CineYouth 2024 Festival Programming
See the next generation of filmmakers. CineYouth 2024 presents 66 short films across 10 programming blocks featuring everything from uproarious comedies to other-worldy animated shorts to highlights from the Chicago region. Plus, CineYouth features two workshops focused on accessibility tools and good collaborative practices, live filmmaker Q&As, and more! Tickets and all events are free and open to the public.
Download the CineYouth Program Book
Streaming globally: April 22 – 28
Continue celebrating the next generation of filmmakers by streaming our CineYouth short film programs from home! CineYouth selection will be available to stream globally on the Chicago International Film Festival streaming platform from Monday, April 22 at 12:00pm CT until Sunday, April 28 at 11:59pm CT unless otherwise noted on the film program’s webpage. Once you press play, you’ll have 48 hours to finish watching the program.
To watch, please visit the program details pages available below. Learn how to stream…
In-Person Screenings & Events: April 19-21
All in-person screenings, workshops, and events took place at Facets, a Chicago-based nonprofit that connects people to independent ideas through transformative cinema.
FACETS
1517 W Fullerton Ave
Chicago, IL, 60614
Get directions >
Now Streaming
Short Film Program
Chicago Lens
10 shorts | 68 minutes 
Watch the city breathe life into the stories of ten local young filmmakers. From documentaries to music videos, this program represents the city’s long-term love affair with art and culture.*
Short Film Program
Friday Night Frights
An array of frights await in this assortment of horror films. These shorts from around the world tap into our most primal fears and darkest secrets in unique, uncanny, and inventive ways. *
Short Film Program
Imagination Adventure: Family Friendly
The journey of growing up is an adventure filled with boundless possibilities and endless imagination. Eight young filmmakers from diverse backgrounds showcase their incredible talent and creativity in this all-ages program, transforming the screen into a vibrant cinematic playground.
Short Film Program
Odysseys: Drama
Follow along on the eclectic journeys of vibrant characters as they face the trials and tribulations of their lives. Travel back to 1940’s France, race alongside a fugitive teen, or come of age with a crew of misfit girls in this selection of bold and inventive works by the next generation of narrative storytellers.*
Short Film Program
Frames of Reference: Documentary
These six incredible shorts function as a window into diverse forms of the human experience, highlighting courageous expressions of identity, examples of uplifting community, and insightful responses to common misconceptions.*
Short Film Program
Thinking Funny: Comedy
Navigating life and tragedy, these hilarious stories showcase characters in absurdist situations of all kinds. Thrown into the trenches of the human experience, our characters rise victorious holding the holy grail of humor in their hands.*
Short Film Program
Chronically Online
Can you stomach the seedy underbelly of the web? Take notes from a generation born and dying on the internet, as they confront memories of cringe, arrogance, and obsession.*
Short Film Program
Pen, Pencil, Pixel: Animation
Across these eleven shorts, you’ll find no single genre, theme, or medium, but you will find fantastical worlds, disarming emotional honesty, and vibrant displays of creativity. Whether drawn by hand, sculpted with clay, or animated digitally, these inventive shorts are sure to entertain and inspire.
Short Film Program
Time and Texture: Experimental
Some rules are made to be broken. Singular and diverse experiences of identity, sensation, isolation, and time are translated into stunning images and sound. The resulting seven films play like something of a dream, capturing the feeling of being alive as only cinema can.*
Short Film Program
Odd, Very Odd
Expect the unexpected in these colorful, wildly offbeat shorts. In this utterly unique showcase, a cast of eccentric characters (both on camera and behind it) will dash every expectation of tone, performance, and good taste– and you’ll be all the better for it.*
*Films in this program contain themes or language that may not be suitable for all ages.
Past Events
Workshop
Access Granted: Creativity and Tools for Inclusive Filmmaking
Learn how to incorporate accessibility tools into your workflow from pre-production to post, allowing for broader engagement with your work. Discover different methods to create audio descriptions and get an early look at a new AI-powered tool for creating captions in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Special Event
CineYouth Mixer
Meet and mingle with the CineYouth community. Everyone is welcome to socialize, snack, and learn more about Adobe Premiere Pro’s latest features. Refreshments will be served.
Workshop
Creative Leadership: Taking Care of Collaborators
From preparing for physical contact between actors, to establishing good vibes on set, to communicating clearly about roles and compensation, this discussion will start you thinking about how to be a creative leader people are always excited to work with.
In-Person Screening & Event Schedule
Friday, April 21
Screening
Closing Night: Chicagoland (encore)
The exhilarating work of Chicago’s next generation of filmmakers is showcased in this eclectic collection that celebrates the vast array of creative expressions emerging from our city.* With open captioned films and a live captioner.
Virtual Screening
CineYouth Selections: Captions Available
As part of our ongoing accessibility initiative, we are proud to present this selection of CineYouth films with captions available.
CineYouth Awards Ceremony
Celebrate the winners from this year’s CineYouth Festival at the Awards Ceremony. Categories include Animation, Chicago, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Experimental, International, Rising Star, and Social Impact awards.
212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400
