For your convenience, ALL festival film screenings will take place at just one theater: AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.).

There are three ways to purchase tickets to the film festival:

1. PHONE: Call us at 1-312-332-FILM (no later than 48 hours in advance) or Ticketmaster
   (no later than 24 hours in advance) at 1-800-982-2787.
2. ONLINE: To buy Festival Passes only, not individual tickets, from our website, visit the Festival Store. Individual tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.
   AVOID LONG LINES AT THE THEATER
   NEW: ticketFast®: Accessible, convenient ticket delivery via email.
3. IN PERSON at several locations:
   Festival Theater
   AMC River East 21 (322 E. Illinois St.)
   7 days a week, noon-9pm
   (As of October 9, Box Office hours: noon to start of last show)
   
   Festival Box Office
   30 E. Adams, Suite 800
   Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm

Tickets to all festival events are now on sale. Visit www.ticketmaster.com or Ticketing Information on how to purchase Festival Tickets and Passes.

We STRONGLY recommend that you purchase your tickets in advance to avoid sold out screenings and long lines at the theater. Festival Box Offices (link to ticketing webpage) are open as of September 23. For convenience, we have a new PRINT AT HOME ticketFast® option. If you’ve already booked your tickets through the Festival Hotline, please make sure you pick them before your first screening to avoid long line-ups. Buy early, avoid disappointment!

No, you must redeem your Pass for actual film tickets before you will be admitted to a theater. Refer to the Schedule to make your film selections in advance, then visit a Box Office office to exchange your pass for hard tickets.

All festival patrons who are holding passes must redeem them in person. Passes ordered directly by phone from the Chicago International Film Festival after September 22nd will not be mailed, and can be picked up at one of the Box Office locations.

Your tickets will be available for pick-up at any Festival Box Office location. See Ticketing (link to ticketing webpage) for Box Office hours. We strongly recommend that you pick up your tickets in advance, to avoid long line-ups on day-of performances.

Passes ordered through Chicago International Film Festival's Hotline will NOT BE MAILED. Please visit a Festival Box Office to pick up your pass and exchange for film tickets.

Yes. If you join Cinema/Chicago at the Founder's Club level ($1,000 and above) you will receive TWO all-festival badges that will give you access to all regular film screenings and select special events. Please call 312-683-0121, x103 for more information.

Unless you are coming to the first screening of the day, there is probably a film playing in the theater where your film will be. When you arrive at the theater please find the line for your screening. If you need assistance, please find an usher or festival volunteer.

No. A ticket or badge only guarantees admission until 15 minutes prior to the scheduled screening. After that time, the Festival reserves the right to fill any vacancies by selling rush tickets to customers who are in the rush line.

No. Our films are general admission, which means first-come, first served seating, with the exception of patrons requiring accessible seating. Ticket-holder lines begin to form up to an hour before every film, so we encourage you to get to the theater early and get in line to ensure a good seat.

No. The Chicago International Film Festival cannot refund or exchange any tickets.

Many of our films sell out, even before the day of the screening, therefore we recommend that you buy tickets in advance. Everything in the schedule is on sale as of September 23rd through Ticketmaster or by calling/visiting a Box Office. Rush tickets (last minute tickets) may be available for each screening, based on seating capacity.

Many films have multiple screenings. Check the schedule to see if the film is playing again and if tickets are still available.

Go to the Box Office where the film is playing no earlier than one hour before the film's start time to get a rush card. Rush cards are cards with your number in line printed on them. There is a limit of two rush cards per person. The Box Office does not take reservations. At the film's start time, if there are vacancies in the theatre, the Box Office can sell them as rush tickets. A ticket agent will call out the numbers on the rush cards. You must be present when your number is called in order to buy a ticket. Because seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis, rush tickets are always the least desirable seats and the available seats may not be next to each other.

Take a chance on another film. We work hard to bring you films you may never get another chance to see on the big screen. Make it an adventure and explore the celluloid jungle.

No, we do not offer group rates.

Our Student/Senior rate is $9 (w/ photo ID) for regular films. There is no Senior or Student rate for Opening Night, Closing Night, Special, Gala and Centerpiece Presentations.

All of our theaters offer accessible seating. For Opening Night or Closing Night, please let the ticket agent know at the time of your purchase that you will require accessible seating. For other theaters, an usher will be able to assist you in securing seats for you and a companion.

The Festival program showcases a wide range of films and genres from over 40 different countries to appeal to a broad range of tastes and interests. While some films are previews of the finest in contemporary world cinema and will be shown in theaters in the coming year, others are rare gems that can only be seen in Chicago during the Festival. We recommend you look through the schedule to find a combination of films that perfectly suit your tastes and others that will broaden your horizons.

Most of our films are not rated, and many contain adult material. You are in the best position to make the decision about what is appropriate for your children. We recommend that you research the films before attending the screening with your children.

We are always looking for volunteers to help with the Festival or in the office year-round. Please send an e-mail to volunteers@chicagofilmfestival.com to get involved.