Apply for CIX:Lab

Call for Submissions are now open for CIX: Lab, the Chicago Industry Exchange’s fiction feature film development lab, hosted by Cinema/Chicago and the Chicago International Film Festival.

Applications for CIX:Lab 2026 are now open!
Deadline for Application is Aug 28, 2026.

Apply Now Submission Info

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)
• Participants must commit to attending all in-person sessions in Chicago and are responsible for their own travel and accommodations

The following additional pre-production elements will strengthen an application:

• • Attached talent / letters of interest
  • A short film that has shown at film festivals or curated by an established online distribution platform
  • Some financing in place
  • Proposed budget
  • Proposed production schedule
  • Commitments from other key creatives
  • Partnerships or support from other companies or organizations

• 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, YouTube, 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.