Internships
Cinema/Chicago, the presenting organization of the Chicago International Film Festival, offers unpaid internships (minimum 3-months basis) for students and young professionals who are interested in acquiring hands-on experiences in the Chicago film community. Applicants must be of college level or higher; resumes are accepted throughout the year.
Open Internships
Arts Administration Internship
This internship is designed to give an intern experience in planning and coordinating Cinema/Chicago’s year-round events including the Summer Screenings Program (May-September) and the Chicago International Film Festival (October). Responsibilities include assisting the Managing Director with special events, audience development and analysis, and prepping for the Chicago International Film Festival. Flexible hours and start date, minimum 20 hours per week, more hours required during special events. In-person internship.
Skills & Qualifications
- Strong writing and communication skills
- Ability to work under a deadline
- Detail-oriented, with the ability to work independently
- Proficiency with Google Suite
- Foreign language ability is an asset
Please send a cover letter and resume to vteng@chicagofilmfestival.com
Marketing/Publicity Internship
Learn the marketing and promotion of an internationally renowned film festival by interning for the 60thChicago International Film Festival. Intern works directly with the Marketing Manager and Social Media Coordinator and other staff members to assist in developing and securing community support for Cinema/Chicago’s year-round programming and the Festival. Responsibilities include assisting in the creation of marketing and press materials for distribution; assisting with content creation for social media channels and monitoring social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Letterboxd); assisting with promotion of organization events; developing involvement opportunities for other cultural groups and organizations; updating and maintaining community, cultural, and media outreach lists, as well as occasional event support. Flexible hours and start/end date, minimum 15 hours per week.
Skills & Qualifications
- Must have some coursework in marketing and public relations
- Adept in social media platforms
- Detail-oriented, with the ability to work independently, on deadline
- Good writing and communication skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office; familiarity with Google Drive, WordPress
- Strong familiarity with the Chicago area and the city’s various cultural groups and arts organizations
- Familiarity with and affinity for the Chicago International Film Festival and/or independent film
- Familiarity with email marketing platforms like Mailchimp a plus
Please submit your resume and cover letter to marketing@chicagofilmfestival.com
Programming Internship
Programming internships are designed to give individuals insight into the process and practice of programming for an international film festival. Interns will assist programmers overseeing selections of films across distinct areas of the festival. Interns will do research as well as watch and evaluate films and are hired to work with the programming team in the following categories: international feature-length fiction, U.S. feature-length fiction, feature-length documentaries, and short films. Responsibilities include administrative assistance, correspondence with filmmakers and film contacts, database management, and film evaluation. Flexible hours, at least 20 hours per week.
Skills & Qualifications
- Strong knowledge of film
- Good writing and communication skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to use Google Suite
- Foreign language ability is desirable
Please submit a resume and cover letter to Programmer Sam Flancher at sflancher@chicagofilmfestival.com. Applications for this internship are accepted on a rolling basis.
Sponsorship Internship
This internship is designed to give an intern experience in sponsorship management for Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival. The assistant works directly with the sponsorship manager in researching potential sponsors as well as organizing and fulfilling the needs of all sponsors and partners throughout the year, supporting all year-round programming, including the CineYouth Festival, the Festival fundraiser, and the Festival. Responsibilities include researching sponsor leads, organizing and keeping track of detailed spreadsheets and inventory of promotional material, liaising with Festival staff, providing on-site support at special events and screenings, supporting sponsor inquiries, collecting sponsor deliverables, and assisting with sponsorship wrap reports.
Flexible hours and start date, minimum 20 hours per week, more hours required during special events. Must be able to attend in-person on select dates, however, some work can be done remotely.
Skills & Qualifications
- Detail oriented
- Extremely organized and responsible
- Strong communication and writing skills
- Able to manage multiple tasks or projects at one time
- Must complete tasks in a timely manner and under a deadline
- Ability to work independently
- Familiarity with Google Drive, Sheets, Form, Doc, and Slide
- Customer focused and strong interpersonal skills
Time commitment: Flexible hours/schedule, minimum of 20 hours, must be able to attend in-person on select dates, however some work can be done remotely.
Start Date: February/March
This internship can lead to a seasonal paid position for this year’s 60th Festival (Festival Dates: October 16-27, 2024)
Please submit your resume and cover letter to jackie@chicagofilmfestival.com.
Closed Internships
We are not seeking applications for the positions listed below at this time.
CineYouth
Join the CineYouth Programming Team with this hands-on internship that provides experience programming and assisting with operations related to the 2024 CineYouth Festival. Responsibilities include reviewing entries, updating submissions databases, developing programing themes, creating festival communications content, and active outreach to film schools and youth media programs. Flexible hours/schedule at 2-3 days (approximately 12 hours) per week. This position is hybrid and starts in late January and runs through the end of April. Interns will work directly with CineYouth Festival Director, Christy LeMaster. Most of the work will be remote with bi-monthly in-person meetings at Cinema/Chicago’s office and on-the-ground responsibilities during the festival.
Skills & Qualifications
- Interest in media education
- Background in film/media studies with a strong knowledge of filmmaking
- Good communication skills and attention to detail
- Excellent writing skills
- Knowledge of Google Drive
- Available to attend bi-monthly meetings in downtown Chicago to be scheduled based on full team’s availability
- Available to attend CineYouth 2024 which runs from Friday, April 19- Sunday, April 21
Interns receive college credit as applicable, Cinema/Chicago swag, and tickets to the Chicago International Film Festival!
We are not accepting applications for this intership at this time. Please check back for updates.
Development & Membership
This internship is designed to give interns experience working with the Development and Membership team to support the various efforts that go into raising funds that are necessary to execute Cinema/Chicago’s year-round programs. Interns will gain insight into individual giving, grants, and member retention, acquisition, and relations efforts. This position will interface with the public, thus strong customer service skills are important. The Fall internship will include extensive work with members and donors, to ensure their Festival experience is exceptional. Flexible hours at least 20 hours a week. Responsibilities include assisting with Membership Program (member mailings and monthly film screenings) and assisting with the research of sponsorship for programs and events including the Chicago International Television Competition, CineYouth Festival, International Screenings Program and Chicago International Film Festival. Arts administration and related majors are best suited for this position.
Skills & Qualifications
- Good writing and communication skills
- Good research skills
- Positive attitude
- Ability to work independently
- Detail oriented
- Ability to use Microsoft Word and Excel
- Foreign language ability desirable
- Some familiarity with the Chicago Intern
We are not accepting internship applications at this time. Please check back for updates.
Education Program
This internship is designed to give interns a hands-on experience programming, managing and evaluating Cinema/Chicago’s Education Program. Responsibilities include updating education databases, assisting in the development of film study guides and lesson plans, organizing mailings and coordinating specifics for events including the CineYouth Festival and Education Screening Program. Flexible hours at 2-3 days per week, 16 hours a week minimum.
Skills & Qualifications
- Interest in media education
- Background in education or film/media studies
- Good communication skills – should be able to work in a very fast-paced environment
- Excellent writing skills
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Docs
We are not accepting internship applications at this time. Please check back for updates.
Event Management
This internship is designed to give experience in event management for events staged by Cinema/Chicago. Intern works directly with event managers to organize and produce the special events/presentations/panels during the Festival. Responsibilities include coordinating budgets, timelines, liaising with special committees, mailing out promotional materials or invitations, acquiring adequate equipment, coordinating guest lists, providing on-site support. Flexible hours and start date, minimum 20 hours per week, more hours required during the Festival.
Skills & Qualifications
- Must have coursework and/or event planning experience.
- Good communication/writing skills
- Ability to work independently
- Detail oriented
- Ability to use Microsoft Excel, Access and Word comfortably
- Extremely organized and responsible
- Good problems solving ability
We are not accepting internship applications at this time. Please check back for updates.
Operations Intern
This internship is designed to gain experience in event management and production. Interns will work directly with the Operations Manager in the preparation and production of the 59th Chicago International Film Festival. Responsibilities include email outreach and communication, organization of supplies, setup and breakdown of festival venues, and additional on-site support.
Skills & Qualifications
- Must have coursework and/or experience in event or film production.
- Good communication/writing skills.
- Microsoft Office proficiency
- Google Workspace proficiency
- Detail oriented
- Able to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to perform in a fast-paced environment
Flexible hours/schedule, 2-3 days a week, 15-20 hours per week. Unpaid.
We are not accepting internship applications at this time. Please check back for updates.
212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400
