REEL Shorts: Saturday Evening Show
Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Chicago Filmmakers Theater, 1326 W. Hollywood Ave., Chicago, IL 60660
screening
Program of the 23rd Annual Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Fest. 10 short films, approx. 80-90 min.
1. Satomi — dir. Rayner Wang (Japan, 11:40). A performer with stage fright meets her favorite star, an anime character.
2. Now Playing — dir. Kathleen Maus (Chicago, 4:57). A queer romantic comedy about a movie-theater employee and a cinephile.
3. This Side of the Line — dir. Nikki Smallwood (Maryland, 15:43). A reproductive-health hotline volunteer takes a life-threatening call on the hotline's last day.
4. Thundermilk — dir. Lincoln Rogers (Illinois, 5:00). An office worker needs a coworker's help to skip town after a bad bet.
5. Breaking the Law: A Lost & Found Adventure — dir. Sari Karplus (California, 5:25). Archival footage of a cross-country trip to break silly old laws.
6. SNOWDRIFT — dir. Noel Thompson (14:33). Strangers in a rural bar during a violent snowstorm.
7. The Best Little Tiny Park in Texas — dir. Margaret Barry (Austin, TX, 8:14). Documentary about Bepi Park, Texas's tiniest pocket park.
8. Grilled Cheese — dir. Connar Brown Sprenger, Tommy Martin (Illinois, 4:55). A man is possessed by a grilled cheese sandwich.
9. Waste Management — dir. Keaton Monger, Karson Monger, Chris Murphy (4:58). A custodian finds a magical trash can.
10. MAC — dir. Hanna Clements, Chase Clements (Chicago, 10:00). A high school film club fights to survive with an 80s-inspired dance stunt.
Get tickets ($16)