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Festivals & Awards

Since 2015, films backed by Chicago Media Angels have screened at Tribeca, SXSW, Slamdance, Chicago International and festivals around the world, including TIFF Industry Selects and Next Wave.

144Festival selections
76Awards
30+Films and series

Counts cover sourced festival selections and awards for each film.

Standout honors

Best International Independent FilmGalway Film Fleadh 2025

Adult Children, dir. Rich Newey. Also a Special Jury Award at Bentonville.

Audience AwardSXSW Sydney 2024

Pools, dir. Sam Hayes. Also the Grand Prize at Rhode Island and an Official Selection at the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival 2025.

Best Web OriginalUrbanworld 2019

Brothers from the Suburbs, plus Audience and Jury awards at Austin.

Best DirectorBoston Film Festival 2019

Once Upon a River, dir. Haroula Rose. Also Best Director at BendFilm, Best Narrative Feature at Gallup, and Best Feature Film at Budapest.

Audience Choice Award (tie)Chicago International 2022

The Year Between, dir. Alex Heller. Also Best New Directors Feature at Nashville.

Jury Prize – Best Narrative FeatureAustin Film Festival 2021

Disfluency, dir. Anna Baumgarten. Also Best Narrative Feature at Portland, Oxford and three more festivals, plus Best Actress and Best Screenplay at Newport Beach.

By film

BRB (2026) poster

BRB 2026 · dir. Kate Cobb

2 festival selections · 2 awards

Honorable Mention – Breakouts Feature Grand Jury PrizeSlamdance 2026
Special Jury Mention – Lead PerformancesBentonville Film Festival 2026

Film page →

Adult Children (2025) poster

Adult Children 2025 · dir. Rich Newey

9 festival selections · 3 awards

Special Jury Award – Best EnsembleBentonville Film Festival 2025
Best International Independent FilmGalway Film Fleadh 2025
Commendation for Ensemble StorytellingPort Townsend Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionChicago International Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionAfterImage Film Festival 2026
Official Selection – West Coast PremiereVashon Island Film Festival 2026
Official SelectionBeloit International Film Festival 2026
Official SelectionSan Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2026
Official Selection – Opening NightCity of Lights Film Festival 2026

Film page →

Her Shark Story (2025) poster

Her Shark Story 2025 · dir. Ignacio Walker

16 festival selections · 3 awards

Best Director – International Feature DocumentaryMelbourne Documentary Film Festival 2025
Best DocumentaryECOador Festival Internacional de Cine Ambiental 2025
Audience AwardWild & Free Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionSantiago Wild Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionNebrodi Cinema Doc Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionAmerican Documentary and Animation Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionInternational Ocean Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionMartha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionKorea International Ocean Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionWildlife Film Festival Rotterdam 2025
Official SelectionWildlife Conservation Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionHeartland International Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionEarth Focus Film Festival Singapore 2025
Official SelectionAfrican Film Festival Kenya 2025
Official SelectionSUNCINE Environmental Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionDC Environmental Film Festival 2026

Film page →

The Fun-Raiser (2025) poster

The Fun-Raiser 2025 · dir. Wyatt McDill

2 festival selections

Official SelectionCinequest Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionMinneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival 2025

Film page →

Pools (2024) poster

Pools 2024 · dir. Sam Hayes

3 festival selections · 3 awards

Audience AwardSXSW Sydney 2024
Grand Prize – Best Comedy FeatureRhode Island International Film Festival 2025
Best ActressRhode Island International Film Festival 2025
Official SelectionTIFF Next Wave Film Festival 2025

Film page →

American Schemers (2024) poster

American Schemers 2024 · dir. Jack C. Newell

3 festival selections

Official SelectionaGLIFF 2024
Official SelectionHeartland International Film Festival 2024
Official SelectionReeling LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2025

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Screams from the Tower (2024) poster

Screams from the Tower 2024 · dir. Cory Wexler Grant

2 festival selections

Official SelectionIris Prize Festival 2025
Official SelectionDances With Films NYC 2024

Film page →

Room Six (2024) poster

Room Six 2024 · dir. Michael Panico & Matt Hobart Miller

3 festival selections · 4 awards

Audience Choice – FeatureGrand Rapids Film Festival 2024
Best CinematographyGrand Rapids Film Festival 2024
Best Chicago Horror FeatureChicago Horror Film Festival 2024
Best Lead ActorChicago Horror Film Festival 2024
Official SelectionLake County Film Festival 2024

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Single Car Crashes (2024) poster

Single Car Crashes 2024 · dir. Brittani Ward

2 festival selections · 2 awards

New Visions AwardCinequest Film Festival 2024
Best Actor – Trevor MorganMidwest Film Festival 2024

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Okie (2024) poster

Okie 2024 · dir. Kate Cobb

3 festival selections · 1 award

Best EnsemblePhoenix Film Festival 2024
Official SelectionSanta Barbara International Film Festival 2024
Official SelectionChicago International Film Festival 2024

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Happy Songs About Unhappy Things (2024) poster

Happy Songs About Unhappy Things 2024 · dir. Nikki Lynette & Roger Ellis

2 festival selections

Official SelectionBeloit International Film Festival 2024
Official SelectionDances With Films 2024

Film page →

All Happy Families (2023) poster

All Happy Families 2023 · dir. Haroula Rose

8 festival selections

Official SelectionGalway Film Fleadh 2023
Official SelectionChicago International Film Festival 2023
Official SelectionMill Valley Film Festival 2023
Official SelectionSidewalk Film Festival 2024
Official SelectionSOHO International Film Festival 2024
Official SelectionDances With Films
Official SelectionPort Townsend Film Festival
Official SelectionSan Luis Obispo International Film Festival

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

The Secret Art of Human Flight (2023) poster

The Secret Art of Human Flight 2023 · dir. H.P. Mendoza

4 festival selections · 3 awards

Best DirectorOuray International Film Festival 2023
Best Feature NarrativeEastern Oregon Film Festival 2023
Audience Choice Award – Best FilmCoronado Island Film Festival 2023
Official SelectionTribeca Festival 2023

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Another Happy Day (2023) poster

Another Happy Day 2023 · dir. Nora Fiffer

1 festival selection

Official SelectionVail Film Festival 2023

Film page → Watch on YouTube free →

The Year Between (2022) poster

The Year Between 2022 · dir. Alex Heller

4 festival selections · 2 awards

Grand Jury Prize – Best New Directors FeatureNashville Film Festival 2022
Audience Choice Award – Best Feature (tie)Chicago International Film Festival 2022
Official SelectionTribeca Festival 2022
Official SelectionCleveland International Film Festival 2023

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Freedom's Path (2022) poster

Freedom's Path 2022 · dir. Brett Smith

6 festival selections · 6 awards

Audience AwardCinequest 2022
Audience AwardFayetteville Film Fest 2022
Director's Choice AwardGig Harbor Film Festival 2022
Best of FestLone Star Film Festival 2022
Festival AwardSan Diego International Film Festival 2022
Special Jury PrizeSt. Louis International Film Festival 2022

Film page →

Rounding (2022) poster

Rounding 2022 · dir. Alex Thompson

3 festival selections · 1 award

Best Graveyard Shift FeatureNashville Film Festival 2022
Official SelectionTribeca Festival 2022
Official SelectionChicago International Film Festival 2022

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Disfluency (2021) poster

Disfluency 2021 · dir. Anna Baumgarten

15 festival selections · 12 awards

Jury Prize – Best Narrative FeatureAustin Film Festival 2021
Best Narrative FeaturePortland Film Festival 2022
Best Narrative FeatureOxford Film Festival 2022
Best Narrative FeatureCapital City Film Festival 2022
Best Narrative FeatureLake County Film Festival 2022
Best Narrative FeatureEastern Oregon Film Festival 2022
Best ScreenplayNewport Beach Film Festival 2022
Best Actress – Libe BarerNewport Beach Film Festival 2022
Special Jury Prize – Narrative FeaturedeadCenter Film Festival 2022
Programmers Choice AwardNaples International Film Festival 2022
Best FeatureOuray International Film Festival 2022
Audience Choice AwardOuray International Film Festival 2022
Official SelectionHeartland International Film Festival 2021
Official SelectionCalgary International Film Festival 2021
Official SelectionCleveland International Film Festival 2022
Official SelectionFlorida Film Festival 2022
Official SelectionNew Hampshire Film Festival 2022

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

The Cleaner (2021) poster

The Cleaner 2021 · dir. Erin Elders

1 festival selection · 1 award

Award of Excellence – Actor (King Orba)Catalina Film Festival 2021

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Later Days (2021) poster

Later Days 2021 · dir. Sanford Sternshein & Brad Riddell

1 festival selection

Official SelectionSan Diego International Film Festival 2021

Film page →

The Translator (2020) poster

The Translator 2020 · dir. Rana Kazkaz & Anas Khalaf

13 festival selections · 2 awards

Audience AwardBiografilm Festival 2021
Audience AwardFestival de Cinéma Pays de Lunel 2021
Industry SelectsTIFF Industry Selects 2020
Official SelectionTallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2020
Official SelectionFIFDH Geneva 2021
Official SelectionPune International Film Festival 2021
Official SelectionCleveland International Film Festival 2021
Official SelectionSeattle International Film Festival 2021
Official SelectionJeonju International Film Festival 2021
Official SelectionMinneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival 2021
Official SelectionFestival La Rochelle Cinéma 2021
Official SelectionFestival cinémas du Sud – Lyon 2021
Official SelectionFestival du Film Français d'Helvétie 2021
Official SelectionFestival de Cinéma des 5 Continents 2021

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Once Upon a River (2019) poster

Once Upon a River 2019 · dir. Haroula Rose

21 festival selections · 17 awards

Golden EfeboEfebo d'Oro – Palermo 2019
League of Women AwardEfebo d'Oro – Palermo 2019
Stubbornly Independent AwardTallgrass Film Festival 2019
Alice Guy Blache Emerging Female Filmmaker AwardOxford Film Festival
Best DirectorBendFilm Festival 2019
Best DirectorBoston Film Festival 2019
One In A Million AwardSun Valley Film Festival
Best FilmMINT – Montana International
Special Jury Award for Best ActingMINT – Montana International
Best Narrative FeatureGallup Film Festival
Best Actress – Kenadi DelaCernaGallup Film Festival
Best Indigenous FeatureWill Rogers Motion Picture Film Festival
Best FeatureRed Nation Film Festival 2019
Best ActorRed Nation Film Festival 2019
Best ActressRed Nation Film Festival 2019
Best Feature FilmCoven Film Festival
Best Feature FilmBudapest Film Festival
Official SelectionBentonville Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionNashville Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionSarasota Film Festival 2020
Official SelectionThessaloniki International Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionEvolution Mallorca International Film Festival
Official SelectionVail Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionAmerican Indian Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionWoodstock Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionLos Angeles Greek Film Festival 2021

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Killing Eleanor (2020) poster

Killing Eleanor 2020 · dir. Rich Newey

2 festival selections · 1 award

Best Narrative FeatureSCAD Savannah Film Festival 2020
Official SelectionSt. Louis International Film Festival 2020

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Echo Boomers (2020) poster

Echo Boomers 2020 · dir. Seth Savoy

0 festival selections

Market ScreeningTIFF 2020 market

Film page →

Come As You Are (2019) poster

Come As You Are 2019 · dir. Richard Wong

7 festival selections · 5 awards

Audience Award – New American CinemaCalgary International Film Festival 2019
Audience Award – Best Feature (tie)Philadelphia Film Festival 2019
Audience Award – Favorite Verge FeatureNapa Valley Film Festival 2019
Audience Award – Best Narrative FeatureTallgrass Film Festival 2019
Special Jury Prize – Narrative FeaturedeadCenter Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionSXSW Film Festival 2019
Official SelectionSan Diego Asian Film Festival 2019

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Brothers from the Suburbs (2019) poster

Brothers from the Suburbs 2019 · dir. Patrick Wimp

3 festival selections · 4 awards

Best Web OriginalUrbanworld Film Festival 2019
Jury Award – Best Scripted Digital SeriesAustin Film Festival 2019
Audience Award – Best Scripted Digital SeriesAustin Film Festival 2019
Best Direction – Digital Short SeriesSeriesFest 2019

Film page →

When Jeff Tried to Save the World (2018) poster

When Jeff Tried to Save the World 2018 · dir. Kendall Goldberg

7 festival selections · 2 awards

International Film Critics' Prize – Best Directorial DebutHeartland International Film Festival 2018
Indie Vision Breakthrough Performance – Jon HederTwin Cities Film Fest 2018
Official SelectionSarasota Film Festival 2018
Official SelectionNewport Beach Film Festival 2018
Official SelectionIFFBoston 2018
Official SelectionBentonville Film Festival 2018
Official SelectionTallgrass Film Festival 2018

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

30 Miles from Nowhere (2018) poster

30 Miles from Nowhere 2018 · dir. Caitlin Koller

1 festival selection

Official SelectionMonster Fest 2018

Film page →

Chasing the Blues (2017) poster

Chasing the Blues 2017 · dir. Scott Smith

2 festival selections · 2 awards

Best FeatureCrossroads Film Festival 2018
Best of FestLone Star Film Festival 2017

Film page →

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