Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival

Davis Theatre in Chicago during the festival.

The Chicago International REEL Shorts Festival is an annual short film competition and screening put on by Project Chicago. The festival was founded by Scott Rudolph and Nels Dahlquist. Held annually, this three-day event plays host to more than 150 films (all under 35 minutes) from many countries throughout the world.

In 2004 and 2005 the 3 Penny Cinema, in Chicago's Lincoln Park district, was the main venue. In 2006 REEL Shorts moved to the historic Davis Theatre in Lincoln Square. In 2007, 2009. 2009 Columbia College came on as a presenting sponsor and the festival is to be held at Columbia's Film Row Theatre.

Particular years

2004

Festival dates: September 17-19

Winners

• Best Short Film: Directing Rye
• Best Cinematography: Just Like You Imagined
• Best Animation: The Lester Show
• Best Comedy: Unemployed
• Best SciFi Short: Untitled 003: Embryo
• Best Documentary: The Harvest
• Best Music Video: Drunken Liar
• Creepiest Short: Victim
• Audience Choice Awards:
  • Two To Tango
  • Robot Boy
  • Untitled 003: Embryo
  • Rocketscience
  • Reservations
  • Very Proud House
  • The Fridge
  • Unemployed
  • Victim
  • Fly Away
  • Notes from the Space Time Continuum
  • Fishing For Trauster
• Honorable mention:
  • Edmund
  • Consideration
  • SPIN
  • Sunday Morning Stripper
  • The Next
  • Gay By Dawn
  • Euro American

2005

Festival dates: September 30 - October 2

Winners

• Best Short Film of 2005: SKYLAB
• Best Sci-Fi: Alliance
• Best Horror: Short Shadow Man
• Best Documentary: Kings of Christmas
• Best Comedy: Dating Tips for Seniors
• Best Youth Film: My First Kiss
• Best Animation: Emilia
• Best Music Video: High Speed Scene
• Best Action Film: Lucky (Australian)
• Best Foreign (tie): Hamoudi & Emil / Le Carnet Rouge
• Best Experimental (tie): Allison / Jane Lloyd
• Audience Choice Awards:
  • Totem Pole
  • Skylab
  • Alliance
  • I Spy With My Little Eye
  • Pumpkin of Nyefar
  • Wishtaker
  • You're Breaking Up
  • Flatbush
  • Gopher Broke
  • Mr. Dramatic
  • Lucky (Australian Action Film)
  • Roadkill
  • Breaking into Bollywood
  • Poet of Canis
  • I Killed Zoe Day
  • Good Vibrations
• Honorable mention:
  • TOXIN
  • Duct Tape + Cover
  • MJD
  • SHOES
  • 13 Waffles
  • Wishtaker
  • Detroit: Not for Wimps

2006

Festival dates: September 29 - October 1

Winners

• Best of Fest: La La Land
• Best Animation: Dry Sky
• Best Horror Film: Recently Deceased
• Best Documentary Short: Rising Above the Wave
• Best Music Video: Melody Nife
• Best Youth Short: Winter Attack
• Audience Choice Awards:
  • Get Me Brenda Vaccaro
  • Keg of the Dead
  • La La Land
  • An American Revolution
  • Nowakowsky
  • Like Father Like Edison
  • The World's Most Dangerous Polka Band
  • Imbroglio
  • Snoozer
  • The Life and Death of a Pumpkin
  • Searching for Mr. Stupendo
  • Great American Youth
• Honorable mention:
  • Nowakowsky

2007

Festival dates: September 21-23

Winners

• Best of Fest: The Trainee
• Best Comedy: The Planning Lady
• Best Music Video: 1992
• Best Scifi: D-I-M, Deus in Machina
• Best Chicago Film: The European Kid
• Best Documentary: Ghost Town: 24 Hours in Terlingua
• Best Animation: I Met the Walrus
• Audience Choice Awards:
  • The Meter
  • The Planning Lady
  • Land of the Free
  • Two Days Notice
  • Dog Jack
  • The Trainee
  • W.O.R.M. - Worldwide Organic Replicating Molecule
  • Call of Nature
  • Unraveling
  • Release
  • The Von
• Honorable mention:
  • Mommy! Mommy! There's a Monster on the Stairs!

2008

Festival dates: September 11-14

Winners

• Best of the Fest: Science Fair
• Best Comedy: Home Cooked Meal
• Best Music Video: The Life Here
• Best Chicago Film: Greg's Leg
• Best Documentary: Baby Face
• Best Animation: The Flower
• Best Youth Film: Super Kitten and the Power Pets
• Audience Choice Awards:
  • Small Comforts
  • Looking Up Dresses
  • Near Miss
  • Living with Landmines
  • Find My Way
  • The Un-Gone
  • Miracle Investigators
  • Mallow
  • Last Dance
  • Directors Cut
  • PUSH
  • A Man's Image
• Honorable mentions:
  • Y Not
  • Terminus
  • Piñatas Revenge
  • Verboten

2009

Festival dates: September 10-14

Winners

• Best of the Fest: Sky People
• Best Break-Up Film: L.O.V.E.
• Best Romantic Comedy: True Love
• Best Youth Entry: Sparks in the Night
• Best Artistic Movie: Stringing in the Streets
• Best Romantic Movie: A Time of Flowers
• Best Revenge Movie: Alessandra
• Best Music Video: City of Noise
• Best Horror Movie: Tinglewood
• Most Disturbing Movie: Grandma's House
• Best Foreign Film: Stella
• Best Political Drama: October Surprise
• Best Comedy: A Small Silent Film About Death
• Best Demented Movie: Fish & Chip
• Most Profane Statement: James K. Polk was @#?!ing Awesome

• Honorable Mention:
  • Melt Down
  • Max & Helena
  • More Than You Can Chew
  • CAMFBH
  • Ex-Bully
  • WoW! What A Great Question!
  • My First Experimental Film
  • The Only One
  • The Disconnection of Cyrus Bent

• People's Choice Award: Under The Table In Barcelona

External links

• Official site