Chicago International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
Location212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Founded1965
Most recent60th Chicago International Film Festival
Hosted byCinema/Chicago
LanguageInternational
Websitechicagofilmfestival.com

The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by filmmaker and graphic artist Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America.

The Festival has a rich history of discovering and showcasing ground-breaking directors including Martin Scorsese, John Carpenter, Ava DuVernay, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Wim Wenders, and more.

In 2025, the Festival featured 150+ films from more than 50 countries over 12 days. Each year, the Festival welcomes more than 40,000 filmmakers and film lovers for 12 days of international and independent cinema.

Festival programming includes the International Competition, New Directors Competition, Documentary, Black Perspectives, After Dark, City & State, Shorts, and more. It is also an Academy Awards qualifying Festival in the categories of Best Live Action Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Animated Short.

The Festival’s main venue is AMC NEWCITY 14. The Festival also hosts screenings across Chicago, including at Music Box Theatre, the Chicago History Museum, Gene Siskel Film Center, the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, Kennedy-King College, and the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Black Perspectives Program

The Chicago International Film Festival’s Black Perspectives Program was founded in 1997 in collaboration with Spike Lee to highlight the excellence and diversity of African American cinema and films by the African diaspora from around the world. In addition to showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers, the program also features an annual tribute, with past honorees that include Viola Davis, Sidney Poitier, Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Steve McQueen, and more.

Awards

Winners are awarded Hugo Awards in eight different competition categories.[1]

  • International Feature Film Competition
    • Gold Hugo
    • Silver Hugo: Jury Prize
    • Silver Hugo: Best Director
    • Silver Hugo: Best Actor (until 2019)
    • Silver Hugo: Best Actress (until 2019)
    • Silver Hugo: Best Performance (from 2020)
    • Silver Hugo: Best Ensemble Performance
    • Silver Hugo: Best Cinematography
    • Silver Hugo: Best Screenplay
    • Silver Hugo: Best Sound
    • Silver Hugo: Best Art Direction
  • New Directors Competition
  • Gold Hugo
  • Silver Hugo
  • Roger Ebert Award
  • International Documentary Competition
    • Gold Hugo
    • Silver Hugo
  • Out-Look Competition
    • Gold Q-Hugo
    • Silver Hugo
  • City & State Competition
    • Chicago Award
  • Live Action Short Film Competition
    • Gold Hugo
    • Silver Hugo
  • Documentary Short Film Competition
    • Gold Hugo
    • Silver Hugo
  • Animated Short Film Competition
    • Gold Hugo
    • Silver Hugo

    Gold Hugo

    Year Winning film Director(s) Country Ref.
    1965The Lollipop CoverEverett Chambers United States[2]
    1966Bushido(Bushidō zankoku monogatari)Tadashi Imai Japan[3]
    1967Here's Your Life(Här har du ditt liv)Jan Troell Sweden
    1968Innocence Unprotected(Nevinost bez zastite)Dušan Makavejev Yugoslavia[4]
    1969Eeny Meeny Miny Moe(Ole dole doff)Jan Troell Sweden[5]
    1970The Green Wall(La muralla verde)Armando Robles Godoy Peru[4]
    1971Mon oncle AntoineClaude Jutra Canada[4]
    1972Bleak MomentsMike Leigh United Kingdom[4]
    1973Mirage(Espejismo)Armando Robles Godoy Peru
    MorgianaJuraj Herz Czechoslovakia[6]
    1974PirosmaniGeorgy Shengalaya Soviet Union[4]
    1975Land of Promise(Ziemia obiecana)Andrzej Wajda Poland[4]
    1976Kings of the Road(Im Lauf der Zeit)Wim Wenders West Germany[4]
    1977The Huntsmen(Oi kynigoi)Theo Angelopoulos Greece[7]
    1978To an Unknown God(A un dios desconocido)Jaime Chávarri Spain
    1979Angi VeraPál Gábor Hungary[4]
    1980Camera Buff(Amator)Krzysztof Kieślowski Poland[4]
    1981The German Sisters(Die bleierne Zeit)Margarethe von Trotta West Germany[4]
    1982Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy DeanRobert Altman United States[4]
    1983The South(El Sur)Victor Erice Spain France[4]
    1984Khandhar(The Ruins)Mrinal Sen India[4]
    1985The Official Story(La historia oficial)Luis Puenzo Argentina
    1986Welcome in Vienna(Wohin und zurück)Axel Corti Austria West Germany  Switzerland[8]
    1987Whooping Cough(Szamárköhögés)Péter Gárdos Hungary[4]
    1988Little Vera(Malenkaya Vera)Vasili Pichul Soviet Union
    1989Zerograd(Gorod Zero)Karen Chakhnazarov Soviet Union[4]
    1990Ju DouZhang Yimou China Japan[4]
    1991DelicatessenJean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro France[4]
    1992Dream of Light(El sol del membrillo)Victor Erice Spain
    1993Twinkle(Kira kira hikaru)Joji Matsuoka Japan
    199471 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance(71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls)Michael Haneke Austria Germany[9]
    1995Maborosi(Maboroshi no Hikari)Hirokazu Koreeda Japan[10]
    1996RidiculePatrice Leconte France[11]
    1997The Winter GuestAlan Rickman United Kingdom[12]
    1998The Hole(Dong)Tsai Ming-liang Taiwan[13]
    1999Sachs' Disease(La maladie de Sachs)Michel Deville France[14]
    2000Amores perrosAlejandro González Iñárritu Mexico[15]
    2001Fat Girl(À ma soeur!)Catherine Breillat France[16]
    2002Madame SatãKarim Aïnouz Brazil[17]
    2003Crimson Gold(Talaye Sorkh)Jafar Panahi Iran[18]
    2004KontrollNimród Antal Hungary[19]
    2005My Nikifor (Mój Nikifor)Krzysztof Krauze Poland[20]
    2006Fireworks Wednesday(Chaharshanbe Suri)Asghar Farhadi Iran[21]
    2007Silent Light(Stellet Lijcht)Carlos Reygadas Mexico[22]
    2008HungerSteve McQueen Ireland[23]
    2009Mississippi DamnedTina Mabry United States[24]
    2010How I Ended This Summer(Kak ya provyol etim letom)Alexei Popogrebski Russia[25]
    2011Le HavreAki Kaurismäki Finland[26]
    2012Holy MotorsLeos Carax France
    2013My Sweet Pepper LandHuner Saleem Iraq
    2014The PresidentMohsen Makhmalbaf Georgia France United Kingdom Germany[27]
    2015A ChildhoodPhilippe Claudel France[28]
    2016SieranevadaCristi Puiu Romania[29]
    2017A Sort of FamilyDiego Lerman Argentina[30]
    2018Happy as LazzaroAlice Rohrwacher Italy  Switzerland Germany France[31]
    2019Portrait of a Lady on FireCéline Sciamma France[32]
    2020SweatMagnus von Horn Sweden[1]
    2021MemoriaApichatpong Weerasethakul Thailand Colombia Germany France Mexico China
    2022GodlandHlynur Pálmason Iceland Denmark France Sweden[33]
    2023Explanation for EverythingGábor Reisz Hungary Slovakia[34]
    2024VermiglioMaura Delpero Italy France Belgium[35]
    2025SirātOliver Laxe Spain France[36]

    Silver Hugo

    Jury Award

    Best Director

    Best Actor

    Best Actress

    Best Performance

    Best Screenplay

    Best Editing

    • 2024 – Telmo Churro and Pedro Filipe Marques (Portugal) for Grand Tour

    Best Cinematography

    Best Sound

    Best Art Direction

    Best New Director

    Special Mention

    Lifetime Achievement Awards

    Winners of the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award include Steven Spielberg, Helen Hunt, Dustin Hoffman, Martin Landau, Shirley MacLaine, Lord Richard Attenborough, François Truffaut, Jodie Foster, Sigourney Weaver, Robin Williams, Manoel de Oliveira, and Clint Eastwood.

    Career Achievement Awards

    Television awards

    The Television Awards started with the idea of honoring television commercials in a special event of the film festival, but over time evolved and grew into a bigger event, comprising not only commercials but also television productions, series, and online television. In 2003, a separate ceremony was launched for the TV awards, and in 2017, the event became a separate event, named the Chicago International Television Festival. Winners and runners-up for the various categories, which include Gold and Silver Hugos, are listed on the film festival website.[40][41]

    See also

    References

    1. ^ ab"Festival Award Winners". Cinema/Chicago.
    2. ^"1965 — 1st Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    3. ^"1966 — 2nd Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    4. ^ abcdefghijklmnopq"50 Years of Memories: Highlights from the History of the Chicago International Film Festival"(PDF). chicagofilmfestival.com. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    5. ^"1969 — 5th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    6. ^"Juraj Herz Double Bill: The Cremator + Morgiana". Czech Centre. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    7. ^"1977 — 13th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    8. ^"A Year in the Artsl". Chicago Tribune. 28 December 1986. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    9. ^"1994 — 30th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
    10. ^"1995 — 31st Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    11. ^"1996 — 32nd Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    12. ^"1997 — 33rd Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    13. ^"1998 — 34th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    14. ^"1999 — 35th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    15. ^"2000— 36th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    16. ^"2001— 37th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    17. ^"2002— 38th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    18. ^"2003— 39th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    19. ^"2004— 40th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    20. ^"2005— 41st Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    21. ^"2006— 42nd Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    22. ^"2007— 43rd Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    23. ^"2008— 44th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    24. ^"2009— 45th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    25. ^"2010— 46th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on December 27, 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
    26. ^"2011— 47th Chicago Film Festival". chicagofilmfestival.com. Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
    27. ^ abc"Highest Standards of Filmmaking Celebrated at the 50th Chicago International Film Festival's Awards Night". chicagofilmfestival.com. October 17, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
    28. ^ abcByrge, Duane (October 24, 2015). "'A Childhood' won the dramatic competition; 'Volta A Terra' prevailed in the documentary competition". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
    29. ^ abcPhillips, Michael (October 22, 2016). "Rule, Romania: 'Sieranevada,' 'Graduation' win big at Chicago Film Fest". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
    30. ^ abc"53rd Festival Award-Winning Films". Chicago International Film Festival. October 25, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
    31. ^ abc"54th Chicago International Film Festival Award Winners". Chicago International Film Festival. October 19, 2018. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
    32. ^ abc"55th Chicago International Film Festival Award Winners". Chicago International Film Festival. October 27, 2019. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
    33. ^"58th Chicago International Film Festival Award Winners". Chicago International Film Festival. October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
    34. ^Phillips, Michael (20 October 2023). "Chicago International Film Fest winners are announced, and there's an explanation for everything". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
    35. ^"Chicago International Film Festival Awards Top Prizes to 'Vermiglio,' 'All We Imagine as Light'". IndieWire. October 25, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
    36. ^"Thrilled to announce the award winners in the International Features Competition at the 61st #ChiFilmFest!". Instagram. October 24, 2025. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
    37. ^"50 years of memories: Highlights form the history of the Chicago International Film Festival"(PDF). Chicago International Film Festival.
    38. ^"50 years of memories: Highlights form the history of the Chicago International Film Festival"(PDF). Chicago International Film Festival.
    39. ^Chicago International Film Festival - News & Events - Bruce Dern Comes Home to Chicago for the Centerpiece Presentation of Alexander Payne's "Nebraska". Chicagofilmfestival.com (2013-08-27). Retrieved on 2014-05-25. Archived October 20, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
    40. ^"Chicago International Television Festival History". Cinema / Chicago. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
    41. ^"Cinema/Chicago Television Awards: 2010 Award Winners". Cinema/Chicago. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
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