Festivals & Awards

Since 2015, films backed by Chicago Media Angels have played Tribeca, SXSW, Toronto International, Chicago International and festivals around the world.

145Festival selections

76Awards

29Films

Counts cover sourced festival selections and awards for each film (festival years shown; the year filter matches festival years). Once Upon a River awards include those in the Film Movement press kit.

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 a TIFF Next Wave selection.

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 at Huntington Beach and Budapest.

Audience Choice AwardChicago International 2022

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

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.

In the press

“Every so often, an independent film comes along that reminds me why I love the art of filmmaking so much… Laura Louise is one of those films.”

Barbara Roche, Reel Chicago, Oct 14, 2026, on Laura Louise (dir. Duane Edwards, starring Corbin Bernsen), a CMA partner film

“…an extraordinary performance from Corbin Bernsen. And extraordinary is not a word I use lightly.”

Reel Chicago, on Laura Louise

Deadline: exclusive cast announcement for Laura Louise (Sep 29, 2025) →

By film

Film

Once Upon a River 2019 · dir. Haroula Rose

23 festival selections · 18 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

Best Feature FilmHuntington Beach 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

Official SelectionChicago

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

Disfluency 2025 · 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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

Adult Children 2025 · dir. Rich Newey

4 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

Film page →

Pools 2025 · 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 2025

Film page →

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 Secret Art of Human Flight (2024) poster

The Secret Art of Human Flight 2024 · 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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

The Translator 2020 · dir. Anas Khalaf

14 festival selections · 2 awards

Audience AwardBiografilm Festival 2021

Audience AwardFestival de Cinéma Pays de Lunel 2021

Official SelectionToronto International Film Festival (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 →

Chasing the Blues 2018 · dir. Scott Smith

2 festival selections · 2 awards

Best FeatureCrossroads Film Festival 2018

Best of FestLone Star Film Festival 2017

Film page →

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 →

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 →

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 →

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 →

When Jeff Tried to Save the World (2018) poster

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

7 festival selections · 1 award

International Film Critics' Prize – Best Directorial DebutHeartland International Film Festival 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

Official SelectionTwin Cities Film Fest 2018 (Indie Vision Breakthrough Performance – Jon Heder)

Film page → Watch on Tubi →

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 →

All Happy Families 2024 · 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 →

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 →

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 · dir. Cory Wexler Grant

2 festival selections

Official SelectionIris Prize Festival 2025

Official SelectionDances With Films NYC 2024

Film page →

Another Happy Day 2023 · dir. Nora Fiffer

1 festival selection

Official SelectionVail Film Festival 2023

Film page → Watch on YouTube free →

Later Days 2021 · dir. Sanford Sternshein & Brad Riddell

1 festival selection

Official SelectionSan Diego International Film Festival 2021

Film page →

Echo Boomers 2020 · dir. Seth Savoy

1 festival selection

Official SelectionToronto International Film Festival 2020

Film page →

30 Miles from Nowhere 2018 · dir. Caitlin Koller

1 festival selection

Official SelectionMonster Fest 2018

Film page →

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