SPONSOR REPORT 2018 SPONSOR REPORT REELINGFILMFESTIVAL.ORG
REELING 36 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS The 36th edition of Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival was held from September 20 to 30, 2018 and presented 31 features and 19 shorts programs to several sold out audiences at the Davis Theater, the Landmark Century Cinema and Chicago Filmmakers new Firehouse building in Edgewater. Opening night was all about the local film scene with a screening of Chicagobased lesbian screwball comedy Freelancers Anonymous at the Davis Theater. In attendance were director Sonia Sebastian and lead actresses Natasha Negovanlis and Lisa Cordileone, as well as several members of the cast and crew. Following the screening, filmmakers, sponsors and festival goers celebrated opening night in the Davis Theater s new Carbon Arc bar.
THE REVIEWS ARE IN @Gonewscarlett @ReelingFilmFest! @NicksFlickPicks This was among my most powerful communal viewing experiences in several years of attending @ReelingFilmFest. Screening JERKY in this city I love so much was a dream come true! - Danny Bernardo, Director of Jerky This festival is amazing. Thank you so much for having our movie be a part of it! Matt Montgomery, Director of Devil's Path @hearts_hugs I love @ReelingFilmFest! I discovered my love for waiting for my second set of them in one day! Thank you to the Chicago Reeling LGBTQ Film Festival for screening my film, Love Wins and for the award for Best Short Documentary - Audience Award. We are beyond proud to be a part of your wonderful celebration of film and filmmakers. Robin Kampf, director of Love Wins
Top left: Rupert Everett, Richard Knight Jr. Top center: Michelle Memran Top Left: SCUD and Loh Yeong Haur Center left: Mimi Marks Center: Natasha Negovanlis, Lisa Cordileone Center right: Matthew Montgomery Center bottom: Victor Salvo, David Weissman, Kerby Lauderdale
MORE FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS British actor-writer-director Rupert Everett was in attendance for the Chicago Premiere of The Happy Prince on September 27. To recognize his career achievements, Reeling Film Festival awarded him the first ever Artistic Achievement Award, designed by acclaimed artist David Csicsko who created the official White House Christmas tree ornaments and counts the Belmont L-station mosaics among his large-scale public works. Everett was greeted with a standing ovation following the screening and gave a poignant and insightful talk on the making of The Happy Prince, his career and the challenges of being an out gay actor. Audience Award for Best Narrative THE HAPPY PRINCE
North American Premiere A D O N I S Hong Kong director SCUD (center) was in attendance with actor Loh Yeong Haur (right) for a sold-out screening of the North American premiere of his latest feature Adonis. Michael Kutza, founder of the Chicago International Film Festival (left). Double Award Winner THE REST I MAKE UP The beautiful and devastating documentary, The Rest I Make Up, directed by Michelle Memran (left) about late screenwriter María Irene Fornés life and struggle with Alzheimers Disease took home two awards: the inaugural AARP Silver Image Award and Best Documentary Feature, Jury Prize. About Face Theater Artistic Director Megan Carney (right) moderated the Q&A with a sold-out audience.
REELING IN THE NEWS The 2018 Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival garnered a wide variety of coverage in print, digital, radio and television media. Below is a selection of clips. Reeling In The Years All 36 Of Them Chicago Tribune 9/20/18 The Reeling Film Festival Is Back For Its 36th Year, This Time Featuring Unconventional And Experimental Films Chicago Reader 9/20/18 Programmer Richard Knight Of The 36th Annual Reeling Film Festival: Visibility Is Always Important WGN Radio 9/14/18 Freelancers Anonymous: Chicago-based Film Kicks Off Reeling Film Festival On WCIU The Jam 9/20/18 Entrevista: Sonia Sebastian: Freelancers Anonymous Univision 9/20/18 2018 Reeling Film Fest Lights Up Chicago Screens Windy City Times 9/19/18 Reeling Film Festival To Host Opening Night At Lincoln Square s Davis Theater Block Club Chicago 8/23/18 Reeling Film Festival Announces 36th Edition Lineup Kicking Off Sept. 20 Windy City Times 8/22/18 Former Chicagoan Danny Bernardo Brings JERKY To Midwest Premiere At Reeling Go Pride 9/18/18 FREELANCERS ANONYMOUS Opens 36th Reeling LGBTQ Film Festival On Thursday Go Pride 9/19/18 Film News: FREELANCERS ANONYMOUS Opens 36th Reeling LGBTQ+ Film Fest On Sep. 20, 2018 Hollywood Chicago 9/19/18 Reeling LGBTQ+ Int l Film Festival Opens Tomorrow Reel Chicago - 9/19/18 Reeling 2018 Reviews Windy City Times 9/19/18 Some 36th Reeling Film Festival Thoughts Solzy At The Movies 9/20/18 Reeling 2018: The Chicago LGBTQ+ Film Festival Third Coast Review 9/20/18 Reviewing The Movies Of Reeling Windy City Times 9/26/18
GETTING THE WORD OUT PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS 4,000 POSTCARDS 1,500 FESTIVAL PROGRAM BOOKS 19,000 NEWSPRINT SCHEDULES 23 TARGETED EBLASTS TO 15K PEOPLE COMMUNITY CO-PRESENTERS THE LEGACY PROJECT I2I API PRIDE GOETHE INSITUTE BROADWAY IN CHICAGO BRITISH CONSULATE QUEER FILM SOCIETY B.BLYSS TPAN WOMEN2WOMEN FREE SPIRIT MEDIA ABOUT FACE THEATER
SOCIAL MEDIA Reeling continues to increase its followers every day on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This year we re happy to boast a significant increase in our fan base as well as reach. Between Aug 24 and Sept 30 68.5K people reached on 59.6K people reached on
2018 REELING SPONSORS Presenting Sponsors Premier Sponsors Grand Sponsors Contributing Sponsors Event Sponsors
ABOUT REELING Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival is the second longest-running film festival of its kind, and prides itself on showcasing the best LGBTQ+ films and videos each year. From award-winning international feature films to social documentaries to experimental shorts, Reeling has always presented a range of genres that demonstrate the rich diversity of work being produced. Not only has Reeling become one of the most important cultural events for Chicagoans, it also attracts LGBTQ+ people from throughout the Midwest who consider the festival to be the highlight of their cinematic year. Mission The mission of Reeling is to recognize the important artistic contributions that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender filmmakers have made to our culture; to educate the general population and sensitize them to lesbian, gay and transgender issues; to investigate the history of LGBTQ+ film, including the stereotyping that has been a major part of this history; and to counteract this stereotyping with valid, meaningful and diverse portrayals of those in the LGBTQ+ community. The festival provides a unique opportunity for the celebration of these identities for a community too often misrepresented or ignored in mainstream film and television. History The first Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival took place in April 1981 in Chicago Filmmakers 90-seat folding-chair screening room on West Hubbard Street. The festival sold out nearly every screening, leaving audiences demanding more. The enthusiasm for the festival led to a commitment on the part of Chicago Filmmakers to continue the festival as an annual event, and it has been going strong ever since. About Chicago Filmmakers Chicago Filmmakers is a not-for-profit media arts organization that fosters the creation, appreciation, and understanding of film and video as media for artistic and personal expression, as well as media of important social and community impact. Chicago Filmmakers twofold mission is to serve independent film and digital video artists by supporting the creation and dissemination of new media arts works and to serve Chicago audiences by screening artistically innovative, socially relevant, and diverse films and videos.
THANK YOU for supporting REELING! Please contact Kristen Hanson for information about Reeling 2019. We would love to continue our partnership! Khanson@chicagofilmmakers.org 773-293-1447 ext. 1003 Chicagofilmmakers.org