The Chicago International Film Festival has announced its lineup for this year’s edition. The event will showcase a dynamic mix of international and local talent. The lineup includes premieres, award contenders, and independent films spanning a range of genres.
Chicago International Film Festival to Screen World Cinema in New Lineup
The 61st edition of the Chicago International Film Festival will screen films from around the world. The lineup features renowned filmmakers like Chloé Zhao, Park Chan-wook, Joachim Trier, and Kelly Reichardt.
The festival will open with a screening of One Golden Summer. The film is a documentary that chronicles the rise and fall of Chicago’s Jackie Robinson West Little League team. Told through the voices of the players, the film follows their journey from victory to controversy and ultimately, toward redemption.
The festival’s centerpiece, Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser, will screen on October 21. The film follows an American actor searching for meaning in his life, who takes on an unconventional job at a Japanese “rental family” agency, where he plays temporary family roles for strangers.
The festival will close with Eternity on October 26, starring Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, and Callum Turner. The film follows souls in the afterlife who have one week to choose their eternal fate, while Joan (Olsen) faces the impossible decision between her husband and her first love.
Other international features include Dracula, The Currents, Dry Leaf, Emi, Franz, The Girl in the Snow, The Helsinki Effect, No Other Choice, and Sentimental Value. Some of the international films will be vying for the festival’s top prize, the Gold Hugo award.
Special Events and Tributes at the Fest
The Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) celebrates the artistry and impact of filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals. This year’s tributes honor several talents. It includes acclaimed directors, actors, and writers who have contributed to global cinema.
On October 18, the CIFF will hold a tribute to Gus Van Sant by presenting the Visionary Award and screening Dead Man’s Wire.
On October 19, Northwestern University Associate Professor Nick Davis will lead a lecture. Davis will discuss Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960 classic Breathless and Richard Linklater’s new interpretation, Nouvelle Vague, both screening during the festival.
On the same day in the evening, the festival will hold a tribute to Nia DaCosta.
On October 20, Joel Edgerton and Clint Bentley will be presented with Artistic Achievement Awards in Acting and Direction, and a screening of Train Dreams. On October 21, the festival will host ‘Kelly Reichardt In-Person Retrospective’, with screenings of The Mastermind, Showing Up, First Cow, and Old Joy.
Ticketing and Box Office Information
Online sales for individual films and screenings began in September. Members had early access from September 19, while the general public sales opened on September 26. The festival’s box office opens one hour before the first screening each day.
The box office remains open until 10 minutes after the final screening and accepts only credit or debit cards. Tickets can be purchased from Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM, through October 24.
For sold-out screenings, standby tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Standby lines open as early as one hour before showtime, with open seats released 15 minutes prior.
Regular pricing for general screenings is $25 and $30 for special presentations, with a limit of one standby ticket per person.
With screenings, tributes, and interactive events, CIFF invites Chicago audiences to celebrate cinema up close and in person.
