Author: chicagofilmfestival

Submit your Short Film and get it showcased at the FEEDBACK Film Festival in Chicago. 1 event in 2019. 12 events in 2020. Festival takes place at LOGAN Theatre in downtown Chicago on the 3rd Friday of every single month.

Director Bio:  Patrick Coleman Duncan (COMPEL)

As a filmmaker and actor Patrick has made three consecutive Award Winning short films, JES AND LORA, LIFE’S A PITCH, and COMPEL.
Patrick began his filmmaking career producing, writing, and starring in SO, WHAT’S IN JERICHO? in 1998. JERICHO was an early example of digital filmmaking and raising money by a primitive form of crowdfunding (he asked family and friends for money and promised perks without use of the internet).
Moving to LA in 2000, he wrote, produced and directed the short films HOLLYWOOD, THE HARD WAY, THE SHABBOS BIGFOOT, and A MOCK TIME: A ‘STAR TREK’ WEDDING, as well as several industrial films for UCLA Medical.
He joined We Make Movies, the Hollywood Film Collective, in 2012, wrote and acted in the WMM Challenge winning sketch MISERY DATE as well as acting and editing multiple films for members. For five years he coordinated We Make Movies’ monthly Test Screening Series, a forum to get projects ready for festivals and distribution.
As an editor, he worked on the award winning features, CARBON NATION and ASSISTING VENUS (starring Julian Sands).
As an actor he’s appeared on GUIDING LIGHT, DAYS OF OUR LIVES, and PARKS AND RECREATION. He is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the Television Academy.
He is currently taking his latest project, the Award Winning short Thriller COMPEL to festivals around the world.

Director Statement
“Compel” is a film about the impulses we have for sex, love, hatred and revenge that we think we can control but, if we’re not careful, may end up controlling us.
Winner of Best Thriller Short at the 2021 Marina del Rey Film Festival and Best Psychological Drama and Best Director of a Psychological Drama at 2021 LA Live Film Festival.

Short Film: COMPEL, 17min., USA, Drama

“You better be careful. You don’t want it to carry you away.”
Jessica is recently separated and looking for some sexual intrigue. She brings home Dan, a stranger who may have gotten more than he bargained for when her soon-to-be-ex husband Jeff pays her a surprise visit. The couple airs their grievances as Dan remains on, a captive witness to a scene of pending domestic violence.
A one night stand gone horribly wrong – or does it?

Project Links

Director Bio: Kevin Staake (GREENHORN)

“Greenhorn” is the first narrative film that I’ve both written and directed. My directorial debut was the short documentary “Dieorama”, which was a SXSW 2020 Official Selection. I write and develop my own short films, documentaries, features and series. In some cases, like this one, I even get to make them.

Director Statement
It’s tricky to talk about “Greenhorn” without giving the whole thing away. I hope it serves not only as a 10 minute distraction from the mayhem of the world, but also as a cautionary tale of selfishness and a reminder of looming issues critical to humanity and our natural home.

HIGHLIGHTS & VIDEOS: December 2021 SHORT Film Festival

Best of DRAMA Short Films from 2021 Event.

AWARD WINNERS:
Best Film: LEA
Best Cinematography: WHEN SHE WAS GOOD
Best Direction: FURTIF
Best Sound & Music: MADE WITH LOVE
Best Performances: GOODNIGHT, BELLA

WATCH THE AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEOS:

LEA, 10min., Italy, Drama

Directed by Nora Jaenicke

Set in Italy, it follows a little girl, the eponymous Lea, whose crush on her guitar teacher has become the most significant part of her life and world—which is confined to the country house where she lives with her mother, her father uncaring and absent. It is viper season, and they love the river that Lea frequents. Lea’s mother copes with a strained marriage and the questions that it prompts from her daughter. And the one that threatens to finally tip over the precarious balance—Lea has a crush on her guitar teacher, who she discovers is involved with her mother. Lea’s relationship with her mother is not quite easy. Dealing with a crush which is obviously all-consuming for one so young, Lea is almost always moping. With her failing marriage, a secret affair, and a daughter she is raising alone, Lea’s mother too has a lot on her plate.

WATCH the Audience FEEDBACK Video

festival poster

WHEN SHE WAS GOOD, 20min., UK, Drama

Directed by Margarita Milne

When a young girl discovers that Santa is not real, she questions the lies told by adults and the terrible secret that she has been forced to keep.

WATCH the Audience FEEDBACK Video

festival poster

FURTIF, 7min., Canada, Drama

Directed by Vincent Richard

By not respecting nature, an accident will be inevitable and that day, mother nature will only wildly observe.

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festival poster

MADE WITH LOVE, 9min., UK, Docudrama

Directed by Calum Macdiarmid

The incredible (true) story of a young dancer’s kidnap and subsequent escape from two criminals who wanted to learn how to dance.

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festival poster

WANDER, 13min., USA, Drama/Experimental

Directed by Dimitri Luedemann

After wandering through the desert a man must realize what are the important things in his life in order to survive the arid desert in moments of deep reflection triggered by his own survival.

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festival poster

GOODNIGHT, BELLA, 30min., Canada, Drama/Thriller

Directed by Clyde Capistrano

An escaped convict makes a desperate attempt to see his daughter one last time, but stumbles upon a child in need. He is now forced to decide whether to save the boy or to keep running.

WATCH the Audience FEEDBACK Video

festival poster

Director BIO: Margarita Milne (WHEN SHE WAS GOOD)

Margarita Milne is a writer-director from London. She recently graduated from the NFTS with a Directing Fiction MA, for which she was awarded a scholarship from the David Lean Foundation. She also has a BA in English Literature from the University of Cambridge. Her first short film, La La Means I Love You, was nominated for Best U25 and Best Director at Underwire 2018, and she has since made four short films. Margarita’s interests lie in psychological thrillers and docu-fictions. She is also a photographer and singer. Prior to the NFTS, she was a Develop Ambassador for The Photographers’ Gallery and has continued her music project, Margie, while studying at the school.


Director Statement

For many children, finding out that Santa Claus is not real is a defining childhood trauma. As we researched the film, we found that this revelation is particularly traumatic for children who don’t figure it out on their own. Those who are told, taken totally by surprise, are often left feeling most upset and disorientated.

For Riley, the discovery is particularly tragic because her childhood has already been stolen away from her. She is now forced to confront her family’s complicity in the lies. We wanted to tell a story of childhood sexual abuse through the vehicle of Santa because Santa is a lie most of us uphold and promote, and so many victims of sexual abuse speak of their inability to tell the truth. When push comes to shove, how easy is it to always tell the truth – and do we like hearing it?

We shot this film during the Covid-19 pandemic and are proud of the results. We hope you enjoy the film.