Watch the city breathe life into the stories of ten local young filmmakers. From documentaries to music videos, this program represents the city’s long-term love affair with art and culture.

Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.

Young

Jacob Sutton, Adelaide Wilson | Chicago | Ages 21 & 22

Shot on Super 8 Vision 3, this music video compiles stop-motion, vignettes, and performance to showcase a coming-of-age ballad.

Lisa

Laya Bena Hartman & Jiaxin Wei | Joliet | Age 21

Rising young basketball star Lisa Thompson navigates expectations on and off the court as the number one-ranked player in Illinois.

Once Upon a Time… In Aztlan

Andres Carlos | Chicago | Age 20

An abstract exploration of history, belonging, memory, and knowing from an immigrant perspective.

So There’s This Girl

Isis Gullette | Chicago | Age 18

Young and unrequited love between two friends reaches a breaking point, rendering their relationship’s future uncertain.

I Can No Longer See

Raine Yung | Chicago | Age 22

A self-portrait of trauma, dilemma, objectification, and relief told through a collection of experimental shorts.

Dissonance

Jason Hart | Chicago | Age 22

Struggling to grieve the loss of a family member, a young boy spirals into self-harm before finding relief in an unlikely source.

All My Friends Are Nineteen

Jadyn Proulx | Chicago | Age 19

The friendships and intimacies (and lack thereof) that color the life of a 19-year-old college student.

Coloring Through the Eyes of Youth

Olivia Santiago | Chicago | Age 16

Go in-depth with an After School Matters program that guides teens through crafting murals for the Belmont-Cragin community.

How to Spot a Heterosexual

Adamson Novak | Chicago | Age 21

A parody PSA that focuses on the real threat walking among us.

Fruit Math

Sam Friedman, Casey Wangman, Maddie Morse, Ryan Magrisi | Evanston | Age 21

One man’s wacky quest to solve a basic math problem spirals into chaos.

The Damp Season

Olivia Huilin Gao | New York | Age 21

In this drama about family ties, a young girl comes across the teenaged version of her immigrant mother from whom she has long been estranged. A newfound empathy for her mother leads them to reconnect.

Caterpillars House (Lou, notre maison s’envole)

Juliette Balthazard | Canada | Age 22

A young girl, soon to move away from her hometown, runs away with her best friends. But as each friend slowly abandons the plan, the girl is forced to accept her reality and the heartbreak of losing friendships.

Recollect

Eli Akio Williams | California | Age 16

A boy wakes up in a desert with no recollection of what happened to him. He hitchhikes back to town and comes to a horrifying realization as he begins to remember the actions that led him to this car.

Space Coast

Caroline Bates | Florida | Age 21

A group of friends come to terms with the end of childhood in a dying tourist town home to the former space program.

On the paths awakened (Sur les sentiers éveillés)

Axel Dahan | France | Age 17

In WW2 France, two teenagers are employed to deliver messages for the Resistance. Their journey will be long and arduous and not without moral dilemma, but they must push on, for liberty’s sake.

The journey of growing up is an adventure filled with boundless possibilities and endless imagination. Eight young filmmakers from diverse backgrounds showcase their incredible talent and creativity in this all-ages program, transforming the screen into a vibrant cinematic playground.

Baby Boot (Botitas)

Lorence | Mexico | Age 21

In order to protect her favorite baby boots, Valery embarks on a playful “Baby Boots Battle” with her school.

Be Mine, Mime

Mathew Sharifi | California | Age 20

In a world devoid of color, sound, and hope, a mime and a young man fall in love, bringing vibrancy to each other’s lives.

Submerged

Neo Sky James | South Carolina | Age 18

As a boy explores the ocean in his dream, his joy fades when he uncovers human-induced perils beneath the once-clear waters, sparking his determination to take action.

Brushstrokes

Simon Finkel | Highland Park, Illinois | Age 17

As a painter who awakens colors in the grayscale world, a young boy, on his first day of work with his father, seems to have unconventional ideas.

The Spelling Bee

Katherine Ramirez | Chicago | Age 16

Preparing for the spelling bee, high schooler Barry stumbles upon a lucky winning clue.

Daydreamers

Yanely Castellanos | Chicago | Age 19

After discovering a mysterious map, two lively sisters embark on a magical treasure hunt and discover a reward better than gold at the end of the path.

Downwind

Nathan Rivers | Canada | Age 19

Obsessed with launching paper airplanes, Milly’s playtime ignites conflict between mother and daughter.

Broccoli Chase

Carter D. James | Chicago | Age 11

A little girl dreams of fleeing and dodging the dreaded broccoli.

Artist on the Go! (DS Advanced Unreleased Gameplay)

Nathan William Frost | Montgomery, Illinois | Age 17

A surreal, nightmarish game in which the player (or the viewer) is confronted with abstract and frightening tasks to complete.

The Body

Justine Borlagdan | Philippines | Age 20

An abstract tone poem, which uses the human body as a landscape for a variety of sensations and processes.

Rat King

Róisín Leavy-Sahin | Ireland | Age 18

A young boy’s affinity for a dead rat brings dire consequences to himself and his local community.

The Veiling of a Heart

Jess Nipperess | Australia | Age 18

Devout Catholic Miriam is forced to choose between forbidden romance and religious obligation.

AMPM

Charlie Li | China | Age 23

An obsessive workaholic pits his wits against a loud drummer in a battle for peace and quiet.

Navigating life and tragedy, these hilarious stories showcase characters in absurdist situations of all kinds. Thrown into the trenches of the human experience, our characters rise victorious holding the holy grail of humor in their hands.

Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.

Goodbye Herman

Ryan Santia | California | Age 18

As Ryan shares the news of his departure, Herman comes to terms with this unexpected change in their friendship.

Ladke

Sruchi Patel | California | Age 22

In a twist of the classic Cinderella story, Saloni seeks out the boy with the flyest Nikes having never seen his face.

first date?

Kylie Ramirez | Chicago | Age 21

Dropped in the throes of Gen Z dating culture, Sammy and Kari explore the different facets of romantic relationships through their scintillating discussion.

Contagious Swagger

Calvin Callins Jr. | Florida | Age 21

While Jeffrey tries to make the best impression on his girlfriend’s parents, his shoes prove to be an unexpected ally in the situation.

Body of Christ (Mi primera comunión)

Ángel Villahermosa | Spain | Age 22

As Pablo falls in love with the altar boy Sebastián, he finds that God has become an obstacle to their relationship in more ways than one.

The Murder

Alex Dymalovski | Australia | Age 20

About eight minutes before her murder, a woman takes us on a journey to confront her killer’s arduous masculinity.