CineYouth Program
In the Loop: Chicago Voices
Screenings & Events
Virtual Screening
Available to stream globally Mon, April 21 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.
Closed CaptionsSynopsis
“Next stop, the Loop!” Our home is an exhilarating place full of different perspectives and stories. Hailing from neighborhoods all over the city, these films wear their love for Chicago on their sleeves.
Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.
Films
To the Loop
An energetic and hypnotic celebration of the fast-paced nature of Chicago’s transit system is illustrated through a harmonious collection of street iconography.
Hip Hop is a Home
In this intimate and poignant exploration of the intergenerational power of music, Jherrisha Barr reflects on how growing up with hip hop in her Chicago neighborhood has provided both solace and a sense of community in all aspects of her life, from overcoming adversity to fostering enduring familial bonds.
Arm and a leg
Suffocated by the confines of suburban culture, April finds catharsis in wild, uninhibited physical movement. Her struggle for self-expression is empathetically depicted through claustrophobic visuals that reflect her oppression.
The Five Steps of Irish Catholic Grieving
Death can be strange, but the traditions that follow can be even stranger. A grieving son struggles through the awkward events of his father’s funeral in this dramedy full of humorous characters.
Human Heart
Margot Magdalene Torresin documents the buzz and magic of Chicago with the help of two subjects: Noah and Star. In this vibrant documentary, Noah and Star share what it means to be a part of the trans community and reflect on their relationship with gender.
Soundscapes of Her
Adaleyn is weary and unsure about her future. Her internal monologue, filled with thoughts about womanhood, finances, and the current political landscape, is given voice in this technically impressive experimental documentary.
Wonderlost
With graduation around the corner, an art student struggles to decide her post-college path. As she ponders the perks of a corporate career against the artistic freedom of the freelance lifestyle, her friends and family weigh in. Ultimately, though, the choice is hers alone.
Hey Hugo
Hugo, a well-loved family man, has been wrongfully convicted of a crime. As he waits for his case to be reopened and overturned, his family recounts fond memories with him.
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CineYouth Program
Key Frames: Animation
Screenings & Events
Virtual Screening
Available to stream globally Mon, April 21 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.
Synopsis
A wide range of animation forms and topics swirl together in this jam-packed program of 12 inventive works. Whether expressed by hand-drawn images, clay figures in stop-motion, or digital tools, these films are filled with creativity, emotion, and authenticity.
Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.
Films
Perfect Casting
Told through dynamic visuals and quirky character designs, this animated tale follows the founding of an unlikely friendship. A skilled costume designer struggles to collaborate with an asocial creature actor who is scarily good at playing his monster character.
Eggs Benedict
This offbeat claymation cleverly recounts a man’s relationship through a stage performance, an apt setting for the sometimes overwhelming feelings of new romance.
Paper Love
When a princess decides to escape from a possessive ruler, she wonders if her desire for freedom will triumph over the king’s despotic visions. Paper Love is brought to life through animated paper cut-outs and an entrancing score that together showcase the filmmaker’s inventive imagination at just nine years old.
Stay
On his birthday, a young man reflects on the lonely, mundane life that he shares with his beloved pet bird. This touching story depicted through artful 2D animation, coalesces into an unexpected revelation about their bond and explores themes of grief and healing.
Atlas
Experience an alternate world where gravity is reversed in this meditative mood piece that will leave you on cloud nine. Utilizing multiple animation styles and serene sound design, Atlas’s observational opening methodically swells toward a euphoric conclusion.
A Spell to Break
As countless summoning requests begin to pile up, an overexerted young witch makes a crucial mistake in this 2D animated tale about the power of community and friendship.
Voices of the Mountains
Past and present collide in this intimate look into a town destroyed by mudslides. Blending animation with live action, Voices of the Mountains dissects our complex relationship with nature.
With Tits
Young women on a high school basketball team fight their principal to change their sexist team name in this raunchy comedy.
A Chance Meeting with My Divine
Duine, an Irish teenager, grapples with their gender identity and reflects on their past while walking alone at night. Their reverie is interrupted by Féiniúlacht, a divine spirit.
Illumination
When a man returns home exhausted from work, his daughter picks up his laser pointer and uses her imagination to help him rediscover his passions.
The Vickerilla Family Reunion
A mellow and charming reflection on 10 years of family reunions is told through watercolor illustration and evocative sound clips.
The GOAT
When two beloved animators and former friends announce new films on the same day, one of them makes it his mission to finish his film first. As the deadline approaches, the animator spirals out of control.
CineYouth Program
Espressivo: Music and Dance
Screenings & Events
Virtual Screening
Available to stream globally Mon, April 21 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.
Synopsis
Let the sound waves move your spirit. Music and dance are at the core of these personal and innovative works exploring cultural identity, nostalgia, loss, and remembrance. Like a playlist on shuffle, music videos, documentaries, and narrative dramas from these 8 filmmakers coalesce into a gorgeous display of how music can connect us, no matter who or where we are.
Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, language, that may not be suitable for all ages and flashing lights.
Films
Rabbit by Creeping Charlie
In this dreamy music video, two girls reminisce on their early childhoods, longing for the simplistic and innocent past. Set amidst a beautiful fall day and adorned with feminine playfulness, Rabbit explores how childhood notions evolve into contemporary creativity.
Las Mariachis
This documentary follows Maricella Martinez, the director of the all-female mariachi band Mariachis Lindas Mexicanas as she balances the band and motherhood. With a backdrop of lively and lilting tunes, Marcialla reflects on the ways in which Mariachi music has shaped her as a person.
Dis Feeling
In this stylish and atmospheric music video of his original song, Leif Ericson 7th grader Avant Spann speaks to both his past struggles and his dreams for his future. This piece was created as a part of The BASE Chicago’s Feel the BASE music video program.
Symphony ((SIN)FONÍA)
This abstract documentary simulates the experience of living with four distinct auditory conditions through the use of narration, instrumental music, unique sound design, and vibrant visuals. Two voices reflect on the uniqueness of the sense of hearing itself, and how it shapes our perception and emotions.
The Pact
This punchy music video takes a look at lost love through swirling memories of the past and features original music by Worry Club.
The Honey Trap
While at work, a young fan watches a video of his favorite musician on a talk show. Soon, he finds himself connecting with the superstar in ways he never expected.
The Delightful One (La Ravissante)
This experimental documentary is an ode to the rich culture and history of the Huron-Wedant Indigenous peoples. Mixing traditional music, spoken poetry, and footage of everyday life on their land, this work paints a picture of their past, present, and future.
Chiquita piconera
A grieving mother uses vibrant Spanish dancing to cope with the loss of her youngest daughter. However, the intensity of her grief and escapism threatens her relationship with her oldest daughter.
CineYouth Program
Born This Way: Queer Stories
Screenings & Events
Virtual Screening
Available to stream globally Mon, April 21 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.
Synopsis
Discovering who you are is an integral part of growing up, even if the world disagrees. Whether it’s awkward first dates, traveling across the universe, or reckoning with adulthood, these seven short films are not afraid of opinions or naysayers.
Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, language, that may not be suitable for all ages.
Films
Alleyways
As new friends appear in his life, a teenage boy is uncertain how to navigate his best friend’s trans identity.
Within the Seams (Entre Costuras)
Burdened by her anxiety, a high school graduate, Eva, must navigate her transition to adulthood and how it affects the relationships around her. Surreal and funny, Within the Seams authentically captures the uncertainty of young adulthood.
Cut From My Own Cloth
After getting VIP tickets to their favorite artist’s show, a young non-binary person struggles to find an outfit that represents them while shopping with their parents.
Maladaptive
Sophia, a maladaptive daydreamer, struggles to keep her mind in the present moment on her first date with Ingrid. Lingering too long in her romantic fantasies threatens to stall things before they begin.
James
After his mother’s passing, James has two choices: family or sanity. Shot on Super 8mm, James confronts the often messy mix of religion, family, and identity as its characters learn to cope with their new bereft reality.
Echo Equinox
In this surrealist experimental piece, Echo Equinox and Nova recount their relationship as it transcends space and time. Using mixed media elements like hand-drawn rotoscope, analogue glitch art, and a blend of VHS & digital photography, Echo Equinox transports you to a world like no other.
Yasmin
Yasmin and Karoline share a clear chemistry on their first date in a romantically moody bar. Their conversation continues past closing time, and, as they leave together, Karoline’s remarks change their rapport and force Yasmin to make a decision.
CineYouth Program
Pulling Focus: Documentary
Screenings & Events
Virtual Screening
Available to stream globally Mon, April 21 @ 12:00pm CT through Sun, May 4 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window.
Synopsis
Whether it’s a visual love letter to far away relatives, a detailed account of individuals’ experiences of colorism, or a behind-the-scenes look into the meticulous process of crafting authentic Lion Dance Heads, these seven personal documentaries shed light on lives, beliefs, and cultures.
Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, language, that may not be suitable for all ages.
Films
Places Nowhere
While discussing the topic of unexplainable memories with his friends, Filmmaker Alex Chen recounts a childhood memory of going to a mall with an exterior that was “painted like the sky.” He always figured it was a figment of his imagination… except his friend remembers the same mall. Assembling many years’ worth of archival and personal footage, Alex Chen attempts to rediscover the feeling of being in this long-forgotten mall.
Memories of a new destination (Records d’un nou destí)
Told through postcards and first-hand experiences, this film is a touching tribute to those that have traveled away from home. This profound documentary provides an avenue for the filmmakers to have a deeper connection with their relatives, learn more about their lives, and comprehend the bravery it must have taken for each of them to start anew.
A-Okay
In the form of a letter to their past self, filmmaker J Fitzpatrick takes the viewer on a deeply intimate journey through their early experiences (or lack thereof) of crushes and discovery of asexual and aromantic spectrums. Told in the second person perspective, A-Okay examines the highly sexualized society we live in and explores harmful stigmas surrounding sexual orientations, while also giving a voice (and advice) to those within the underrepresented communities.
Epiphany
This colorful documentary follows the mother and daughter team of Master Li and Master Zhou as they work through all the steps of creating traditional Lion Dance Heads. The observational camera work captures the details of their craft as Li and Zhou share their family heritage and the cultural significance of the artform.
Tainted by the Visual
Through an immersive viewing experience, filmmaker Laura Calzada explores the subjective experiences of blind individuals and uses different techniques to express sound artist Andy Slater’s experience of how vision loss reshaped his perception of sound.
Stay Out of the Sun
This vignette-style multimedia documentary discusses the global cultural practice of colorism. Various women recount their individual experiences and opinions about this issue from childhood through adulthood.
Butterflies
In this celebration of love and resilience, high school sweethearts Quinn and Josh reflect on the prom night that turned a mother’s fears into a moment of triumph. Through heartfelt stories and reflections, Butterflies challenges perceptions of disability, demonstrating that love knows no boundaries and victories, no matter how small they may seem, are always worth celebrating.
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