Applications for CIX:Lab 2025 are now open!
Deadline for Application is August 18.
CIX: Lab 2024 Virtual Info Session
Monday, August 12pm – 1pm CT via Zoom
What is CIX: Lab? Join Industry Programs Manager Deborah Rudolph and Senior Programmer Anthony Kaufman for a virtual discussion about CIX: Lab, the Chicago International Film Festival’s year-long feature film development lab. Come prepared with all your questions!
About CIX:Lab
The Chicago Industry Exchange: Lab (CIX: Lab) is a year-long feature film development lab for filmmakers with narrative fiction feature films in active development.
Filmmakers are invited to apply to the CIX: Lab, which consists of quarterly workshops based in person in Chicago focusing on script development, directing, producing and pre-production, and pitching as well as year-long consultations with a Creative Advisor. The Lab culminates in The Pitch held during the Chicago International Film Festival’s Industry Days (October 2026), where the filmmakers present their projects in front of a live audience and panel of industry judges, with the winning pitch receiving a package of in-kind production and consultation services.
Films that started out as Pitch projects include Signature Move (2017), Knives and Skin (2019), Once Upon a River (2019), and The Year Between (2022).
Past advisors have included:
- Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin)
- Melika Bass (Shoals)
- Kyle Henry (Rogers Park)
- Erica Weiss (The View from Tall)
- Malik Bader (Street Thief)
Special Lab guests have included:
- Tracey Scott Wilson (producer/writer, The Americans)
- Karyn Kusama (director, Girlfight)
- Mary Jane Skalski (producer, The Station Agent)
- Virgil Williams (screenwriter, Mudbound)
- Jessica Bendinger (screenwriter, Bring it On)
Submission for 2025-2026 CIX:Lab
Applications are now open.
Submission deadline is August 18.
Eligibilty
Projects and teams must meet the following criteria:
- The individual or company submitting material must either own or possess all rights contained within the material. If the pitch team is not the owner of the material, they must provide the necessary licenses.
- Must be a narrative feature in late-stage development.
- Must have an attached Director and Producer.
- Proven track record with professional credits by at least one member of the creative team.
- You must provide a link to a prior work sample in the online application form. (Please note, your prior work does not need to be related to the proposed project, but some similarity in genre, tone, or format is preferred).
- Must be available to attend all sessions in Chicago in-person.
The following additional pre-production elements will strengthen an application:
- Attached talent / letters of interest.
- Some financing in place.
- Commitments from other key creatives.
- Partnerships or support from other companies or organizations.
Schedule of Events
Sept 2025: Projects are reviewed, filmmaking teams are interviewed for final selection to participate in the Chicago Industry Exchange (CIX) Lab. Creative Advisors are assigned.
Oct 16–19, 2025: ChicagoIFF Industry Days
Nov 2025: Screenwriting Workshop (2 days)
Dec 2025: Advisor Meetings
Feb 2026: Screenwriting Master Class (1 day)
April 2026: Directing Workshop (2 days)
May 2026: Advisor Meetings
June 2026: PreProduction Workshop (2 days)
August 2026: Advisor Meetings
Sept. 2026: Pitching Workshop (1 day)
Oct. 2026: Pitch Prep #2 (1 day)
Oct. 2026: The Pitch 2026 and Industry Meetings
How To Apply
In order to apply, you must complete the online form (via the button at the top of this section) and submit applicable payment.
The application will ask you to submit the following supporting materials. Please have these materials prepared before beginning the application.
- The Completed Script
- A “Pitch Deck”
A PDF (no more than 12 pages) that gives an overview of the project’s story, theme, genre and production approach. Items to consider including:- Logline and basic story synopsis
- Biographies and major credits for key members of the creative team
- Highlight any partners and attached talent
- Target budget and any financing already in place
- Target audience
- Distribution strategy
- Photographic or illustrated visuals
- A Two-Minute Elevator Pitch Video
A two-minute, direct-to-camera video pitch that explains the project, the team behind it, and why it should be included in the Pitch Session.- Must include all members of the pitch team. (1-2 members are recommended; no more than 3 pitch team members will be accepted.)
- Should not be overly produced or edited. The purpose is to show us how well you can tell your story.
- Videos should be uploaded to Vimeo, You Tube, or another streaming site. Please provide password if applicable.
- Must be hosted on a third-party site; you will be asked to supply a link to the video.
Partners
Important Notes & Disclaimers
If your project is selected, you must participate in two mandatory Pitch Preparation Sessions. Industry Days reserves the right to exclude certain submitted materials from the pitch presentation.
Submission does not create a contractual relationship, implied or otherwise with The Chicago International Film Festival, or any of the organization’s sponsors or affiliates. By submitting you are waiving any breach of contract, implied or otherwise and any theft of idea or concept action against The Chicago International Film Festival, or any of these organization’s sponsors or affiliates including copyright actions.
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