March 28th - 30th, 2025 at FACETS (1517 W. Fullerton) in Beautiful Lincoln Park Chicago
2025 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
A Celebration of Independent Cinema
FRI
SAT
SUN
6pm-7pm
Check-In, Cocktail Hour, Red Carpet
630pm-7pm
Music Videos
Von dutch, Delusion, Sasquatcher, What If We Run Away?, Dead Calm, Middle of Nowhere, The Price, ClerbY
7pm-8:30pm
Kick-Off Film Screenings!
Project Eden, Quiet, Come Out Wherever You Are, Huck & Jim
830pm-10pm
Red Carpet Q&A's
& Kick-Off
Networking Party!
10pm-Midnight
Late-Night Screenings
The Winding Sheet, Delicate Arch (Main),
The Dogumentary (Studio)
1030am-Noon
Film Screenings: Time Block A
Smile for the Dead,
Fuck You Cupid, 88
Noon-130pm
Film Screenings: Time Block B
Fine, Drawn Together Torn Apart, The Last Rung On The Ladder, Lotus, Sing Me To Sleep, A Pickle and a Coke
145pm-230pm
Puppetry for TV Workshop:Frank Cesario
2pm-4pm
Film Screenings: Time Block C
The Cancer Card, Birds of a Feather, Stay, Down Safe, In Formation, The Girl From The Village
230pm-430pm
Meet & Greet w/
4 Star Casting
4pm-6pm
Film Screenings: Time Block D
Sentiment, The Pipes, Dr. Rooney's Office, Followers, Toby, Bay For Blood
6pm-8pm
Film Screenings: Time Block E
Foggy's Odyssey, The Five Steps of Irish Catholic Grieving, JOY!, Don't Feed The Unicorn, Nine Awkward Dates, The Terror, Crimes of Santa Claus
8pm-10pm
Film Screenings: Time Block F
Bush, Rent Boy, We Live Here Now, The Picture In The House, Cowboy Boots, Night Wire (Main)
PAPmusic - Animation for Fashion (Studio)
10pm-Midnight
Late-Night Film Screenings: Time Block G
The Tempest (Main Theater), Zombie Jesus Vampire Hunter (Studio)
1130am-130pm
Film Screenings: Time Block J
Shepherds Club, The Spades Club, Clancy Sigal: Hollywood Blacklist to A List
130pm-330pm
Film Screenings: Time Block K
Symbionic, The Reappearance of Joy, Face Time, You Are Home, Still Pushing: A Skateboarder's Push Through Time, Keep the Fight
2pm-3pm
Creating a Scene w/ Light: Featuring DP Austin Vinas
3pm-4pm
Post Production Workshop: Featuring Kyle Delso of Third Beacon
330pm-530pm
Film Screenings: Time Block L
Wellness Check, Rutabaga, Incubus, Up in Michigan, Gralloch, MUTE, After The Rain
530pm-730pm
Film Screenings: Time Block M
AGENTES DE SU PROPIO DESSARRE, IRON BROTHERHOOD, VULTURE CITY WYOMING, TRACING OUR PATH THROUGH PILSEN
730pm-930pm
Film Screenings: Time Block N
Rose, Is This True Love?, Alphabet Soup, Kick the Can
*all screening blocks will have a red carpet photo session before/after and a Q&A session*
*awards will be given during the Q&A session after each screening block*
*click each time block for trailers, summaries, and more info regarding each film*
BEST ANIMATED NOMINEES
Birds of a Feather
Don't Feed the Unicorn
PAPmusic - Animation for Fashion
The Winding Sheet
Stay
SymBionic
BEST DRAMA NOMINEES
After the Rain
Cowboy Boots
Huck & Jim
Project Eden
Up in Michigan
BEST COMEDY NOMINEES
Kick The Can
JOY!
Nine Awkward Dates
The Crimes of Santa Claus
BEST MID LENGTH DOC NOMINEES
Keep the Fight
Agentes de su Propio Desarrollo
Tracing Our Path Through Pilsen
BEST DOC FEATURE NOMINEES
Clancy Sigal:Hollywood Blacklist to "A" List
Smile For The Dead
BEST SHORT DOC NOMINEES
In Formation
Iron Brotherhood
You Are Home
Still Pushing: A Skateboarders Push Through Time
BEST STUDENT COMEDY NOMINEES
Down Safe
Dr. Rooney's Office
Is This True Love?
The Five Steps of Irish Catholic Grieving
The Cancer Card
BEST STUDENT DRAMA NOMINEES
Alphabet Soup
MUTE
Shepherds Club
Sing Me To Sleep
Vulture City, Wyoming
BEST SERIES PILOT/PROOF OF
CONCEPT NOMINEES
The Dogumentary
Project Eden
BEST DIRECTOR NOMINEES
Huck & Jim - Frank Tovar
Project Eden - Dave Salvi, Chris Sattel
Delicate Arch - Matt Warren
RENT BOY - Shay Van Lue
Up in Michigan - Jack Lawrence
Come Out, Wherever You Are - Caitlin Presberg
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY NOMINEES
Delicate Arch
Come Out, Wherever You Are
Huck & Jim
Shakespeare: The Tempest
Up in Michigan
Vulture City, Wyoming
BEST EDITOR NOMINEES
Still Pushing: A Skateboarders Push...
Followers
The Crimes of Santa Claus
Night Wire
BEST PERFORMER DRAMA NOMINEES
MUTE - Christopher R. Wilson
After the Rain - Matthew Mosley
Face Time - Abigail Hindle
Cowboy Boots - Michael Ridley
Huck & Jim - Brody Behr
Huck & Jim - Will Wamba
The Last Rung On The Ladder - Seth K. Hale
The Last Rung On The Ladder - & Brian Belz
Incubus - Krista Rose Coniglio
BEST LATE NIGHT/EXPERIMENTAL NOMINEES
Bush
Delicate Arch
The Picture in the House
Shakespeare: The Tempest
Zombie Jesus Vampire Hunter
BEST PERFORMER
COMEDY NOMINEES
JOY! - Christina Hilliard
The Cancer Card - Elvis Garcia
The Crimes of Santa Claus - Tony Calkins
TOBY - Emily Isabel Norton
TOBY - Robert Baulderstone
BEST "CHICAGO" NOMINEES
The Dogumentary
The Terror
We Live Here Now
BEST SCRIPT NOMINEES
After The Rain
A Pickle and a Coke
Huck & Jim
JOY!
The Picture in the House
BEST SCORE NOMINEES
The Last Rung on the Ladder
Shakespeare: The Tempest
Project Eden
BEST STUNTS NOMINEES
Delicate Arch
Night Wire
The Last Rung on the Ladder
BEST FX NOMINEES
Delicate Arch
Night Wire
Shakespeare: The Tempest
The Crimes of Santa Claus
The Picture in the House
BEST PRODUCTION
DESIGN NOMINEES
Come Out, Wherever You Are
Delicate Arch
Fuck You, Cupid
Huck & Jim
Project Eden
Sentiment
Shakespeare: The Tempest
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
ORIGINAL SONG NOMINEES
Dead Calm
Sasquatcher
The Price
What If We Run Away?
BEST MUSIC VIDEO NOMINEES
Delusion
Middle of Nowhere
Sasquatcher
The Price
Von dutch
BEST LGBTQIA+ NOMINEES
Cowboy Boots
Is This True Love
RENT BOY
The Picture in the House
BEST ENSEMBLE NOMINEES
Fine
Project Eden
Delicate Arch
JOY!
Rent Boy
Kick the Can
Wellness Check
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER
Project Eden
ABOUT
OUR MISSION
Get ready for a whirlwind of cinema at the first-ever Chicago Film Frenzy! From March 28th-30th at FACETS (1517 W. Fullerton in Chicago), the Windy City film scene will be buzzing with excitement as filmmakers, movie lovers, and creative minds come together to celebrate a vibrant mix of films.
Chicago FiIm Frenzy is all about energy, diversity, and the power of film to ignite conversation and inspiration. Our lineup will feature a dynamic range of films, from gripping narratives and groundbreaking documentaries to daring experimental shorts and everything in between. Each selection has been chosen for its ability to captivate, challenge, and/or entertain audiences, offering fresh perspectives.
Beyond film screenings, the festival will include lively panel discussions, filmmaker Q&A's, intriguing workshops, & a special networking party. Join us in celebrating the inaugural year of the Chicago Film Frenzy!
WHO WE ARE
Billy Surges
- Co-Founder of Chicago Film Frenzy
- Owner of Surging Films
- Award-Winning Director for TV Pilot and Doc Short
- On-Set Coordinator for various Chicago films and shows such as Divergent, Shameless, At Any Price
Emma Widlowski
- Co-Founder of Chicago Film Frenzy
- Producer at Surging Films
- Star of new Christmas Film coming to a major streaming network in 2024
%20(1).png)
-
What is parking like near Facets?Paid Parking is available along Fullerton Ave. Free Street Parking is available on side streets including Greenview Ave and Bosworth. Spot Hero options are also available nearby.
-
Is there public transport to get to Facets?The 74 Fullerton bus stops outside of Facets on the corner of Fullerton and Greenview. Brown and Red L line train stops at Fullerton Avenue, 14 minute walk to Facets. Divvy station located at Fullerton and Greenview as well as municipal bike racks in front of Facets.
-
Are there hotel accommodations nearby?We recommend The Hotels at Midtown Chicago and The Sono Chicago.
-
What is accessibility like at Facets?Facets' first floor entrance is a covered ramp, offering step-free access. There is an accessible entrance to the cinema through the front door by the screen. Please ask a customer service representative for assistance. There are two cinema spaces designated to accommodate wheelchairs or mobility devices with reserved companion seats.
-
How do I submit my film?Films can be submitted for consideration at FilmFreeway https://filmfreeway.com/ChicagoFilmFrenzy
-
How many films will be selected to screen?Over the three day festival, we plan to screen a little over 100 films.