Illinois Film Office Shortcuts Film Contest Announces Winning Film

The Illinois Film Office, in partnership with the Chicago International Film Festival and Full Spectrum Features, is pleased to announce the winner of the Shortcuts Short Film Contest and the $500 first prize is Fear, written and directed by Marjorie Matamoros, a freshman Film major at Columbia College Chicago.

Shortcuts winner Marjorie Matamoros.

Shortcuts is open to Illinois-based filmmakers 22 years old and younger and is an opportunity for burgeoning Illinois filmmakers to express their creative visions in a short film format.  The winning entry will be screened at the CineYouth Festival, the Chicago International Film Festival’s annual three-day film festival showcasing and celebrating the work of filmmakers 22 years old and younger from around the world.  The 16th CineYouth Festival, originally scheduled for May 8-10, 2020 at the Davis Theatre, has been postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. New CineYouth dates will be announced in the coming months.

Illinois Film Office director, Peter Hawley says, “While I am very sorry CineYouth is delayed until later in the year, I am very happy to be able to announce Marjorie as our winner.  Young filmmakers from all over the state participated, and there were many excellent films.  I look forward to seeing their future work.”

Winning filmmaker, Marjorie Matamoros says, “I am very honored to receive this award. A year ago, if you would have told me that I would be the winner I would not have believed it. This project means the world to me. It is very personal, it is a letter for my grandma who passed away last year. I want to thank my family for always supporting me, I would have never been able to do it without you. This is for you Mami chela, I hope it makes you proud.”

“The Shortcuts contest encourages and recognizes young creative talent, which fits perfectly with the mission of CineYouth. We are looking forward to presenting Fear at this year’s CineYouth Festival, and we congratulate Marjorie Matamoros on her film and on receiving these accolades,” says Chicago International Film Festival Artistic Director Mimi Plauché.

Details for Shortcuts 2020 will be announced later this year. Learn more about CineYouth at https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/cineyouth/.