< Back to Festival Program List
59th Chicago International Film Festival banner

After Dark

These shock-filled, spine-tingling, and wildly strange visions will keep you up late into the night.


In-Person
A group of men wearing winter coats, gather together while facing a crowd of people.

Concrete Utopia

Um Tae-hwa  |   South Korea
Korean  
Action, Social Commentary

After a devastating earthquake, the residents of the last remaining apartment building in Seoul must fight both outsiders and each other for survival.

In-Person
A balding man in glasses and a parka stands in front of a car with the word 'loser' spray painted on the side behind him

Dream Scenario

Kristoffer Borgli  |   United States
English  
Comedy, Horror, Social Commentary

Family man Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams.

In-Person
A man with blood splattered down the side of his face yells as two people standing behind him look straight ahead in shock.

Infested Vermines

Sébastien Vaniček  |   France
French  
Action, Architecture, Horror

When a venomous spider escapes and multiplies in a Paris apartment building, a group of friends must find a way out of the web of nightmares.

In-Person
A man stands in the center of a darkened studio set with bright lights shining down on him as an audience watches.

Late Night With the Devil

Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes  |   United States, United Arab Emirates, Australia
English  
Drama, Horror, Religion

A flailing late-night talk show host (Chicago native David Dastmalchian) makes a desperate move for ratings in this retro possession chiller.

In-Person
A woman wearing a vibrant green wig and elaborate makeup, blows smoke into the air from a cigarette.

The People’s Joker

Vera Drew  |   United States, Canada, Scotland
English  
Comedy, LGBTQ

A trans coming-of-age story encased in a comic-book parody, The People’s Joker kicks down the doors of IP with witty humor and surprising heart.

In-Person
A woman stands at the base of a winding staircase in a grand entryway, the furniture covered with sheets.

Raging Grace

Paris Zarcilla  |   United Kingdom
English, Tagalog  
Horror, Mystery, Social Commentary, Women Centered

In this bold, bloody gothic horror film, a Filipina worker and her daughter confront the shocking colonialist legacy of a wealthy English family.

In-Person
Streaming

Shorts 3: After Dark – Twisted Tales & Shadows of Innocence

Various  |   Canada, France, United States
English, French, Tagalog  
Coming of Age, Horror, LGBTQ, Social Commentary, Women Centered

These tense and terrifying shorts reflect how everyday life can turn into horror.