect guest speakers with Q&A panels, a shorts segment, and a feature films segment. Each of these will have categories that spotlight animations, women, and BIPOC filmmakers.
We encourage filmmakers of all levels, including student filmmakers, to submit to our festival, and we welcome as many submissions as you’d like. Please keep in mind, that if your film is selected and it was submitted to different categories, it will only play in one.

Awards & Prizes

Best Women Directed Film
Best BIPOC Directed Film
Best Animation
Best Directing
Best Cinematography
Best Editing
Frame in Focus Award (most on point for our festival)
Best Male Actor in a supporting role
Best Male Actor in a lead Role
Best Female Actor in a supporting role
Best Female Actor in a lead role
Best Special FX
Best Screenplay
Honorable Mention

Rules & Terms

We accept the right to refuse any film based on content we deem hateful or sexist/homophobic, racist, etc. We accept films of any length.
Certification of Entrant I, the undersigned, acknowledge and agree:
1 . I have read, understated and fully comply with all submission eligibility information, Submission Guidelines, Terms and Conditions of Entry and Entry Eligibility requirements.
2 . To the best of my knowledge, all of the statements in this document are true;
3 . This film or video is not subject to any litigation nor is threatened by any litigation;
4 . I am duly authorized to submit this film to the festival;
5 . I hold Frame in Focus harmless from any damage to the print(s) or tape(s) en route or otherwise during the course of the festival’s possession of the film;
6 . I hold Frame in Focus, its owners, management, juries, subsidiaries, agents, sponsors, affiliates, and etc. harmless from any and all claims of liability resulting from my entry.
7 . I certify that I have full rights to the use of the music in the entered work.
8 . I give permission for Frame in Focus to use stills, titles, copy, and/or information from the film for promotional purposes
9 . I give permission for Frame in Focus to screen the film at the Festival as well as any Festival presentations, programs, and/or events.
OTHER NOTES:
There is NO 'Film Made By' date. We have shown films from as early as the 30's. Please feel free to submit your early work as well as your current.
PLEASE NOTE: We DO NOT pay screening fees. If any screening fee is requested by filmmaker(s), the associated film will be disqualified.