Chicago Indie Film Awards celebrates Independent U.S. and international films of all genres. 

The festival is an IMDb qualifying monthly and annual festival. The international platform is dedicated to supporting, promoting and recognizing indie film projects and scripts from all over the world. U.S. and international projects compete together in various sections of the festival. 

The official selections of the monthly editions are screened privately to jury members of each edition in various categories. All the award winners are then nominated for the annual festival with screening, cash prizes and bonuses in the competition. 

The festival is also a partner of Chicago Movie Magazine which features our official selections and the award winners every month. 

Chicago Indie Film Awards is committed to supporting indie film projects from all over the world. 

Awards & Prizes


Best Narrative Feature
Best Narrative Short
Best Documentary Feature
Best Documentary short
Best Experimental
Best Animation
Best Science Fiction
Best Horror
Best Director
Best Producer
Best Cinematography
Best Editor
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Script
Best Unproduced script
Best TV Series/Pilot/Web
Best Comedy
Best Student Film
Best Music Video
Best Thriller
Best Trailer
Best Composer
Best First Time Filmmaker
Best Female Filmmaker
Best Indie Film

Rules & Terms

Once a film is selected for our annual event, it cannot be withdrawn.
Films can be available online and still be entered in the competition for our monthly festival.
Multiple submissions and multiple category submissions are accepted.
Films must have been completed within the past 4 years.
Shorts must be less than 40 minutes.
Chicago Indie Film Awards can use stills and trailers to promote films.

112 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Adam D. Cohen

    So proud to have been an official selection with your Film Festival! Great communication through emails. Looking forward to submitting future projects. Thank you again!

    February 2021
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  • Derek Silver

    Solid monthly festival with great communication and social media exposure. Worth the time and entry fees.

    February 2021
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  • vincent tivoli

    Thank you Chicago Indie Film Awards for selecting Have You Seen a Pigeon Fly? After all the hard work of putting a film together it was very encouraging to be considered. I can keep going and believing. Vincent Tivoli.

    February 2021
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  • Joe Chang

    Excellent film festival! ! I love it and highly recommend!

    February 2021
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  • Michael Lipton

    While these are trying times for festivals, I’m extremely grateful for being accepted into the Chicago indie film festival.

    If it were different times, I would have loved to have attended a screening and seen others works!

    February 2021
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