Oak Park, IL Film Festival

Oak Park, IL Film Festival OPILFF is an celebration of cinema, bringing together filmmakers and the community to showcase films with a Oak Park connection.

Check out Charlie's Industry presentation on animation at the weekend festival! 9/19 starting at 3:00pm. 👀Charlie Sweit...
09/05/2026

Check out Charlie's Industry presentation on animation at the weekend festival! 9/19 starting at 3:00pm. 👀

Charlie Sweitzer’s producing credits include the current series The Mighty Nein (Amazon), plus the Emmy-winning Jentry Chau vs. the Underworld (Netflix), the Emmy-nominated Niko and the Sword of Light s2 (Amazon), the Annie-nominated Tigtone (Adult Swim), "Kill Team Kill" from Love Death + Robots (Blur), the Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures shorts (Lucasfilm), and Pantheon (AMC+).

He also worked on the features Astro Boy (Imagi), 9 (Focus), and Curious George (Universal), as well as the Shrek Halloween special Scared Shrekless (DreamWorks Animation).

His writing has appeared in Space & Time Magazine and McSweeney's Internet Tendency.

He lives in Oak Park, IL and enjoys strong coffee, old books, and loud music.

Catch this block on 9/19 starting at 1:30pm. Full schedule and tickets are on our website! www.opilff.org/tickets💃 BLOCK...
09/05/2026

Catch this block on 9/19 starting at 1:30pm. Full schedule and tickets are on our website! www.opilff.org/tickets

💃 BLOCK SPOTLIGHT: Divine Feminine : Women Claiming Their Power

Six films about women (and girls) taking up space, telling the truth, and refusing to shrink.

Corners of Girlhood: Self-expression through bedroom design. Directed by Jane Carmen Zylstra, a student filmmaker currently attending OPRF High School.

Sing a Black Girl Song: Three young friends navigate the challenges of adolescence, embracing their unique voices and the power of their sisterhood. Directed by Danielle Dougé, and written and produced by local filmmaker Jada Buford.

Sewer Pigs Declare War on London!: When the sewer pig army invades London, punk rock teen Ayo must fight alongside an unexpected ally to defend her community from the looming porcine threat. A SCAD 2026 film. Directed by Nat Fernandez Produced by Sarah Christine Ungaretti-Levy and Quintin Marx

Marimar's Story: In October 2025 during “Operation Midway Blitz,” Marimar Martinez was shot five times by a Customs and Border Protection agent. Directed by Oak Park local Andrew Freer of Heave Ho Productions.

The Tensile Strength of Air: After witnessing a su***de in public, Lauren re-evaluates herself in relationship to friends, family and career. From Oak Park writer and director, Shayna Connelly.

The Wilted Flower: A surreal mystery about an attorney hired by an aging woman to draft her will. Written and directed by Chicago filmmaker Remsy Atassi of RA imaging. Produced by our own Katelyn Capri Zenie.

Catch this block on 9/19 starting at 1:30pm. Full schedule and tickets are on our website! www.opilff.org/tickets

Catch this block on 9/19/26 starting at 10:20AM! Tickets on sale now!🎟 https://www.opilff.org/tickets🔓 BLOCK SPOTLIGHT: ...
09/03/2026

Catch this block on 9/19/26 starting at 10:20AM! Tickets on sale now!🎟 https://www.opilff.org/tickets

🔓 BLOCK SPOTLIGHT: Breaking Free

Six characters stuck. In bodies, boxes, bad situations, and their own heads, all fighting their way out. Get ready for a dark, funny, and weird time that does not let up.
Here's who you're watching:

Bored: A man bound by his own meticulous routine is forced to take initiative when the unimaginable occurs: his bus is late. Directed by Jack Smith, a recent DePaul grad based in Michigan. Bored marks his directorial debut.

Call Me Speed: A story about overcoming obstacles. Shot vertically and built to move, this one's pure momentum from OPILFF board member NickyJoe Perez!

Space Hustler: A daydreaming kid imagines his science teacher as a space man and goes on a wild journey while stuck in detention. A music video for Chicago rapper S*x the Rapper (Julian Lozano), directed by Josh Stone of Flow Motion Media and produced by our own project manager, Katelyn Capri Zenie.

Eighteen: Five young men cross the threshold of adulthood in their own way, on the same day. Directed by Gabe Brucato, an Italian-American filmmaker whose work leans into faith, memory, and human connection.

The Knot Job: Two smart-mouthed secret agents try to bicker their way out of captivity. From Chicago-based director and DP Afrim Zenuni.

Hot Water: A corrupt kidnapped judge has until a pot of water boils to admit to wrongdoing or his head goes into the scalding water. From writer-director Miles Gunter and star Cassie Kramer.

Catch this block on 9/19/26 starting at 10:20AM! Tickets on sale now!🎟 https://www.opilff.org/tickets

September has finally come! 🎬Kick things off at the meetup on Tuesday evening. Come out and have a drink and casual fil...
09/02/2026

September has finally come! 🎬

Kick things off at the meetup on Tuesday evening. Come out and have a drink and casual filmmaker get-together at

Then it's Opening Night at Classic Cinema on Lake! A screening of 'Enough Said' to set the tone for the weekend. Enough Said stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini and was directed by Nicole Holofcener.

And the main event: our Indie Weekend film festival, Sept 19–20. Two days, all the films, right here in Oak Park! Our 2026 lineup is out now!

So mark your calendars! Details and tickets are on our website!

🥁They're here! Meet the films of the OPILFF Weekend Festival!🎬🎟 Weekend passes are on sale now at www.opilff.org/tickets...
08/31/2026

🥁They're here!
Meet the films of the OPILFF Weekend Festival!🎬

🎟 Weekend passes are on sale now at www.opilff.org/tickets

🐓 Early bird pricing ends Sept 10, grab yours before it's gone

Block tickets and the final schedule are coming soon, so stay tuned!

Tag a friend you're bringing to the fest this year!

Chris Rooney is a 30 year resident of Oak Park and one of the founding board members for the Oak Park Film Festival. He ...
08/29/2026

Chris Rooney is a 30 year resident of Oak Park and one of the founding board members for the Oak Park Film Festival.

He acts as the festival's Treasurer and primary Programmer. He also serves on the Black Perspectives Committee with the Chicago International Film Festival. He initially developed his love of independent film as a child, attending films with his father in the student union at the University of Madison during the time his father was on faculty.

Professionally he serves as the Chief Technology Officer for Safer Foundation, a leading provider of re-entry services for justice-involved individuals looking to reintegrate into their communities. Outside of the festival, his civic engagement activities also include serving on the Board of Directors for the Better Government Association and CircEsteem.

He is also involved in the Chicago circus arts community as both a performer and producer, and is a founding member of the BIPOC Circus Alliance and founder of Purple Onyx Productions, Inc, two organizations dedicated to increasing visibility and inclusion for circus artists of color.

He resides in Southeast Oak Park with his wife Amy and son CJ.

🎬 Weekend Passes are ON SALE!If you love independent films, this is the ticket for you! A weekend Pass gets you access t...
08/27/2026

🎬 Weekend Passes are ON SALE!

If you love independent films, this is the ticket for you! A weekend Pass gets you access to all the film blocks, plus all the other events—including speakers, panels, the award ceremony, and meal breaks with lots of great food. 🎥🏆🍽️

Early Bird pricing ends September 10th, so don’t wait!

Film selections & the full schedule coming very soon!

🎟️ www.opilff.org/tickets

Smart businesses put their brand directly in front of their customers! 👀If you're running a business in Oak Park, IL thi...
08/23/2026

Smart businesses put their brand directly in front of their customers! 👀

If you're running a business in Oak Park, IL this is your sign.

Sponsorship packages start as low as $100

Check out our sponsor package levels and the perks* that come with them at www.opilff.org/sponsorship

The deadline to support the fest and be included in the program is Aug 28!

*the perks you receive are based on the sponsor level you hit

Are you ever at a red carpet event and think "I wish my dog was here" Us too. You're in luck because we're setting up a ...
08/20/2026

Are you ever at a red carpet event and think "I wish my dog was here" Us too.

You're in luck because we're setting up a red carpet photo opp for dogs tonight at Thursday Night Out! Complete with film themed dog toys, treats, and doggy swag.

Stop by with your pup, take a fun photo, and chat about our upcoming film festival!!

Use hashtag

In collab with Out-U-Go Oak Park

There's still time to donate to the Oak Park IL Film Festival! 👏Donation packages start as low as $25!Check out our dona...
08/20/2026

There's still time to donate to the Oak Park IL Film Festival! 👏

Donation packages start as low as $25!

Check out our donation package levels and the perks* that come with them at
▶ https://www.opilff.org/donate ◀

The deadline to support the fest and be included in the program is Aug. 28.

* The perks you receive are based on the donation level you hit

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1010 Madison St
Oak Park, IL
60302

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