Festival Data:

• Established: 1981
• Genre: Gay - Lesbian (click to see)
• Attendance: 10000
• Total Number of Films Submitted: 600
• Total Number of Films Screened: 170
• Total Screenings: 60

• Competitive

Festival Website:

Festival Description:

The Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival is the second oldest film festival of its kind in the U.S. and prides itself on showcasing the best lesbian and gay films and videos from around the world. From international feature films to social issue documentaries to experimental shorts, Reeling has always presented a range of genres that demonstrates the rich diversity of work being produced.

Entries are eligible for audience awards, as well as juried awards with cash prizes in the categories of Best Feature Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Experimental or Animated Film.

The festival is not only one of the most important cultural events for Chicago audiences, it also attracts many people from throughout the Midwest who consider the festival to be the highlight of their cinematic year.

The first Chicago Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival took place in April 1981 in Chicago Filmmakers’ 90-seat folding-chair screening room on West Hubbard Street. The festival sold out nearly every screening, leaving audiences demanding more. The enthusiasm for the festival led to a commitment on the part of Chicago Filmmakers to continue the festival as an annual event, and it has been going strong ever since. Chicago Filmmakers receives funding from the Illinois Arts Council, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The MacArthur Fund at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and a City Arts 3 Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.

Film Submissions:

• Call for Entry: http:/ / reelingfilmfestival.org/ wp-content/ uploads/ 2010/ 09/ Reeling30_EntryGuidelines.pdf