The Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival is thrilled to announce the 32 short and feature-length films that have been officially selected for exhibition and competition at the 2025 festival this Spring. Films selected for the Shorts, Features, and Beyond competitions will be presented from April 27 – May 13.
“Our team is excited to be returning to this Classic Cinemas for our 15th season in just six short weeks,” said Operations Director Jonathan C. Legat during this morning’s announcement. The festival will once again be held at Classic Cinemas Elk Grove XQ with additional screenings in the Beyond competition at Palatine Public Library, Music Box Theatre, and Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre.
Features Competition
The Features Competition will consist of 6 films: 3 documentaries and 3 narratives.
- An Autumn Summer (United States)
dir. Jared Isaac - Battersea (United States)
dir. T.J. Sandella & John Anthony - Dawn Dusk (United States)
dir. Sarah Blue Winslow & Jason Gerber - Never Not Yours (United States)
dir. John Klein & Stephen Kniss - The Pantone Guy (United States)
dir. Patrick Creadon - Segal (United States)
dir. Vernon Alfredo Davidson & Ryan Krayser
Shorts Competition
The Shorts Competition will consist of 20 films: 14 narratives, 4 music videos, and 2 documentaries.
- Allure (United States)
dir. Jerry van de Beek and Betsy De Fries - Audio Description (United States)
dir. Luke J. Salewski - Back of the Net (United Kingdom)
dir. Klara Kaliger - Cascades (United States)
dir. Brian Russell - The Deep Rolling: Magma (United States)
dir. Robin Scovill - Flush (United States)
dir. Matt Gaynes - Get Your Line In & Pray (United States)
dir. Jackson Adams - Gillyfish (Ireland)
dir. Sarah Sellman - Triskaidekaphobe (United States)
dir. Nick Rohr - Just Be Awesome (United Kingdom)
dir. Ed Kear & Cringo Williamson - Nothing Safer (United States)
dir. Cynthia Cazanas Garin - Sally, Get the Potatoes (United States)
dir. Danicah Waldo - The Seas Between Us (Canada)
dir. Faisal Lutchmedial - Shouting at the Sea (United Kingdom)
dir. Benjamin Verrall - Smoothie (United States)
dir. Chris M. Churchill - Telekinetik (United States)
dir. George Cederquist - The Therapy Room (United States)
dir. Justin Schaack & Kristin Schaack - Water Baby (United States)
dir. Pilar Boehm - When Everything Was Blue (United States)
dir. Christina Chironna - Why (United States)
dir. Ralph Klisiewicz
Beyond Competition
The Beyond Competition will consist of 6 films: 4 narratives and 2 documentaries.
- Discovering Catharine (United States)
dir. Susan Hope Engel - Eugene O’Neill’s The First Man (United Kingdom)
dir. Hardeep Giani - Shiners: Voices from Owsley County (United States)
dir. Seth McClellan - Stampila (Republic of Moldova)
dir. David Larson - Taste the Revolution (United States)
dir. Daniel Klein - Traumnovelle (Germany)
dir. Florian Frerichs
View the full festival schedule and look for tickets when most go on sale beginning Tuesday, March 25. Screenings at Palatine Public Library will be free admission and reservations will be accepted beginning on Thursday, April 10.
