Join fellow film professionals and fans for an exciting evening of entertainment, silent auctions, food, and networking with the who's who in Chicago's film and television scene!

Magic Hour brings together Chicago’s creative and civic leaders to support Chicago's independent filmmakers and storytellers. This event is titled creatively after the filmmaking term magic hour - the time of day just after sunset and just before sunrise, when the warmest colors are produced!

Join us at the stylish CineCity Studios for an evening of dancing and celebration. With food and drink from Beyond Catering, event design from Fierce Productions, and dancing to the hottest DJ beats - it's an evening you don't want to miss. This year, our popular Silent Auction will only be available at the event itself. Individuals must be present to bid and win.

IFA Chicago members get 50% off the general admission price! Member tickets are limited - get yours by logging into the member portal now.

And don’t forget about our Silent Auction!

These unique and fabulous items are only available at Magic Hour, and you must be present to win.

Script Night! is a bi-monthly workshop which gives screenwriters and filmmakers a chance to connect, and provide feedback on scripts in development. In November, Script Night! will be hosted at The IFA Chicago Hub, Cinespace Studios. Scripts are due November 6th.

Sign up to share your script (30 page maximum), or volunteer to read selected scripts before attending. Up to five scripts will be selected for feedback. Everyone who registers will be given access to the scripts 1-2 weeks in advance, to read and fill out the response forms ahead of time.

Participants are *not* required to have their own script, but are asked to read the selected scripts and provide feedback via an online coverage sheet. (Instructions will be included when sent out.) Scripts are due by 11:59pm CST on November 6th. Please submit your script using this Google Form. **Please note you are also required to RSVP for the event, using the registration button below.**

Script Night! Moderators are IFA Members, Jennifer McMurtry and Bish, and Jon Knecht.

Questions? Email events@ifachicago.org

On November 20th at 12pm CST, IFA Chicago will host one of our partners, Bright Iris Film Co., in a lunch hour online webinar.

Publicist and strategist, Lisa Trifone, will talk us through independent film publicity - what it is, when it’s appropriate, and how it can benefit Chicago filmmakers. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions halfway through, and the final 10 minutes of the webinar will introduce the online course. All who attend will receive a free Press Kit Essentials downloadable resource.

Publicity Essentials for Independent Films is a self-directed, on-demand, three-module course that covers PR foundations and terms, essential promotional materials, and goal setting and strategy. 

Our one hour webinar is free to attend and only available to IFA Chicago members (who will receive a 20% discount on the course, should they choose to purchase additional modules).

Please register no later than November 19th!

The IATSE Local 476 Women's Committee presents a Film Workers' Holiday Market on Saturday, Nov. 16th 12-5pm. This market is a mix of an Arts and Craft Show, plus a Vintage Sale. The vendors are all local, talented film workers who are excited to show off their wares! There will also be food, music and a visit from Santa!

This annual capstone event of the Midwest Film Festival celebrates the outstanding work of Midwestern filmmakers.

IFA Chicago and Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals (CAFF) are ecstatic to bring you this program on November 12th. We’ll have a phenomenal panel of film festival experts, ready to share their valuable skills and insights when it comes to entering films into fests!

In this new and unique Business of Film session, we will explore how to properly navigate the film festival application process, and the extensive journey in finding which film festivals are right for you.

Joining us to represent the behind-the-scenes angle will be festival programmer, Raul Benitez, who can address the ins and outs, and do’s and don’ts, all fest applicants should know.

Exemplifying the independent filmmaker, and speaking as an IFA Member and educator, is Missy Hernandez, who has priceless success navigating film festival circuits.

IFA Creative Cabinet member and producer, cinematographer, and instructor, John Otterbacher, will provide an extensive academic and filmmaking experience lens.

Rujanee Mahakanjana, founder of Nebula Creatives L3C and Pixquid, will be present for advice and views on what comes next for film festival participants.

 Deidre Searcy, Festival Program Director of FACETs, is set to moderate the discussion.

Our Business of Filmmaking series is generously sponsored by Cast & Crew! Check them out here

Complimentary beer, wine, and popcorn will be served. Stick around after the panel for some socializing, and details on upcoming fests!

This event is FREE for IFA Chicago and CAFF members. Tickets are $5 for the general public.

New users will need to create a free account in our event system to register. Reach out to info@ifachicago.org if you need assistance!

An exclusive evening celebrating local talent at Short Film Showcase @ Soho on October 17th, 2024 From 8 PM to 10 PM! Golden Age Films will be screening captivating short films from five visionary filmmakers based in Chicago.

Immerse yourself in the artistry of our city’s most exciting filmmakers. Whether you’re a film enthusiast, a creative professional, or just looking for a night out with a cultural twist, this event is the perfect way to enjoy Chicago’s thriving film scene.

Golden Age Films’ showcase features 5 short films by directors Joseph Chretien-Golden, Danie Anderson, Adele Watel, Jerry Gonzalez, and Kristen McCabe. Run time will be 1 hour 15 minutes with about 25-30 minutes of Q&A following the films.

Lineup includes

“ELSE” - Directed By: Adele Watel

“Vulture” - Directed By: Joseph Chretien-Golden

“City Shadows” - Directed By: Danielle Anderson

“Spaghetti Man” - Directed By: Jerry S. Gonzales

“Pole Climb” - Directed By: Kristen McCabe

**Tickets:** $20 (includes complimentary popcorn and champagne)

Valet and street parking will be available at Soho House.

Don’t miss out on this unforgettable cinematic experience!

Join us for the second event of the fall professional development series,  Review Your Resumé: from Film Girlz Brunch x Rise & Shine Career Development. 

Presented by Players: A Film Industry Podcast, Rm. 19 Productions, and the Independent Film Alliance Chicago... this session, for womxn and nonbinary creatives, will enhance your creative career prospects by providing a 15-minute appointment with an industry expert. You’ll receive personalized feedback on your resumé, and valuable tips on how to elevate your application for future opportunities. 

Check out our killer lineup: 

• Film: Luzzo with Full Spectrum Features

• Television (AD + Production Assistant): Olivia Dame

• Documentary: Haydée Souffrant with Kartemquin Films 

• Commercial: Kala Bradford 

• Creative Careers: Mandi Glowen with Northwestern University

After appointments are done, attend our engaging "State of the Industry" panel! Dive into insightful discussions on the current landscape of creative work, and take part in an interactive Q&A session.

Let's elevate our careers together; register now! 

**IMPORTANT: You must RSVP no later than 4pm on October 12th. Studio security will not allow you through if you have not gotten a ticket by this deadline.**

Chicago Film Club and IFA Chicago Present: Film and Feedback Night...

...an evening to socialize, show your film in progress, and share feedback.

Attendees will mingle, watch in-the-works projects, and provide notes and commentary to the group. You must be an IFA Chicago member, or a Chicago Film Club member, to attend.

Participants are *not* required to have a current project. We have lots of room for members to be present as audience! **Please RSVP using the registration button below**

To submit your film piece for viewing, sign up via the Google Form at this link. **Please note you are also required to RSVP for the event, using the registration button below.**

Attendees are welcome to bring snacks and drinks to the event.  IFA Chicago will have a few things out for all to share (please notify us of any allergies or aversions at least 5 business days in advance).

 Questions? Email events@ifachicago.org

Join us for a special edition of "In Focus With...," featuring IFA Member Haroula Rose and a screening of her film All Happy Families. The screening and event will take place at Music Box Theater. Click the button below for details and tickets!

Haroula Rose's charming dramedy stars How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor as Graham, an actor and writer in a slump and still waiting for his big break while his hugely successful brother Will (Rob Huebel) stars in his own sitcom. On the weekend before new tenant Dana (Chandra Russell) is due to move into their childhood home, the siblings and their parents find themselves unexpectedly under the same roof again, where every corner reveals secrets and surprises and the family airs out long-held resentments. This slice-of-life film features a terrific ensemble cast, including the pitch-perfect Becky Ann Baker as Sue, the matriarch who’s tired of having to hold everything together. 

With a heartfelt and witty script co-written by Coburn Goss, Rose delicately weaves a deeply relatable portrait of family dysfunction, with all of its delightfully entertaining mess coming to the surface over the course of one eventful and unforgettable weekend.

SOLD OUT: IFA Chicago and Chicago International Film Festival are excited to collaborate for a special preview event!

*** Our event is sold out! To sign up for future event information, please click below. ***

We have an incredible night planned for all who attend. Come out for your chance to win a ChiFilmFest Industry pass, or a special ticket to IFA Chicago’s December Magic Hour!

** Industry Days is the Chicago International Film Festival’s hub for filmmakers and industry professionals to connect, share ideas, and be inspired.  During this conference you will have the opportunity to meet with development executives, producers and distributors in our Decision-Maker Roundtables, informative panel conversations, master classes, networking events, and more. **

We are so excited to be hosting the Chicago premiere of IFA Chicago’s Fiscal Sponsorship recipient: WIZDOM.

Welcome to the world of Wizdom, a neon-lit colony where daylight is scarce and humans live with bionic implants. Eos, a professional thief, is saved by a strange character, Carbon, who has a higher purpose for Eos and her younger sibling Vayle.

WIZDOM will be premiering Friday September 20th, 2024 at CineCity Studios in Chicago.

Get your tickets for a night of supporting film, learning about this film, and being the very first to see WIZDOM, a project more than three years in the making. (Run time approximately 12 minutes.)

Script Night! is a bi-monthly workshop which gives screenwriters and filmmakers a chance to connect, and provide feedback on scripts in development. In September, Script Night! will be hosted at The IFA Chicago Hub, Cinespace Studios. Scripts are due September 3rd.

Sign up to share your script (30 page maximum), or volunteer to read selected scripts before attending. Up to five scripts will be selected for feedback. Everyone who registers will be given access to the scripts 1-2 weeks in advance, to read and fill out the response forms ahead of time.

Participants are *not* required to have their own script, but are asked to read the selected scripts and provide feedback via an online coverage sheet. (Instructions will be included when sent out.) Scripts are due by 11:59pm CST on September 3rd. Please submit your script using this Google Form. **Please note you are also required to RSVP for the event, using the registration button below.**

Script Night! Moderators are IFA Members, Jennifer McMurtry and Bish.

Questions? Email events@ifachicago.org

Attention Horror Writers! Our friends in The Hayes Horror Community and IFA Chicago are hosting a special meetup on Friday the 13th!

The meetup will take place at Toons Bar & Grill, 3857 N Southport Avenue in Chicago. Horror writers, filmmakers, fans and friends are invited. No cover, all are able to purchase their own food and drinks. 

As an added bonus, the Music Box Theater just a few blocks away is hosting a marathon of Friday the 13th films! (Please note the films begin at 12pm, tickets must be purchased directly from The Music Box.)

About The Hayes Horror Community: founded by Chad and Carey Hayes, the screenwriters/producers behind the $1B CONJURING film franchise, The Hayes Horror Community is the fastest-growing global community of horror and genre-specific writers and filmmakers. It’s free to join the community, educational events, panels and meetups are hosted throughout the year.