| Friday, September 10th - "Opening Night" |
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Special When Lit 92 min - Chicago Premiere
Special When Lit rediscovers the lure of a lost pop icon - pinball. The American invention made more money than Hollywood through the 50s and 60s. Its success swept the world making it the epitome of ‘cool’. Now pinball is all but forgotten. This is the definitive story of the rise and fall of pinball as told by the fans, collectors, designers and champion players from across the globe.
Director: Brett Sullivan
Editor: Brett Sullivan
Producers: Brett Sullivan and Clayton Jacobsen
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7:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Mind The Gap - 8 min
A sexy beautiful young woman sits next to a sweet elderly man on a train.
Director: Shaun Majumder |
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Jeffie Was Here 109 min - Chicago Premiere
When his Nana dies, tightly-wound professor Alan and his better-half Amanda must post an internet ad at the university to find a student who will share the costs of the emergency cross-country trip. Enter Jeffie: an inflammatory individual who fancies himself a scholar, a poet, and the embodiment of enlightened living. At first, the couple's travel companion seems to have responded randomly to their ad, but as the trip progresses, it becomes clear that Jeffie's presence relates to a web of tightly-held secrets between Alan and Amanda. Amidst infidelity, blackmail, run-ins with the law, and a painfully bad demo tape, the ride with Jeffie is unpredictable at every turn and by journey's end no one is left unchanged.
Director: Todd Edwards
Writer: Todd Edwards and Peter Bedgood
Producers: Katie Hooten and Timothy Hooten
Composer: Todd Edwards
Cast: Peter Bedgood, Alexis Raben, Todd Edwards, Cristine Rose and Ken Marino |
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9:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Mr. Foley - 4.5 min
"Holey Moley! Mr Foley wakes up in hospital to find sound effects him and he doesn't know the score"
Director: D.A.D.D.Y. |
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Ferris Bueller's Day Off 103 min
While the rest of us were just thinking about it...Ferris borrowed a Ferrari and did it...all in a day.
Director: John Hughes
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey, Charlie Sheen, Ben Stein |
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Midnight
Music Box Theatre |
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| Saturday, September 11th - "The Quest" |
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The Street Stops Here 95 min- Chicago Premiere
Intimate and inspiring, The Street Stops Here is a portrait of the nation’s best high school basketball coach, Bob Hurley, Sr., and his lifelong commitment to save the lives of inner city kids and the poor Catholic school that gives them hope.
Director: Kevin Shaw
Producer: Krista Saponara
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2:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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A Man And His Mountain- 9 min
Eccentric Irishman Fintan Ruddy travels the width of Ireland to climb Croagh Patrick, St. Patrick's holy mountain.
Director: Geoff Brooks |
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Beyond The Pole 87 min - Chicago Premiere
A mockumentary film crew follows the first carbon neutral, organic, vegetarian expedition ever to attempt the North Pole. Brian and Mark hope to simultaneously save the planet and get into the Guinness Book of Records- unfortunately, they have never done anything like this before.
Director: David L. Williams
Writer: Neil Warhurst, David L. Williams
Editor: Rob Miller
Producer: David L. Williams, Andrew Curtis
Cast: Stephen Mangan, Rhys Thomas, Helen Baxendale, Alexander Skarsgard, Mark Benton, Lars Arentz Hansen |
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4:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Who's Good Looking - 7 min
A witty portrayal of aesthetic obsession.
Director: Warren Pereira |
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Ballhawks 74 min - Chicago Premiere
The story of the group of men who have been chasing baseballs and dreams just outside the ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field, for the last one-hundred years.
Director/Producer: Mike Diedrich
Narrator: Bill Murray
Executive Producer: Joel Murray
Co-Producer: Kyle McCarthy, Brooks Ruyle
Associate Producer: Josh Hamilton |
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7:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Miracle Investigators - 13 min
Veteran miracle investigator Father Dominic and his rookie partner Father Justin judge the authenticity of miracles and bust the spiritual criminals who dare disagree--70s cop show style.
Director: Jeremy Dehn |
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Official Rejection 107 min - Chicago Premiere
A documentary following the exploits of a group of filmmakers as they take their independent feature, "Ten 'til Noon", along the film festival circuit, and the politics, pitfalls, triumphs and comic tragedies they encounter along the way. A must see for young filmmakers on the pitfalls of indie film.
Director/Writer: Paul Osborne
Producers: Paul Osborne, Paul J. Alessi, Leslie Wimmer, and Scott Storm |
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9:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Charge - 5 min
Olivier's life takes a zany turn when he acquires the power to “save” and “load” it any way he likes.
Director: Samuel Matteau |
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Predator 107 min
In a part of the world where there are no rules, deep in the jungle where nothing that lives is safe, an elite rescue squad is being led by the ultimate warrior. But now, they're up against the ultimate enemy. Nothing like it has ever been on earth before. It kills for pleasure, it hunts for sport. But this time, it picked the wrong man to hunt.
Director: John McTiernan
Writers: Jim Thomas,
John Thomas
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham |
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Midnight
Music Box Theatre |
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| Sunday, September 12th - "Behind The Scenes" |
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Divorcing God 64 min - Chicago Premiere
Prior to their wedding, Gil and Sidney said and did everything right. Both devout Christians with a desire to spread God's message, their idea of marriage was perfectly aligned with what the Bible says it should be; a life-long union in which she was to respect and submit, and he was to love her as Christ loves the church. However, shortly after the wedding things went very wrong.
Tackling complex themes and raising important discussion questions, this intimate story of love, faith and disillusionment is a must-see for anyone considering marriage or interesting in exploring the role that faith and religious ideals play in the everyday lives of Christians.
Directors: Maggie Sargent, Louis Gurgitano
Producers: Maggie Sargent, Louis Gurgitano, Jason Connell |
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1:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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I'll Call You - 3.5 min
A man and woman in New York City make a special connection, but fate gets in the way, and he loses his only means of contacting her. Will they ever meet again?
Director: Jonathan Coleman |
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Shave - 6.5 min
A young boy copes with seeing his father without his mustache for the very first time.
Director: Sean Christensen |
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HouseQuake - 93 min - Chicago Premiere
A political documentary that uncovers how Rahm Emanuel and the Democrats took back Congress and changed the direction of American politics in 2006. It captures the emotional drama, high stakes, intense competition, and historical implications of the race with an intimate view of the American political process that is rarely revealed in the media.
Director/Writer: Karen Elizabeth Price
Editors: Julie Janata & Yana Gorskaya
Producers: Jill Aske, Karen Elizabeth Price, Aymae Sulick |
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3:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Re-cre a tion - 6 min
For the first time, a girl who lives in a room at the bottom of the ocean, considers stepping outside.
Director: Trisha Gum |
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Pontiac's Rebellion 96 min - Chicago Premiere
In October 2008, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich announced that Pontiac Correctional Center (PCC) in Pontiac, Illinois was to close by the end of the year. Being the number two employer in Pontiac, PCC's closure would have devastated the community economically. Pontiac's Rebellion chronicles the hardships surrounding the impending closure and the struggle to keep it open.
Director/Producer: Brian Seay
Executive Producer: John McHale |
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5:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Slap - 7min
In a garage somewhere in America, two regular guys take a
break to discuss world events – and it quickly becomes apparent that they will never see
eye to eye.
Director: Grant Barbeito |
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The Things We Carry - 77 min - Chicago Premiere
When her drug-addicted mother dies, Emmie returns home, traveling through the underbelly of suburbia looking for a package her mother has left behind, reconnecting with her estranged sister, Eve, along the way.
Director: Ian McCrudden
Writer: Alyssa Lobit
Producers: Athena Lobit, Jessica Schatz
DP: Gavin Kelly
Music: Timo Chen
Cast: Alyssa Lobit, Catherine Kresge, Alexis Rhee, Daniel Zacapa, Ilene Graff, Rob Moran, Jennifer Blanc, Frank Merino |
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8:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Empty House - 5 min
The disintegration of a family is told through the perspective of the house and furniture that they used to own.
Director: Sean Christensen |
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Amber & Andre - 7 min
Amber & Andre is the story of a young couple very much in love, but from two vastly different worlds. The film explores the theme of acceptance within love as Amber prepares to take Andre home to meet her parents for the first time.
Director: Elyce Strong |
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| Monday, September 13th - "Summer Tales" |
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Gabi On The Roof In July 99 min - Chicago Premiere
A portrait of young New York and the misguided hopefuls who can't afford to live there but do anyway, Gabi on the Roof in July follows a rambunctious Oberlin undergrad who heads to New York City to spend the summer with her older brother, Sam in the wake of her parents’ divorce. When she finds Sam too busy to give her the guidance she needs, Gabi seduces his free-loving, freeloading college buddy, only to find she's in over her head.
Director/Writer: Lawrence Michael Levine
Co-Writer: Katie Kirtz
Executive Producers: Aimee Schoff, Isen Robbins
Cast: Lawrence Michael Levine, Sophia Takal, Brooke Bloom, Louis Cancelmi, Kate Lyrn Sheil, Amy Seimetz |
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7:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Tall Tale Tanner - 11.5 min
Tall Tale Tanner is the story of Tanner, a shy guy who seeks relationship advice from a strange, self-professed seduction guru. An oddball cast of characters are introduced as Tanner is sent on a misguided mission to find love.
Director: Jason Hinkle |
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RiffRaff 106 min - Chicago Premiere
A coming-of-age comedy about lifeguards on Chicago's North Avenue Beach, where lifeguards handle the beach humidity by day and the wrath of regrettable hookups with the ladyguards by night.
Director/Writer: Justen Naughton
Producers: David J. Miller, John Otterbacher
Cast: Robert Belushi, Kate O’Hagan, Chryssie Whitehead, Ben Wells
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9:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Girls In Pantyhose - 4 min
A new girl at the office inspires three corporate lackeys to throw down mad rhymes about their favorite subject.
Director: Jeff Brown |
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Porn Guide - 6.5 min
If you ever wanted to produce you very own, low budget, X-rated picture, then this film is for you! Satisfaction guaranteed. A 1970's filmstrip series detailing practical lessons for the budding pornographer. This reel... casting etiquette.
Director: Dick Thompson
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| Tuesday, September 14th - "Animal Rights" |
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The Elephant in the Living Room 104 min - Chicago Premiere
A documentary film about the controversial world of raising the deadliest and most exotic animals on earth as common household pets. The story follows the journey of two men at the heart of the issue. One, Tim Harrison, an Ohio police officer whose mission is to protect exotic animals and the public, and the other, Terry Brumfield, a big-hearted man who struggles to keep two pet African lions that he loves like his own family.
Director: Michael Webber
Executive Producers: Ross Hammer, Russ Muntz
Producers: John T. Adkins, Mark Morgan, Michael Webber |
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7:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Snake Fever 12.5 min
Rattlesnake hunting in the tiny rural town of Waynoka, Oklahoma isn't just a way to keep residents, and their valuable cattle, from getting bitten. It's not just a sport, with die-hards hunting snakes year round. It's a way to keep the old West from being forgotten.
Director: Wendy Greene |
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Beneath The Blue 95 min - Chicago Premiere
A tight-knit family of dolphin researchers confront the U.S. Navy over sonar testing. A plot of espionage, conspiracy, and kidnapping evolves as Alyssa Harker, an 18-year-old dolphin researcher, finds her loyalties tested, and the tale leads to a graveyard of dead dolphins and whales near the location of the notorious underwater testing of U.S. Navy Sonar. Alyssa and her famous scientist father together find themselves on the trail to rescue marine mammals at risk, including Rasca, a wild dolphin with whom Alyssa has a powerful bond.
Director: Michael D. Sellers
Writer: Wendell Morris
Cast: Caitlin Wachs, Paul Wesley, Ivana Milicevic, David Keith, Michael Ironside, Christine Adams, Samantha Jade, George Harris |
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9:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Out of the Blue - 9 min
Georgie’s love life transforms when he discovers a TV floating in the sea.
Director: Michael Lavelle |
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| Wednesday, September 15th - "Closing Night" |
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Eat The Sun 79 min - Chicago Premiere
Is it possible to stare into the sun and not eat? Meet Mason Dwinell in this documentary that focuses on a young man’s journey into the little known world of sungazing – an ancient practice of looking directly at the sun for long periods of time.
Director/Producer: Peter Sorcher |
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7:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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The Sundowner - 19 min
Unable to ignore the call of the ocean, a civil engineer builds his own fifty-three foot sailboat and sets sail, transforming his dream of life at sea into reality.
Director: Steve Christolos |
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Biker Fox - 86 min - Chicago Premiere
The story of Frank P. DeLarzelere III aka Biker Fox, Tulsa, Oklahoma's misunderstood motivational bicyclist, nature conservationist and muscle car guru. Part-documentary and part-self-help testimonial, the film navigates the uneasy relationships DeLarzelere has with both the city of Tulsa and himself, as his Biker Fox character's intentions of spirited goodwill sometimes neglect certain boundaries.
Director: Jeremy Lamberton
Producer: Todd Lincoln
Editor: Jeremy Lamberton
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9:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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Me Time - 10 min
Me Time. You deserve it.
Director: Matt Schuman |
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| Thursday, September 16th - "Awards Night" |
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TBA |
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TBA
7:00 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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TBA
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TBA
9:30 PM
Music Box Theatre |
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| FREE SHORT FILM BLOCKS |
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| Friday, September 11th - "Biographies" |
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Breaking Boundaries: The Art of Alex Masket - 18.5 min
Chronicles the story of Alex Masket, a unique and extraordinary artist who has created a deep and varied body of work despite a disability that inhibits what most might consider to be 'normal' human interaction.
Director: Dennis Connors |
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5:30 PM |
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Never Turning Back: The World of Peggy Lipschutz - 32 min
A film celebrating the life & work of 90 yr. old Peggy Lipschutz. an artist, political activist & pacifist, who pioneered the “chalk-talk”, a performance art form combining drawing & music before a live audience.
Director: Jerri Zbiral |
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| Monday, September 14th - "Upbeat" |
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Das Paket (The Package) - 9 min
Two hardened gangsters trying to deliver a package realize that a small traffic light becomes a big problem.
Director: Marco Gadge |
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5:30 PM |
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Carpe Millennium - 18 min
A virgin tries to lose it all on the eve of the Year 2000.
Director: Eric Bednarowicz |
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Turning Japanese - 20 min
A couple struggling withe their finances stumble upon an unusual roommate and exploit her bizarre nightly episodes. It's a Good Happy Fun Smile Laugh Time.
Director: Paul Bickel
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| Tuesday, September 15th - "Relationships" |
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Anniversary - 12 min
A young couple picnicking in the New Zealand bush find themselves thrust into a misadventure that
brings their relationship to a head.
Director: Connor Snedecor
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5:30 PM |
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Ordinary World- 16 min
Michael McBride, a high school valedictorian turned medical school drop out, finds himself an undistinguished, forgotten guest at his 10 year high school reunion, only to encounter a woman from his past, which brings them back to an extraordinary moment they once shared.
Director: David Huzieran |
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Hide - 20 min
How long do you stay in the dark before you depend on it.
Director: Robert Shelby |
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| Wednesday, September 16th - "Dark Tales" |
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The Long Lonely Walk - 12 min
In all walks of life, there are challenges that lie ahead.
Director: Leon Chambers |
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5:30 PM |
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The 3rd Letter - 16 min
Faced with the imminent loss of his crucial health insurance, Brief (Rodrigo Lopresti) unwittingly unravels a dark truth behind his insurance which subsequently pushes him to unspeakable lengths in an attempt for survival.
Director: Bastiaan Koch |
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Miracle Fish - 18 min
Joe has an eighth birthday he will never forget.
Director: Luke Doolan |
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UPCOMING FESTIVAL
Schedule | 
