Shorts Program

This collection of uncanny and unhinged stories from around the world represent the growing global appetite for genre films. Full of inventive stories with stunning practical effects, this program will delight late night moviegoers of all stripes.

Audiences of all ages will enjoy these stories about companionship between characters navigating wild worlds. From fantastical to familial, this collection offers a colorful look into the push and pull of close camaraderie.

Showcasing a diverse mix of animation techniques, the films in this program focus on moments of transition where characters, both relatable and fantastic, make discoveries, face irreversible choices, and navigate outbursts.

Eight award-winning shorts from CineYouth 2024 including surrealist comedies, touching dramas, and boldly crafted stories — all made by young people.

In these shorts from across the diaspora, our protagonists are forced to mature in the face of difficult and uncomfortable truths.

A program of shorts by Illinois filmmakers addressing how past experiences shape the present moment, showcasing the talent and vision of regional filmmakers.

Unbound obsessions and delusional desires fuel these hilarious shorts that embody the essence of “fake it ‘til you make it!” From the delightfully heartwarming to the absolutely bonkers, these films remind us to dream big, live large, and leave it all on the field.

Using diverse methods of observation, animation, and essay, the filmmakers in this program showcase the flexibility of documentary form. Each zeroes in on a unique point of view, eliciting intimate first-person portraits about the broad spectrum of human experience and emotion.

From unforgettable chance encounters to complex lifelong relationships, these powerful films from visionary auteurs explore the depth of human connections, the transcendent nature of shared language, and the ways life’s twists and turns can strengthen — or challenge — those bonds.

The seven short films in this program radically push towards new and singular forms of expression. Through the use of archival footage, historical recreation, and dreamlike narratives, these films grapple with the past and the future of cinema — and the world.