For three decades, the Chicago Underground Film Festival, has been just that – underground. Critically-accliamed but eschewing the pomp and circumstance trappings of film festivals like red carpets and overt press attention. However, this year CUFF decided to see if they could balance being “underground” and not be quite as “under-the-radar” when it came to the attention and recognition given to its attending filmmakers.
So, while there wasn’t a traditional step-and-repeat or a press line, CUFF still found a way to keep it’s identity and yet shine a light on its talented filmmakers – many of whom traveled from all over the world to Chicago for the fest.
Director of ON THE LINE, Tina Takemoto (Photo by Danielle Campbell)ON THE LINE director Tina Takemoto being interviewed (Photo by Wildman)Director of THE BLESSED ASSURANCE, Isabelle Carbonell, being photographed (Photo by Wildman) THE BLESSED ASSURANCE director Isabelle Carbonell (Photo by Danielle Campbell)THE BLESSED ASSURANCE’s Isabelle Carbonell (Photo by Danielle Campbell)WATERMARKS director Sara Suarez (Photo by Danielle Campbell)WHERE DOES A BODY END? director Marco Porsia (Photo by Danielle Campbell)GONE SALE director Matt Meindl (Photo by Danielle Campbell)CONSULAR director Susan DeLeo (Photo by Danielle Campbell)Susan DeLeo (CONSOLAR) being interviewed (Photo by Wildman)The LICENSE & REGISTRATION team: Sasa Slogar (ASSOC PROD/Sound Mixer/Composer), Jackson Ezinga (DIR/SCR/PROD/CAST), Jeen Na (2nd AD) (Photo by Danielle Campbell)BLACK BOX director Giuliana Foulkes (Photo by Danielle Campbell)DOLLHOUSE director Nicole Brending (Photo by Danielle Campbell)The STREAKERS team: Gustavo Martin (PROD), Izzy Contreras (CAST), Brielle Brilliant (DIR/SCR/ED/Production Design), Talia Wisely (CAST) (Photo by Danielle Campbell)STRIKERS director Brielle Brilliant being interviewed (Photo by Wildman)The STREAKERS acting twosome: Izzy Contreras and Talia Wisely (Photo by Danielle Campbell)Izzy Contreras and Talia Wisely dish on what it was like to be a part of STREAKERS (Photo by Wildman)2000 WOMEN NAMED STACY director Jessie Darnell (photo by Danielle Campbell)The director of 2000 WOMEN NAMED STACY, Jessie Darnell, explains what “underground film” means to her (Photo by Wildman)The director of ROUGHLY DELICATE, Heqiuzi Wang (Photo by Danielle Campbell)The director of HALL OF FISHES, Jennifer Boles (Photo by Danielle Campbell)The filmmakers behind MAKE OUT PARTY: Jaaron Boger (Location Sound), Emily Esperanza (DIR/SCR), Eve Rydberg (PROD/CAST), Rob Sternberg (CAST) (Photo by Danielle Campbell)THE LAST OF THE MANSON GIRLS husband and wife creative duo: Cindy Marie Martin (PROD/CAST) and Lonnie Martin (DIR) (Photo by Danielle Campbell)DESOLATION CENTER’s Spot (Subject) and Stuart Swezey (DIR) (Photo by Danielle Campbell)Spot (Subject) and Stuart Swezey (DIR) from DESOLATION CENTER talk about their experiences at CUFF (Photo by Wildman)IT’S A MATCH director Annabella Schnabel (Photo by Danielle Campbell)Annabella Schnabel, director of IT’S A MATCH, being interviewed (Photo by Wildman) THE EDDIES director G. Madsen Minax, being photographed (Photo by Wildman)G. Madsen Minax, director of THE EDDIES (Photo by Danielle Campbell)Director G. Madsen Minax, of THE EDDIES (Photo by Danielle Campbell)
