Presented by Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival, the 2023 CineYouth Festival today announced the full program to be screened April 21-23 in person at FACETS, 1517 W. Fullerton, and available April 24-30 virtually around the world. In total, 65 short films have been programmed into 10 screening blocks featuring everything from uproarious comedies and depictions of activism in action, to late night thrills and nuanced journeys of reflection.
CineYouth opens on Friday, April 21 with the Chicagoland presentation offering a vast array of creative expression from our city’s talented young filmmakers, including the documentary Taste of 75th made by a group of youth who participated in The Chicago Housing Authority + DePaul Youth Partnership Program. The Closing Night screening on Sunday, April 23 will be an Encore presentation of the Chicagoland program, presented with open captioned films and a live-captioned post-screening Q&A.
Other screening programs include genre-bending chills in Late Night Thrills; quirky comedies in Humor Me and inspiring activism in Making A Change. Explore the concept of home and the true meaning of belonging in (Up)Rooted; how the connections we make impact our lives forever in Intertwined: Drama; and the power of sharing your unique voice in Be Seen, Be Heard: Documentary. Cinematic poetry comes to life in Free Verse: Experimental; Playtime: Family Fun offers films for all ages; and It’s Personal examines questions of self-discovery and mental health including the short film “As You Are” starring model and disability activist Bri Scalesse.
“These brilliant young filmmakers have so much to say–whether sharing their own personal stories or building completely new worlds, they are infusing their films with a passion to raise awareness, to inspire empathy, and to make the world a better place through their impactful stories,” said CineYouth Festival Manager Celeste Wong.
In addition to screenings, CineYouth offers workshops and filmmaker Q&As. Saturday is all about Making a Change. This inspiring screening program will be preceded by a workshop entitled Making a Change: Creating Impact Through Storytelling with filmmakers Colette Ghunim and Jennifer Reeder, moderated by FACETS Festival Programmer Deidre Searcy. Young filmmakers and storytellers are invited to discover how both fiction and nonfiction films can impact the way audiences interpret the world and ignite social and cultural change.
Sunday’s workshop Creative Collaboration: An Exploration of Editing Workflow, presented by Adobe, offers the opportunity to hear from a director-editor team, Rounding (58th Chicago International Film Festival) director Alex Thompson and editor Michael Spencer Smith, about the process of editing a feature film together.
The CineYouth Awards Ceremony, presented by Adobe, will be held on April 23, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. at FACETS, at which awards in eight categories will be given to CineYouth filmmakers, including the Rising Star Award presented by Adobe and the Chicago Award as well as Animation, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Experimental, and International Film awards. A selection of award-winning CineYouth films will be screened at the 59th Chicago International Film Festival in October, 2023.
CineYouth is an excellent opportunity for emerging filmmakers and anyone interested in the arts to learn from industry experts and network with their peers. We encourage local youth and film lovers of all ages to attend. All screenings and events are free and open to the public. For tickets and a full description of programs please visit ChicagoFilmFestival.com/cineyouth. Press materials are available here and make sure to check out the 2023 CineYouth Trailer here.
Led by major sponsor Adobe, CineYouth is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events; Official Agency: Ogilvy; Official Publicity Agency: Lara Bogenrief PR; Accessibility Partner: Periscope Post & Audio; Additional Support: Camera Ambassador, Dark Matter Coffee, Perrier; Partner Venue: FACETS.
212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400
