CineYouth Program
The Cinemas of Chicago
Synopsis
Our city has proven once again to be fertile ground for filmmakers to find sources of creative self-expression, and these shorts are a mere sample of what the future holds for Chicago cinema.
Note: Films in this program may not be suitable for all ages.
Films
RAICES
Reflecting on his passion for gardening, a man finds the source of this infatuation in Mexico. Now living in the United States, he seeks to plant his pride from the Mexico family garden into his new one.
Love Stories
Unique love stories are touchingly explored from multiple perspectives through experimental animation of archival personal photographs, investigating what it means to love in this world.
Miniature Vacation
In this visual adaptation of her own poem, filmmaker Samantha Ocampo reveals the little local things she appreciates in her life that help her escape the day-to-day banality.
A Wolf Comes at Night
An ominous presence comes from out of the darkness, terrorizing a cattle farm where a frightened grandfather and his grandchildren are trying to protect themselves and the farm.
Face Me
This provocative look into Hollywood’s history examines the use of yellowface and its continued impact on the Asian-American community by projecting media onto the faces of the younger generation.
De Sol a Sol
On warm summer days you can find Abraham and Ricardo selling ice cream along the Chicago lakefront, but a new perspective offers a glimpse into the often harrowing experiences of ice cream men.
Stuck in the System
Students from Free Spirit Media explore the topic of racialized mass incarceration and the U.S, prison system, asking why petty crimes have caused minorities to make up the majority of inmates.
Fear
Visiting desolate and lonely spaces around Chicago, a young woman recites a poem exploring her fears and their relationship to her own grieving process.
71 Seconds
Mirroring the final moments in the life of Treyvon Martin and imagining the 71 seconds unaccounted for in the official report of his murder, an ordinary day takes a tragic turn in an all too common way, reminding everyone that Black Lives Matter.
As We Are Planted
To combat the effects of food insecurity in the South Side of Chicago, Just Roots Chicago and Saint James Catholic Church unite to bring fresh produce and smiles to the local community.
Phenomenally Me
This empowering portrait of four African American teen girls from Chicago explores the way hair shapes their individuality, expresses their creativity, and builds their confidence.
Fear Frenzy
After starting the fear-based competition game show Fear Frenzy to patch up his marriage, Tony must come to terms with how the game caters to a complacent audience only interested in watching him suffer.
Children Play With Fire
There’s a party going on in Chicago’s South Side neighborhood Bronzeville, and Kari asks his brother to pick something up from the store. What follows is a devastating journey through time and memory.
Dois Estágios
Exploring the beginning and end of a bloodline, this film delves into the personal history of the filmmaker’s family and illustrates her longing memory of Brazil.
Media
Sponsors
Program Sponsor
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