45th Chicago International Film Festival (Event Over)

**Make sure you check out the new 5x5 deal - $5 matinee movies before 5pm, M-F !  **

This year, it's more important than ever to recognize the power of film. Across countries and languages and classes, film has the power to provide us with a release, an escape, a window into new worlds and new possibilities. This year, we invite you to discover something new with us.

When we started this Festival 45 years ago, we had one simple goal: To introduce Chicago and the world to new filmmakers, new stories, and new points of view. This year, I'm proud to say that we are sticking to that mission more than ever by showing 40 films by first-time filmmakers. And 20 of our films come from female directors. It's important to us that we are always learning, always seeing the world in a new way.

Coming out of a dark theater, everything seems brighter. Film illuminates the world. It opens our eyes. It shows us things we don't see every day, makes us feel things we don't always feel. For 45 years, we've been committed to taking you all across the globe to discover some of the most exciting cinema the world has to offer.

New voices, new ideas, new storytellers, new stars....it's all right here in Chicago for two weeks only. This isn't your typical Saturday night out at the movies -- these are once in a lifetime events, and you never know what is going to happen. So come out and be a part of it. See the films. See the people that make them. Meet and mingle with your fellow film fans. See the world in a whole new way.

All red carpets lead to Chicago, so come and join us.

-Chicago Film Festival