Chicago Intl Film Festival

One person lays their head on top of another person's chest, as they both lie asleep. A multicolored light shines on them.

Hold Me Close

Through audio recordings created by a couple over the course of a season, this film portrays and celebrates the love shared between two women. Shot exclusively inside the apartment where they reside, Hold Me Close shows with great tenderness the vulnerability and intimacy of sharing life with someone.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 7: Documentary.[…]

An illustration of Martin Luther King Jr dressed in a shirt and tie driving a basketball down a court in a gym

Hoops, Hopes & Dreams

Basketball has played a crucial role in the political lives of two of the defining figures of American history, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama. Using archival footage, animated recreations of the past, and exclusive interviews, this engaging documentary showcases how sports have a unique capacity to bring people together.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 7: Documentary.[…]

Shorts 8: Drama

In these five shorts, exceptional international filmmakers explore subjects ranging from sex and war to grief and hippos. Whether employing dark humor or grounded realism, these stories speak to the complexities of the human experience.
In a cluttered room, we see two young boys are sitting side by side in the reflection of a dirty mirror.

Honey, My Love, So Sweet

In a building housing an old cinema on its last legs, a child discovers their true identity through the magic of the movies and the quiet curiosities of everyday life. This poetic and sweeping story offers a glimpse into coming into oneself amid beauty and ruins.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 8: Drama.[…]

A little girl sits in the backseat of a car facing the back.She looks over her shoulder to an older man, sitting beside her.

Hippopotami

When a young girl embarks on a highly anticipated trip to the zoo with her parents and some unexpected strangers, she comes to understand a new side of her parents’ inner lives. This story of innocence lost deftly weaves dark humor with delicately nuanced characters.

This film screens as part of Shorts Program 8: Drama.[…]

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