62nd Chicago International Film Festival

A) Eligibility Requirements Completion Date

- Films must have been completed on or AFTER August 1, 2024.

- Films completed before August 1, 2024 are NOT eligible.

Premiere Date

- Films must premier/have premiered AFTER October 27, 2024.

- Films premiered anywhere on or before October 27, 2024 are NOT eligible. 

Premiere Status - Films must be at least a Chicago premiere, while US premieres (theatrical and/or online) are given priority. - Films shown at private screenings not open to the public (for crew, investors, etc.) are eligible. - Films that have previously shown online at U.S. film festivals outside of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin are eligible for consideration. Films are NOT eligible if they: - Have theatrically screened publicly in the Chicago area. - Have had a theatrical run in the US prior to the Festival dates. - Have aired on US television prior to the Festival dates. - Have shown online in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin prior to the Festival dates. - Are available to the public for purchase on DVD/Blu-ray or online. Feature-length films (narrative or documentary) that are available for public online viewing in their entirety are NOT eligible. Short films (under 40 min) may be available online. Films previously submitted to the Chicago International Film Festival are NOT eligible for consideration. All entries must be either in English or subtitled in English. Dialogue lists are not accepted. Entrant confirms and warrants required legal authority to submit the entry to the Festival and to use all music, images, and content in the entry. For any specific questions regarding a film’s eligibility,  Submission Guidelines 1. Films must be submitted via an online screener hosted by secure online platform. (It is recommended that films submitted via online screener be available to download). 2. Only complete entries (including fee payment and screener) will be considered. 3. Entrants are permitted to submit works-in-progress (i.e., without final color correction or sound mixing), but please note that the programming committee will only consider the version submitted. Subsequent cuts or replacement copies will only be accepted at the request of the programming committee. 4. For theatrical screenings, all films selected for the Chicago International Film Festival will screen on DCP unless otherwise arranged. If required, file specifications for online screenings will be provided. 

Judging & Selection Films are selected for Festival presentation by the Chicago International Film Festival programming committee. If a film is selected, the Festival office will contact the entrant by phone or email. The Festival does not provide feedback or screening notes to entries that are not selected. Films selected for the International Feature, Documentary, New Directors, and Out-Look Competitions are judged during the Festival. All other competitive film categories, including the Chicago Award and Short Film Competitions, are judged before the Festival. E) Entry Fees Each entry must be accompanied by the appropriate entry fee. Entry fees are not refundable. Fees cover registration, registration notification, full consideration by the programming department, and notification of the results. These fees may be paid by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, or American Express) or by check or money order, made payable to Cinema/Chicago.