🍲 Cinema Soup Film Festival – Stirring Stories Since 2016! 🎬
Welcome to the Cinema Soup Film Festival, where short films are served fresh and creativity is always the main ingredient! Since 2016, Cinema Soup has been spotlighting powerful, punchy, and passionate films from creators of all experience levels. Whether your story is bold, heartfelt, hilarious, haunting, or genre-bending — if it moves us, we want a taste.
After a brief hiatus, Cinema Soup returns in 2026 — and we’re bringing the flavor to a brand-new venue as part of Zocko Con, a fan-centered convention dedicated to comics, gaming, pop culture, and the creative arts. You’ll find cosplay, panels, exhibitors, and now… a showcase of incredible short films.
đź“Ť Festival Details:
Date: Sunday, March 29, 2026
Location: Altgeld Hall (yes, it is a castle), Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL
Screening Room: A cozy, intimate environment designed for real connection between creators and audiences
Access: Each selected film receives 2 VIP Passes to experience the entire Zocko Con weekend
🥄 We Want Your Short Film If It’s:
30 minutes or less
From any year – we don’t care when you made it, just that it’s awesome
Any genre – drama, comedy, animation, documentary, horror, experimental — bring it
From any experience level – student, pro, or somewhere in between
🏆 Official Selections Get:
Live screening with real-time audience engagement
Award recognition eligibility in multiple categories
Social media spotlights for all official selections
Reviews and coverage opportunities in Breaking Fate Magazine and on the Cinema Soup Podcast (This perk extends to many films that aren't selected to screen as well)
Even if your film isn’t selected, we often shine a light on submissions that move us — because supporting indie film is the heart of what we do.
🍜 Join the Soup!
Cinema Soup is a celebration of variety, voice, and vision. Our goal is to honor stories that stick with you, whatever form they take. So toss your film into the pot and let it simmer — this is one festival that doesn’t play by the recipe.
Get a taste. Stir the pot. Join the Soup.
👉 www.CinemaSoupFilmFest.com
👉 www.ZockoCon.com
Cinema Soup Film Festival is all about celebrating bold voices, fresh ideas, and unforgettable storytelling — and we believe recognition should be just as unique as the films themselves.
Each year, we serve up a carefully curated batch of awards to honor outstanding work across a variety of categories. From audience favorites to standout performances and technical brilliance, we’re cooking up new and exciting award categories for our 2026 return!
Selected films will be eligible for:
A Cinema Soup Award – trophy or certificate (depending on category)
Spotlight features across our social media, Breaking Fate Magazine, and the Cinema Soup Podcast
Audience recognition and bragging rights that go beyond the big screen
Our goal is to recognize creativity, effort, and originality — not just follow a recipe. Whether your film makes us laugh, cry, squirm, or think… we want to celebrate it.
The categories may change, but the honor is always served hot. 🍲
