Chicago International Film Festival
The longest-running competitive film festival in North America
Overview
The Chicago International Film Festival is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America, founded in 1964. It screens over 100 features and many shorts across narrative, documentary, and animated categories each October.
The festival features a competitive international section, an industry program, and special presentations that attract filmmakers from around the world. Chicago's vibrant cultural scene and strong film community provide an engaged backdrop for the event.
How It Works
CIFF's long history and institutional credibility make it one of the most respected festivals in the Midwest and beyond. The festival has consistently championed international cinema and emerging voices throughout its decades-long run.
Submission fees range from approximately $40 to $65 depending on category and deadline. Chicago offers a wide range of accommodation options and is easily accessible by air from both coasts and internationally.
Who Uses It
A prestigious option for filmmakers seeking a well-established festival with genuine international reach. The decades of programming history and strong institutional support make CIFF a reliable and respected platform.
Pricing & Plans
Chicago International Film Festival submission fees range from approximately $40-65 depending on category and deadline tier. Individual screening tickets for public audiences are typically priced at approximately $15-20 per screening, with festival passes available at various tiers providing access to multiple screenings and events. Industry accreditation is available for qualified professionals. Chicago's accommodation costs are moderate for a major US city, with hotel rates during the October festival typically ranging from $120-300 per night in the downtown and near-north areas where festival venues are concentrated. The city's excellent public transportation system (CTA trains and buses) and walkable neighborhoods keep transportation costs manageable. Chicago's world-class dining scene and cultural offerings provide an enriching backdrop to the festival experience, with options available at every price point from affordable neighborhood restaurants to Michelin-starred establishments.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The Chicago International Film Festival's status as the longest-running competitive film festival in North America — founded in 1964, predating even the current incarnation of Sundance — gives it an institutional credibility and historical gravitas that few American festivals can match. The festival's decades of consistent programming have built a loyal and knowledgeable audience in one of America's most culturally engaged cities, and Chicago audiences bring the same passion and seriousness to cinema that they bring to the city's acclaimed theater, music, and visual arts communities. The competitive international section with juried awards provides genuine recognition from industry professionals, and CIFF prizes carry weight with international distributors and sales agents who respect the festival's long history. Chicago's central US location makes it accessible from both coasts and internationally, with two major airports providing extensive flight options that make the festival logistically convenient for attendees traveling from anywhere. The October timing positions the festival within the fall awards-season corridor, providing visibility during the period when the industry is most focused on evaluating the year's strongest work. CIFF's programming of international cinema from around the world serves the culturally diverse Chicago population and attracts audiences who specifically seek out films from regions and traditions that may be underrepresented at other American festivals.
What Could Be Better
Despite its long history, CIFF's national profile has declined somewhat relative to newer festivals that have captured more media attention and industry investment, and selection at CIFF carries less weight with major distributors and acquisitions executives than festivals that have overtaken it in industry influence. The festival's programming, while respectable, can feel conventional compared to more curatorially adventurous events, and the institutional stability that comes with six decades of operation can also create programming inertia that limits discovery of genuinely novel work. Distribution deals and major acquisitions at CIFF are rare, as the festival functions primarily as a cultural exhibition event rather than an industry marketplace. Press coverage of CIFF, while solid in Chicago's local media, does not generate the national and international attention that characterizes top-tier festivals, limiting the critical visibility benefit for selected filmmakers. The October timing places CIFF in direct competition with numerous other fall festivals including BFI London, NYFF, Mill Valley, and multiple regional events, creating submission competition and reducing the pool of exclusive premieres available to the festival. Chicago's October weather can be cold and unpredictable, which, while manageable, does not provide the atmospheric appeal of festivals in warmer or more scenic locations.
Our Recommendation
Chicago International Film Festival is recommended for filmmakers with international or independent work who want to screen at one of America's most historically significant festivals in one of its most culturally engaged cities. The festival is particularly valuable for international filmmakers seeking a US audience for their work, as CIFF's long tradition of programming world cinema creates an appreciative and knowledgeable audience for foreign-language and international films. Filmmakers based in the Midwest should prioritize CIFF as the most prestigious festival in the region, providing both local audience exposure and the credibility of the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. If your primary goal is distribution or major industry attention, prioritize festivals with stronger marketplace components, but include CIFF in your strategy for the historical prestige and the quality of the Chicago audience. Documentary filmmakers and creators of socially relevant work should note CIFF's tradition of programming challenging international documentaries that find receptive audiences among Chicago's culturally engaged population.
Pro Tips
Submit to CIFF early and emphasize the international or thematic dimensions of your film that align with the festival's tradition of programming diverse world cinema. If selected, plan to attend during your screening window and participate in Q&A sessions, as Chicago audiences are knowledgeable and ask substantive questions that provide valuable feedback and create memorable filmmaker-audience interactions. Explore Chicago's broader cultural scene during the festival — attend theater, visit museums, eat at the city's world-class restaurants — as the cultural richness of the city enhances the festival experience and provides informal networking environments with the culturally engaged professionals who attend CIFF. Leverage your CIFF selection in your film's marketing materials, emphasizing the historical significance of North America's longest-running competitive film festival, as this distinction carries weight with programmers, press, and audiences who value institutional credibility. Connect with the Chicago film community through local organizations, screening series, and industry events, as the city's vibrant independent film ecosystem provides ongoing support and screening opportunities beyond the annual festival.