The Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival is an annual short film competition and screening put on by Project Chicago. The festival was founded by Scott Rudolph and Nels Dahlquist. Held annually, this three-day event plays host to more than 150 films (all under 35 minutes) from many countries throughout the world.
In 2017 the venue changed to Chicago Filmmakers' Firehouse Cinema located at 1326 W Hollywood Ave in the city of Chicago.
Some venues in years past include Columbia College's beautiful penthouse theater."FILM ROW CINEMA"
In 2004 and 2005 the 3-Penny Cinema, in Chicago's Lincoln Park district, was the main venue. In 2006 REEL Shorts moved to the historic Davis Theatre in Lincoln Square. In 2007, 2009. 2009 Columbia College came on as a presenting sponsor and the festival is to be held at Columbia's Film Row Theatre.
Particular years
2004 Festival dates: September 17–19
Winners Best Short Film: Directing Rye Best Cinematography: Just Like You Imagined Best Animation: The Lester Show Best Comedy: Unemployed Best SciFi Short: Untitled 003: Embryo Best Documentary: The Harvest Best Music Video: Drunken Liar Creepiest Short: Victim Audience Choice Awards: Two To Tango Robot Boy Untitled 003: Embryo Rocketscience Reservations Very Proud House The Fridge Unemployed Victim Fly Away Notes from the Space Time Continuum Fishing For Trauster Honorable mention: Edmund Consideration SPIN Sunday Morning Stripper The Next Gay By Dawn Euro American
2005 Festival dates: September 30 – October 2
Winners Best Short Film of 2005: SKYLAB Best Sci-Fi: Alliance Best Horror: Short Shadow Man Best Documentary: Kings of Christmas Best Comedy: Dating Tips for Seniors Best Youth Film: My First Kiss Best Animation: Emilia Best Music Video: High Speed Scene Best Action Film: Lucky (Australian) Best Foreign (tie): Hamoudi & Emil / Le Carnet Rouge Best Experimental (tie): Allison / Jane Lloyd Audience Choice Awards: Totem Pole Skylab Alliance I Spy With My Little Eye Pumpkin of Nyefar Wishtaker You're Breaking Up Flatbush Gopher Broke Mr. Dramatic Lucky (Australian Action Film) Roadkill Breaking into Bollywood Poet of Canis I Killed Zoe Day Good Vibrations Honorable mention: TOXIN Duct Tape + Cover MJD SHOES 13 Waffles Wishtaker Detroit: Not for Wimps
2006 Festival dates: September 29 – October 1
Winners Best of Fest: La La Land Best Animation: Dry Sky Best Horror Film: Recently Deceased Best Documentary Short: Rising Above the Wave Best Music Video: Melody Nife Best Youth Short: Winter Attack Audience Choice Awards: Get Me Brenda Vaccaro Keg of the Dead La La Land An American Revolution Nowakowsky Like Father Like Edison The World's Most Dangerous Polka Band Imbroglio Snoozer The Life and Death of a Pumpkin Searching for Mr. Stupendo Great American Youth Honorable mention: Nowakowsky
2007 Festival dates: September 21–23
Winners Best of Fest: The Trainee Best Comedy: The Planning Lady Best Music Video: 1992 Best Scifi: D-I-M, Deus in Machina Best Chicago Film: The European Kid Best Documentary: Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua Best Animation: I Met the Walrus Audience Choice Awards: The Meter The Planning Lady Land of the Free Two Days Notice Dog Jack The Trainee W.O.R.M. – Worldwide Organic Replicating Molecule Call of Nature Unraveling Release The Von Honorable mention: Mommy! Mommy! There's a Monster on the Stairs!
2008 Festival dates: September 11–14
Winners Best of the Fest: Science Fair Best Comedy: Home Cooked Meal Best Music Video: The Life Here Best Chicago Film: Greg's Leg Best Documentary: Baby Face Best Animation: The Flower Best Youth Film: Super Kitten and the Power Pets Audience Choice Awards: Small Comforts Looking Up Dresses Near Miss Living with Landmines Find My Way The Un-Gone Miracle Investigators Mallow Last Dance Directors Cut PUSH A Man's Image Honorable mentions: Y Not Terminus Piñatas Revenge Verboten
2009 Festival dates: September 10–14
Winners
Best of the Fest: Sky People Best Break-Up Film: L.O.V.E. Best Romantic Comedy: True Love Best Youth Entry: Sparks in the Night Best Artistic Movie: Stringing in the Streets Best Romantic Movie: A Time of Flowers Best Revenge Movie: Alessandra Best Music Video: City of Noise Best Horror Movie: Tinglewood Most Disturbing Movie: Grandma's House Best Foreign Film: Stella Best Political Drama: October Surprise Best Comedy: A Small Silent Film About Death Best Demented Movie: Fish & Chip Most Profane Statement: James K. Polk was @#?!ing Awesome Honorable Mention: Melt Down Max & Helena More Than You Can Chew CAMFBH Ex-Bully WoW! What A Great Question! My First Experimental Film The Only One The Disconnection of Cyrus Bent People's Choice Awards: Under The Table In Barcelona, At Last, Okemah!
2014 Source:
Festival dates: October 9–12
Winners Best Short Film: The King of URL'S Best Drama: The Cut/ Le Coupe Best Comedy: Lez Be Honest Best Documentary: Cloth Paper Dreams Best Animation: Desmondo Ray Best Actor: The Discount of Ed Telfair – Jeff Bailey Best Actress: Lez Be Honest – Christine Rodriguez Best Supporting Actor: The King of URL'S – Adam Poss Best Supporting Actress: I Can See You – Brenda Strong Best Director: Vigilante – Benedict Sanderson Best Cinematography: Cloth Paper Dreams – Travis Tank Best Editing: Une balade a la mer – Damien Stein Audience Choice Awards: Journeyman Deflated, Twinkies & Donuts, magiCATastrophe The Amazing Mr. Ash Lucy Vigilante Beyond the Mat Post Reality The Heebie-Jeebies Love You Still The King of URL'S
2015 Source:
Festival dates: December 11–12
Winners Best Short Film: Who is Riley Oakes Best Drama: The Decision Best Comedy: Moving On Best Documentary: The Simple Gift of the Walnut Grove Best Animation: An Ode to Love Best Director: We Interrupt This Broadcast Best Horror/Suspense: Awakenings Best Science Fiction: Welcome to Forever Audience Choice Awards: The ART POLICE El Capo de Capos F the Moon Bark Mitzvah Out of Touch The Champion Family Meal In the Dark
2016 Source:
Festival dates: December 2–3
Winners Best Short Film: Easy Life Best Drama: Muhammad Ali – The Olive Branch Best Comedy: That's Love Best Animation: Riptide Rhapsody Best Quirky Film: The Uptowners Best Documentary: Superfan Best TV Pilot/Webisode: Curfeud Episode 1 Audience Choice Awards: Superfan Three of a Kind Secrets We Keep Carfield Sojourn Hard Knock Robots Boy
2017 Source:
Festival dates: November 10–11
Winners Best Short Film: Confession Best Drama: Counting Best Comedy: ctrl-alt-delete Best Animation: La Postina Best Foreign Language: Slush Ice Best Documentary: Calvin's Story Best Webisodic/New Media: Open Mic Best Experimental: Delicatessen Best Young Filmmaker: Recess Best Horror: Ding Dong Audience Choice Awards: To Those With Good Intent Rockabye Sputnik Tinder is the Night Tracker
2018 Source:
Festival dates: November 9–10
Winners Best Short Film: Sac de Merde Best Animation: Ian Best Drama: Tin Can Best Documentary: Scenes From A Visit Best Music Video: It's The Dystopian Future! Best Comedy: William Flugle's Travel Adventures with William Flugle Best Web Series: Geek Lounge Spotlight Award: Heather Has Four Moms Programmers Choice: Leia's Army Best SciFi: The Replacement Audience Choice Awards: Businessmen Tin Can Dear Dark Lord Leia's Army Midnight
2019 Source:
The 2019 Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival was help at Chicago Filmmakers' Firehouse Cinema located at 1326 W Hollywood Ave in the city of Chicago.
WINNERS
BEST SHORT FILM – Minor Accident of War – Jakob Satzaria
SEMI-FINALIST SHORT FILM – Anxiety – Tridib Chakraborty
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
Pageant Mom, Down Dickie & Bea Ballhawks Just Give Me a Minute to Change The Sweatshirt
Programmers Awards
Best Foreign Rock On, Dude!
Best Drama Broken
Best Animation King of the House
Best Comedy Dickie & Bea
Best Musical Short The Odyssey of Cleve Eaton
Best Documentary Uncaged: A Stand-In Story
Best Horror Keep Looking
Best Action Vicarious
Best Sci-Fi Dissidence (2084)
2020 Source:
Festival dates: Streamed online November 14 – December 5
Winners Best of the Fest: 6 Months in 2063 Best Arts Short: Dear COVID-19 Best Comedy Short: She Had It Coming Best Documentary Short: NINE Best Sci-Fi, Action, Horror Short: 6 Months in 2063 Best Growing Up, Growing Older Short: Miracle of Science Best Drama Short Film: Glimmer Honorable Mention & Judges Selections: Superhero Me Carny Trash Nameless Forest The Bottle
2021 The 18th edition of the Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival was originally scheduled for November 2021 but was postponed due to COVID-19. The festival returned to Chicago Filmmakers' Firehouse Cinema for in-person screenings on March 18–19, 2022.
References
External links Official site Chicago Filmmakers