Film Festival Season Is Back!

It’s that time of year again – the return of film festival season, one of my favorite times of year. And, as a member of the Chicago Indie Critics organization, I’m looking forward to attending three of the Chicago area’s best programs, this time as an official member of the press corps.

First comes Reeling 2025, the 43rd Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, the second longest continuously running film festival of its kind in the world, taking place September 19-28 at Chicago’s Landmark Century Centre Cinema and the headquarters of event sponsor Chicago Filmmakers. Reeling’s selections have been getting better by the year, and the schedule for 2025 looks promising. I’ve already attended quite a few screenings at this year’s festival, with summary reviews listed on the Quick Cuts page. A full wrap-up of my reviews will be published on this site at the end of the festival.

Next comes the 61st Chicago International Film Festival, North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, to be held October 15-26. This event features an array of films from around the world, as well as a number of special events, many featuring appearances by filmmakers, actors and producers from the presented works. This is a must-see event for avid cinephiles, and I will be attending in an official press capacity for the first time.

And, finally, there’s the 31st Gene Siskel Film Center Black Harvest Film Festival, slated for November 7-16. The annual event features a fine selection of short and feature films from African and African-American filmmakers. The event’s programming was outstanding in 2024, and I look forward to what it has in store this year.

Festivals in a number of other locations are scheduled to be held as well. Check local listings in your area for upcoming events. Movie lovers are sure to appreciate these programs, given that many of them feature screenings of pictures that can’t be seen anywhere else. If you love movies as much as I do, you won’t want to miss these events!