Chicago Seen: vol. 16 and vol.17

Hello all!

This past summer and just last weekend, I returned to Chicago Filmmakers as a film programmer and Q&A moderator for volume 16 and 17 of the Chicago Seen series. Both programs featured short films made by independent local artists that while incredibly unique in their own ways, also evoked similar themes, subjects, and emotions for myself and fellow programmers. Following the screenings, I moderated conversations with attending filmmakers, myself, and the audience.

Chicago Seen volume 16 was on August 12th, 2023 and featured 9 short films. As lead programmer, a through-line I identified during the process of making my final selections was the volatile dynamic between the desire for absolute control and the nearly complete lack of autonomy one has within the systemic condition we exist in. To read more about my thoughts on the program, click here.

Chicago Seen volume 17 was on January 19th, 2024 and featured 7 short films. I had the pleasure of co-programming this series with Ashley North and Ainsley Mallory, the incredible interns at Chicago Filmmakers. The collaborative element the selection process had this time around was super refreshing and exciting! It was great to have people to bounce thoughts and opinions off of and the insight our discussions provided made the selection process all the more engaging. An underlying element we identified in the selected films was a sense of a grief, whether that be from the loss of a family member or the all-too familiar pain of working through creative block. Furthermore, there was a common through-line of the way emotional burdens like grief manifests not only the in the interactions between individuals, but in the physical and mental spaces inhabited by those individuals.

Returning to Chicago Filmmakers is always an incredible and illuminating experience. The process of pre-screening and selecting films for a program has become such an invaluable outlet in my practice as a filmmaker. It is endlessly inspiring to see local artists push the boundaries of what the medium is capable of and its a privilege to be a part of sharing their work with Chicago Filmmakers’ dedicated community. Excited to continue programming and sharing more great cinema!