Tag: news

HIGHLIGHTS: November 2024 CHICAGO Under 5 Minute Festival

Showcase of the best FILMS in the world today.

Audience Award:
Best Short Film: KITTY BRAVO IN FREEFALL FAILURE
Best Direction: UNCOMFORTABLE
Best Story: A THERAPIST
Best Experimental Film: BUBBLING SYNAPSES
Best Animation Film: UNDERTOW
Best Micro-Short: SHRAPNEL

See info for each film:

BUBBLING SYNAPSES, 4min,. France
Directed by William Eguienta
An idea… needs space, time & love to grow…
But, at what cost? Your friends ? Your wife ? Your kids ?
Of course not, it needs to be set aside, in a bubble, waiting for the right moment…
The wait is long, too long… This must emerge from its bubble, it must come to life, now !

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31189065

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

A THERAPIST, 5min,. USA
Directed by Meagan Lynn
When 15-year-old Kit’s parents make her go to therapy during their divorce, she’s less than thrilled. But when she meets Dr. Amanda Franklin, Kit realizes therapy is not what she expected at all.

https://www.instagram.com/meaganlynntv/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

UNDERTOW, 3min,. USA
Directed by Justin Taylor
Margaret takes the train into the city, as she does every morning, plunging herself into a sea of commuters, memories, & anxiety.

https://www.tayloredanimations.com/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

KITTY BRAVO IN FREEFALL FAILURE, 1min,. USA
Directed by Spencer Bryant
This animated short film is an action-packed rollercoaster featuring daredevil cat Kitty Bravo!

https://www.instagram.com/kittybravo3d/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

UNCOMFORTABLE, 2min., Ecuador
Directed by Olivia Kusijanovic
A Fashion Film, created to highight and de-normalize the “Pink Tax”: an unjustified extra price that all women pay to acquire products exactly the same as men, just because they are “for women”

https://www.casagrande.edu.ec/impuestorosa/
https://www.instagram.com/ucasagrande/
https://www.facebook.com/universidaducg/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

SHRAPNEL, 2min., USA
Directed by Nathan Gagnon
A Vietnam veteran wakes up in an empty hospital. He notices he is missing one of his legs. As he begins to explore the hospital seeking help or an exit, post traumatic visions manifest before his eyes and he realizes he is not alone.

https://www.instagram.com/nathangagnon_animation/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

PLASTICO, 5min., UK
Directed by David Harriman, James Bettney
In Almeria Province in Spain there is a sea of plastic sheeting creating the the largest collection of greenhouses in the world. The invernaderos (as called in Spanish) cover upwards of 150 square miles and are visible by the naked eye from space. A large proportion of Europe’s vegetables and fruit is intensively farmed here. There is a huge amout of plastic waste created each year (estimated at more than 30000 tons). Staffed by an army of African migrants working in extreme heat conditions in the summer months.

https://davidharriman.com/
https://www.instagram.com/davidharriman/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

SKATE FAST TURN LEFT, 1min., USA
Directed by Mary Hawkins
Two friends, Fifi Fleshwound and Little Mary Switchblade, have a quick conversation about their roller derby years…

http://tookaturn.com/https://www.instagram.com/thngstookaturn/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

REEF, 4min., Canada
Directed by W.E. Overton
It is a simple, beautiful dance film performed by hands alone.

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

WIN/WIN, 5min., USA
Directed by Rafael Puga Valega
A group of friends gathers to drink beer and play cards after their national football team suffers a tough defeat in a tournament. While playing one of them mentions an interesting idea on how to confront the team situation

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32642576/?ref_=hm_rvi_tt_t_1

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

T A R A N T E L L A, 2min., Italy
Directed by Hannah Camarata

http://finhaprojects.com/https://www.instagram.com/finhaprojects

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

HIGHLIGHTS: October 2024 CHICAGO Film Festival

Showcase of the best FILMS in the world today.

Audience Award:
Best Feature Film: And The Balls Roll On… The Real Story of the Beautiful Game of Skee-Ball
Best Short Film: STAR CAFE
Best Direction: Asim Khan “AK” | PARKOUR – Discover the differences between Parkour and Freerunning
Best Documentary: Alex LeVesque | Mentoring Gang Members with Classic Cars
Best Story: Yecson Preciado | Fighting For Life
Best Micro-Short: HUSTLE
Best Society Film: Natural Light: The Remarkable Transformation of a School on Detroit’s East Eight Mile
Best Performances: BLEACH BONE
Best Student Film: LIVE FROM THE GENEVA!

See info for each film:

And The Balls Roll On… The Real Story of the Beautiful Game of Skee-Ball, 93min., USA
Directed by Thaddeus O. Cooper, Kevin B Kreitman
This is the story of Skee-Ball—a unique game, patented in 1908 by a long forgotten inventor living in Vineland NJ: Joseph Fourestier Simpson. The film explores the era in which the young inventor grew up, as the industrial revolution created the new middle class, and the explosion of amusement parks that allowed them to flee their crowded industrial neighborhoods for a few hours of pleasure.

http://www.nomoreboxes.com/AndTheBallsRollOn.htmlhttps://www.facebook.com/atbrothemovie

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

Alex LeVesque | Mentoring Gang Members with Classic Cars, 10min., USA
Directed by John Snyder
Alex LeVesque is the founder of the Automotive Mentoring Group (AMG), a nonprofit that works to counter gang violence in the city of Chicago, Illinois. The organization recruits gang members from across the city and teaches them the skills needed to build careers as auto mechanics, thus giving a chance at reform to those who would otherwise likely fall victim to violence in the streets.

https://youreverydayheroes.com/video/alex-levesque/
https://twitter.com/YEDHeroes
https://www.instagram.com/youreverydayheroes/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

Asim Khan “AK” | PARKOUR – Discover the differences between Parkour and Freerunning, 10min, Pakistan
Directed by Ali Imran Ch
Pakistan native Asim Khan Yousafzai is more than a freerunner: he is a teacher, a fighter, and above all, a survivor. As a child, he lived through the 2005 Kashmir earthquake. Freerunner Asim Khan explains how he rose above limited resources to become a hero.

https://youreverydayheroes.com/video/alex-levesque/
https://twitter.com/YEDHeroes
https://www.instagram.com/youreverydayheroes/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

Yecson Preciado | Fighting For Life, 11min., Ecuador
Directed by Hernán Salcedo
Life has never been easy for boxing trainer Yecson Preciado. Hailing from Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador, he grew up in a drug-fueled, murderous environment. Suffering abuse at the hands of his father, he left home at 10, spending two months on the streets. In spite of these traumatic circumstances, he persisted, driven only by his dream of becoming a boxer. Never one to just sit and watch injustice occur around him, Yecson was inspired to start Trinibox, a boxing gym that caters to youth facing homelessness.

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

STAR CAFE, 9min., USA
Directed by Robin Hofmann
Small town cafe owner, Ruby, opened the inclusive Star Cafe to support her granddaughter with Down syndrome. When money gets tight and the cafe starts to break down, will they find a way to save the cafe?

https://hoffysheartproductions.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HoffysHeartProductions
https://www.instagram.com/hoffysheart/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

Natural Light: The Remarkable Transformation of a School on Detroit’s East Eight Mile, 18min., USA
Directed by Richard R. Murray
When a new leader arrives at one of Michigan’s worst schools, he seeks help from a unique firm known for solving “impossible” school problems. But the challenges are enormous, the project has no funding, and the effort will confront bureaucracy, skepticism, indifference, profiteering, and even a pandemic.

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

BLEACH BONE, 15min., USA
Directed by John D. Nilles
Nine years after murdering his friend in cold blood, Dwain returns to dig up the remains. There, in a bleak field, he reckons with Jay’s ghost and struggles to comprehend his own motives.

http://www.bleachbonemovie.com/
https://www.facebook.com/bleachbonemovie
https://www.instagram.com/bleachbonemovie

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

HUSTLE, 8min., Brazil
Directed by Maria Eugenia Portolano, Joh Pagov
João has one day to make enough money to buy a crib for the baby he is expecting with his partner.

https://www.instagram.com/mageportolano/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

LIVE FROM THE GENEVA!, 13min,. USA
Directed by Nick Leahy
Amidst the hysteria of the Red Scare in 1953 Chicago, a nightclub staff becomes entangled in a political scandal when their star performer’s iconic red-and-gold pocket square becomes the focal point of media chaos.

https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1295719-live-from-the-geneva
https://www.instagram.com/livefromthegeneva/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

HIGHLIGHTS: May 2024 CHICAGO Film Festival

Showcase of the best FILMS in the world today.

Audience Award Winners:
Best Feature Film: COOKIES 4 JANE
Best Short Film: CIAO, BELLA
Best Story: THE LONELY PORTRAIT
Best Direction: HIDDEN CURRENTS
Best Student Film: TRUCKSTOP
Best Performances: GRACE
Best Comedy: LITTLE ISSUES
Best Micro-Short: NO TIME
Best Documentary: EMBRACE THE MONSTER
Best New Media Film: THE WINDY CITY BLOWS

See info for each film:

COOKIES 4 JANE, 62min., USA
Directed by Mary Elle Alexander
Ten years in the making, “Cookies 4 Jane” recounts the final chapters of the life of a beloved matriarch, Jane, as she battles Alzheimer’s Disease. Filmed, edited, and directed by Jane’s granddaughter, Mary, this intimate documentary condenses four years of raw footage into an hour-long, heart-rending, inspirational, and delightfully educational piece.

https://vimeo.com/maryellealexander

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

TRUCKSTOP, 16min., USA
Directed by Molly Karna

https://instagram.com/truckstopfilm

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

THE LONELY PORTRAIT, 17min., USA
Directed by Marc Marashi
An AirBnB guest stumbles upon a hidden piece of art that, once hung up, has an unexpected and unsettling effect on the home.

https://instagram.com/thelonelyportraitfilm
https://instagram.com/mna_film_company

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

LITTLE ISSUES, 4min., USA
Directed by Jerah Milligan
When Andy discovers mid-coitus that her new beaux has a micro-penis, she rushes to her roommates who remind her that he’s thoughtful, adventurous, and way too hot to let go of. Besides, he’s had this Little Issue his whole life: he must know how to use it!

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

CIAO, BELLA, 8min., USA
Directed by William Quinn Dover
In this modern film noir romance, a young stalker can’t seem to get over his ex lover, until finding out the double meaning of “Ciao Bella”.

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

NO TIME, 4min,. USA
Directed by Engin Altintas

https://www.facebook.com/engin.altintas.90
https://www.instagram.com/enginaltintass/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

EMBRACE THE MONSTER, 5min., USA
Directed by Austin Hamilton Le
Short documentary following a painter using his art to heal his trauma.

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

GRACE, 5min,. USA
Directed by Jason Ivy
Originally created during the SAG-AFTRA strike as part of the SAG-AFTRA Short Film Series, the film “Grace” features a crew of actors working together for the first time to navigate the tale of a young woman dealing with the powerful manifestation of grief following a tumultuous family situation. The title, “Grace,” implies slow, intentional movement, the space in between stages of life, the room you give to someone finding themselves again. Not every story has a happy or sad ending, but we feel it is important to have a message. We are delighted for you to experience Grace through your own lens and let us know what you feel.

https://gracefilm.squarespace.com/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

HIDDEN CURRENTS, 8min,. USA
Directed by T.E. Hirschler

https://gracefilm.squarespace.com/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

THE WINDY CITY BLOWS, 2min., USA
Directed by Nick Luna
My Alien Friend and I discuss about the Dating scene in the Icy and unforgiving Chicago winds. however things term scary and potentially violent when some good advice goes bad.

http://nicklunafilms.com/https://www.instagram.com/nicklunaproductions/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

Deadline Today to Submit: CHICAGO Feedback Film Festival

I was very moved and excited by watching the feedback video. It’s so amazing to see how people react. 
– Erich Steiner, (Short Film, In the Still of the Night)

Submit exclusively via FilmFreeway:

The fastest growing film festival in the world today:

Your film will get screened in front of a large, broad audience.

– We are a feedback festival and you will actually hear what people and film lovers think of your film.

– Your film is screened and then talked about with the audience, lead by a Professional Industry moderator. (NOTE: Screenings are now held in private to maximize the audience feedback video you will receive.)

– We then post the audience feedback video online right after the festival for you to watch.

NEW Showcase: Submit your FEATURE FILM and receive an audience feedback promotional/testimonial video of your film. Great video to use to get into more festivals and/or promote your film. All submissions receive feedback on their film no matter what.

Awards & Prizes

Screenplay winners get their work performed by professional actor and made into a film.

Accepted films get their film shown at a guarantee full house crowd. Then we turn the cameras on the audience after the film is screened and they’ll receive an Audience FEEDBACK Video of your film.

Watch 100s of Recent Audience FEEDBACK Festival Videos for Examples:

– As you can see watching past event videos, this is NOT a thumbs up/thumbs down film critic festival. It’s a positive discussion of each film talking about what the movie is about. We never venture into one of those easy negative discussions.

– The Chicago FEEDBACK Festival is proud to be a credited festival with IMDB.com. After you film is screened at our festival, you can add your film and cast/crew to their site.

And no matter what happens, every film receives FULL FEEDBACK of their submitted film and we tell you honestly why we made our decisions.

No other film festival in the world does what we do!

The RULES are simple:

1. Make a film. We screen SHORT FILMS of any genre. Length of films screened are from 10 seconds to 3 hours!

2. Send in your film link and press kit to chicago@wildsoundfestival.com

NOTE: If you don’t have a press kit, no problem. Just email in the:

Title of the Film
Length
Genre
Country of Origin
Director’s Name (and BIO if you can)
1-3 Line Synopsis of the Film

Submit exclusively via FilmFreeway:

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Wildsound FEEDBACK Film Festival is a monthly festival that prides itself on making sure the filmmaker not only gets their film screened in front of a large audience, but also benefits from gaining feedback during the Q&A from our moderator who discusses each film with the audience. This film festival enables you, the filmmaker, to actually obtain honest feedback about what people think of your film.

HIGHLIGHTS: March 2024 CHICAGO Film Festival

Showcase of the best FILMS in the world today.

Audience Award Winners:
Best Short Film: THE CAPSULE
Best Story: LIKE MOTHER
Best Direction: HALCYON
Best Sound & Music: ASHES – CHAPTER 0
Best Mini-Short: WEEK 11: SLAPSTICK
Best Animation: WEEK 2: THRILLER
Best Documentary: PUREBRED PASSION

See info for each film:

HALCYON, 7min,. Australia
Directed by Brenton McNally
David looks for his missing wife but struggles to get out of his own way.

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

WEEK 2: THRILLER, 1min., USA
Directed by Genus Griggs
Two brothers explore what appears to be an abandoned building. The older brother goes missing and the younger searches for him. He find’s his older brother bleeding out. The younger brother is then also captured.

https://twitter.com/genus_art
https://www.instagram.com/genus.entertainment/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

ASHES – CHAPTER 0, 4min., USA
Directed by Isaiah Matthew Griggs
In a mysterious facility, David, a captive, engineers his escape by tricking a guard. He evades pursuit through the building, discovering a lab and learning about his metahuman status. Outside the facility, he is captured by guards who mention his destructive potential. David wakes up in the lab, where his powers intensify and cause a powerful explosion. The short ends with David metaphysically floating in space, undergoing a transformative experience before unleashing a surge of energy.

https://twitter.com/genus_art
https://www.instagram.com/genus.entertainment/

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

LIKE MOTHER, 8min., Canada
Directed by Lisa Drupsteen
A young woman navigates her romantic life while trying her best to dodge her mother’s demons. Will she have the strength to break the cycle of manipulation? Or simply fall victim to the old adage: “Like Mother, Like Daughter”…

https://www.instagram.com/creativeexpressionmtl

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

THE CAPSULE, 20min,. Poland
Directed by Kamil Keenan, Agnieszka Żaglewska
Two astronauts in a space capsule realize that they won’t have enough oxygen until help arrives. In this extreme situation, they suddenly have to face the ultimate questions. Accompanying the characters on their final journey, viewers begin to wonder what their answers would be.

http://kamilkeenan.com/https://www.instagram.com/kamilkeenan

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

PUREBRED PASSION, 22min,. USA
Directed by Sam Powell
A documentary profiling two teams of competitors during the 2023 Great American Dog Show in Chicago.

https://www.samnpowell.com/http://vimeo.com/sampowell

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

WEEK 11: SLAPSTICK, 2min., USA
Directed by William (Sharp) Walker
After a little boy loses his ball on a roof, he tries increasingly outlandish strategies to get it back.

Watch NOW – the audience feedback video.

HIGHLIGHTS: January 2024 Chicago Film Festival

Showcase of the best FILMS in the world today.

Audience Award Winners:

Best Short Form Short Film: TILLIE
Best Long Form Short Film: FIELD DAY
Best Direction: BAPTISM
Best Performances: YOLKS
Best Story: DEEPFAKE
Best Documentary: MR. BULLOCH: CHICAGO’S DONUT KING

DEEPFAKE, 6min., USA
Directed by Nate Zegue
A scammer uses deepfake technology to disguise her voice.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30834524/?ref_=nm_knf_i_1

WATCH HERE – The audience feedback video of the film!

TILLIE, 5min., USA
Directed by Noelle P. Wilson, D Andrew Hartfield
An 8 year old girl adopted from China leads her father to a deeper understanding of what she faces in a new culture and what she longs for from her home country.

http://tillietuesday.com/https://www.instagram.com/tillietuesday

WATCH HERE – The audience feedback video of the film!

MR. BULLOCH: CHICAGO’S DONUT KING, 5min., USA
Directed by Claude Edward Fethiere
This short film celebrates Mr. Buritt Bulloch the successful owner of Old Fashioned Donuts Incorporated, a business which has thrived in the financially blighted Chicago south side neighborhood of Roseland for over 50 years.

WATCH HERE – The audience feedback video of the film!

BAPTISM, 8min, USA
Directed by Alex Alexander
The relief, the rest that comes from truth.

WATCH HERE – The audience feedback video of the film!

YOLKS, 4min,. USA
Directed by Jesse Womack
John struggles with his relationship with food and body image in the form of his own subconscious.

https://www.facebook.com/jesse.womack.10
https://www.instagram.com/jessewoooooomack/

WATCH HERE – The audience feedback video of the film!

FIELD DAY, 22min., USA
Directed by Kevin Hart
Tom is a lonely widower who awakens one day…

WATCH HERE – The audience feedback video of the film!