About | Midwestfilm

Mission statement

At the Midwest Film Festival, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, our mission is to showcase and celebrate the exceptional talent of regionally produced cinema while providing unwavering support and empowerment to these filmmakers.

As the nation's only year-round film festival exclusively dedicated to the Midwestern filmmaker, we are deeply committed to building diverse audiences, offering valuable educational resources, and fostering inclusion to cultivate genuine relationships. Together, we are actively contributing to the growth and vitality of the local film industry, ensuring its continued success and lasting impact.

The Midwest Film Festival is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, which receives funds from the National Endowment for the Arts.

We acknowledge that Chicago is situated on the unceded homelands of the Three Fires, or the Anishinaabe: the Odawa, the Ojibwe, and the Potawatomi people - and many other tribes - some whose names we know and others whose names we may never know. Today, the Chicagoland area is home to many Native Americans representing over 100 Tribal nations. Chicago is one of the largest and fastest growing urban Native American areas.

The Midwest Film Festival and the Chicago independent film and storytelling communities commit to uplifting Indigenous voices, films, narratives, and dialogues.

Please visit Native Land Digital at native-land.ca to research whose land you occupy and who your neighbors are. We invite you to join us in learning from, donating to, and supporting Indigenous groups.