Hemmens to host Elgin's Short Film Festival Sept. 17
The Elgin Short Film Festival is coming back for its third year. This event will take place Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin.
Short films (20 minutes or shorter) in any genre and subject matter will be shown in competition throughout the festival.
The Elgin Short Film Festival began in 2009, receiving outstanding press coverage throughout the Chicago area and drawing high-quality entries from professional and semiprofessional filmmakers from around the country. Both filmmakers and audience members expressed such positive feedback that the city of Elgin, Elgin Cultural Arts Commission and other sponsors committed to presenting this as an annual event.
This year's festival has received more than 40 submissions and has an international flair, with entries from as far away as Russia.
The top five films will be presented at the festival. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges including Dann Gire, Daily Herald film critic, and Frank Maugeri, artistic director of the Redmoon Theater. Audience members will cast their votes for their favorite film.
New this year, all eligible submitted films will be shown at The Next Wave Art Salon in Elgin Sept. 9-10, one week before the festival. The Next Wave Art Salon is an inclusive, two-day event that brings together artists of all different backgrounds and mediums.
Held in a “found space” in downtown Elgin, last year more than 2,000 people attended. At this event, audience members can vote for their favorite film ($1 per vote). The winner will be presented with the People's Choice Award at the Film Festival Screening. For more information on the Next Wave Art Salon, visit thenextwave.me.
A Red Carpet Reception After Party featuring dancing, hors d'oeuvres and cash bar will take place on the stage immediately after the film screening. For information, call the Hemmens box office at (847) 931-5900, go to hemmens.org/annualfilmfestival or visit them on Facebook.
The Red Carpet arrival will be at 6:30 p.m., with the film screening at 7 p.m. and the Red Carpet Reception After Party at 9 p.m.
General admission is $5; Red Carpet Reception After Party is $20 ($25 after Sept. 3); and VIP Package is $40, which includes admission to film screening and Red Carpet Reception.