Local film fests offer features and shorts from across the globe

Fall has arrived and you know what that means, right?

Film festivals!

As sure as the leaves turn red, pumpkins pop up and cooler weather invades the Midwest, movie festivals aren't just on their way.

They're already here.

This weekend alone, film lovers can choose from four different film fests - including the Elgin Short Film Festival and Naperville's Independent Film Festival.

They join an impressive list of other film fests in Chicago and the suburbs, making the autumn of 2010 a season any movie lover could "fall" for.

Ready to experience new movies from kitchen-sink amateur indies to slick studio productions? Me, too!

Here comes a selected list of film fests on the fall calendar.

The Naperville Independent Film Festival Naperville's Independent Film Fest, under founders Edmond and Glessna Coisson, Gary Pradel and Daniel Nigg, runs from Saturday, Sept. 18, through Saturday, Sept. 25. It will offer 100 features and shorts from 19 states and 10 nations.Pretty impressive for a festival just turning three.Opening night will be at the Ogden 6 Theaters in Naperville. An awards night Sunday will be at the Hollywood Palms Cinema in Naperville.About 40 movie professionals will conduct panels and workshops this weekend. Plus, Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke is scheduled to appear at the fest.Tickets for individual screenings cost $3. The opening and wrap events cost $20 and closing award ceremony tickets are $40.Go to naperfilmfest.org for schedules and tickets.The Elgin Short Film FestivalIn its sophomore outing, the one-day Elgin fest starts and ends Saturday night, Sept. 18, at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin.The red carpet arrival of host WGN's Dean Richards and awards finalists will be at 6:30 p.m.The five film finalists for awards will begin at 7 p.m. First prize is $1,000. A special Hattie Hemmens Award of $500, named for the center's benefactor, will be presented to the short that best portrays Elgin.A red carpet reception will take place following the screenings.Gala tickets cost $20; screening tickets are $5. They're available at the Hemmens box office or hemmens.org/filmfest2010.The Chicago International Reel Shorts Film FestThe preview is tonight, but the actual festival runs through Sunday, so you can still catch it at the Film Row Cinema at Chicago's Columbia College, 1104 S. Wabash Ave., eighth floor.General admission costs $7; a fest pass is $20. Go to projectchicago.com for tickets and schedules.The Lebowski Fest ChicagoLebowski Fest was started by Will Russell and Scott Shuffitt in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, in 2002 as a tribute to the Coen brothers' movie "The Big Lebowski."The two spawned the idea while bored at a tattoo convention. They began quoting lines of dialogue. When other vendors joined in, the light bulbs went on.In 2003, the 2nd Annual Lebowski Fest attracted 1,200 fans from 35 states, as well as an appearance by Jeff "The Dude" Dowd, who inspired the film's main character.This floating one-movie film fest, with concerts and a burlesque show attached, opens today at the Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. A 35 mm. print of "The Big Lebowski" will be shown.Saturday, you can bowl like the Dude at the famous Diversey Rock and Bowl, 2211 W. Diversey Ave., Chicago.Tickets cost $22 Friday, $30 for Saturday. Go to lebowskifest.com.Northshore Short Film FestTen shorts for $10!And all the money goes toward saving the endangered Skokie Theatre at 7924 N. Lincoln Ave. in Skokie.Independent filmmaker Kamelya Alexan has made it her personal goal to save the financially strapped theater. She also contributes her own short, "Simple Life."You can see the movies - and help save the theater - from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. Some of the filmmakers will there in person to answer questions.Call (847) 677-7761 or go to skokietheatre.com.Chicago South Asian Film FestivalIt runs Oct. 1-3 at both the Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center and the Film Row Cinema at Columbia College in Chicago.Screening tickets cost $11. An all-fest pass costs $125. Go to csaff.org or call (773) 669-8348 for tickets and schedule information.The Chicago International Film Festival North America's oldest competitive film festival - running this year from Oct. 7 to 21 - kicks into its 46th season, still under the leadership of its feisty founder Michael Kutza.The opening night program will be the drama "Stone" with star Edward Norton, and director John Curran is expected to attend in person at the Harris Theater in Millennium Park, 205 E. Randolph St., Chicago. Tickets range from $35 (film only) to $150 for the movie and a party at the theWit Hotel in Chicago. Individual film tickets and gala tickets go on sale starting Sept. 24.Go to chicagofilmfestival.org or call (312) 683-0121 for tickets and schedules.Meanwhile, the fest's Docufest program presents 17 documentaries from 12 countries. A new program called "Film on Film" debuts this year.The Chicago International Children's Film FestivalThe 27th annual Children's Film Festival gets under way Oct. 22 through Oct. 31 at Facets Multimedia, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, and other venues. The schedule hasn't been posted yet, but you will be able to find it at cicff.org later this month.The CICFF remains North America's largest children's movie festival and the only one sanctioned by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. (That means local winners can go on to compete for the film shorts at the Oscars.)Children's tickets cost $6; adults $9. Call (773) 281-9075 for details.Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian and Gay Film FestivalIt's the 29th year for the Reeling fest, running Nov. 4-13 at Chicago Filmmakers, 5243 N. Clark St., Chicago. Stay tuned, a schedule will be coming in October. Call (773) 293-1447 or go to reelingfilmfestival.org.The Illinois International Film Festival The Westmont-based festival runs Nov. 5 through 7 at the Viaduct Theater, 3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago.Tickets cost $10, and that gets you into all of the films. A final schedule will be announced in October.Go to illinoisinternationalfilmfestival.com for titles and tickets.The Polish Film Festival in America The 22nd annual edition of the Polish festival runs from Nov. 5 through Nov. 21 at seven venues.It will actually offer two opening night programs, one at the River East 21 in Chicago on Nov. 5, the other at the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge on Nov. 6.Go to www.pffamerica.com or call (773) 486-9612 for tickets and schedules.The Midwest Independent Film FestivalOK, so it's not a regular film festival. The Midwest Independent Film Festival sponsors special movie programs, sometimes local premieres, on the first Tuesday of every month at the Century Centre Cinema, 2828 N. Clark. Chicago.It's partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, so we can see our tax dollars at work, providing alternatives to the usual mall fare movies.Go to midwestfilm.com for programs and tickets.False19511579"Mary Anning" is one of the entries in the Elgin Short Film Festival. False <div class="infoBox"><h1>More Coverage</h1><div class="infoBoxContent"><div class="infoArea"><h2>Stories</h2><ul class="links"><li><a href="/story/?id=408218">Judge at Elgin film festival might look familiar<span class="date"> [9/16/10]</span></a></li><li><a href="/story/?id=408289">Film Fest returns to Naperville for third year<span class="date"> [9/16/10]</span></a></li></ul></div></div></div>