Donate to Cinema/Chicago

More than a 12-day film festival, Cinema/Chicago is a year-round non-profit cultural and educational organization  dedicated to creating connection and empowering community through transformative cinematic storytelling. Your generous donation helps us carry out this vision. Our programs strengthen our community and inspire empathy among people of diverse cultures through artistic, educational, and creative development programs that promote discovery and discussion and inspire new visions of our shared future.

Please consider joining our community of patrons who share our love of cinema and look to film to move, entertain and inspire our global community. Your support plays an invaluable role in our non-profit organization—the Festival and our year-round programs, including our free Summer Screenings Program, CineYouth Festival, and Education Programs could not exist without it!

Every level of donation matters. Your donation of:

• $50 provides snacks for volunteers for one shift
• $100 transports 8 students to one of our festival screenings
• $300 offers one free filmmaker workshop at CineYouth
• $500 presents one free Summer Screenings film at the Chicago Cultural Center or Chicago History Museum every summer
• $1,000 provides accessibility accommodations for one film at the Chicago International Film Festival (for example: open and closed captioning, live captioning, ASL interpretation, audio description, and sensory friendly spaces)
• $2,500 provides travel and hospitality for one filmmaker at the Chicago International Film Festival

Show your love of film and our year-round programming by making a 100% tax deductible donation today!

Does your employer offer a matching gift program? If they do, it could more than double the impact of your donation!

If you have any questions please email Development Manager, Sheena Laird at sheena@chicagofilmfestival.com.

What We Do

CineYouth

CineYouth is Cinema/Chicago’s annual film festival for filmmakers 22-years-old and younger from around the world. All CineYouth events are free and open to the public. Learn more about CineYouth…

Film Festival

The Chicago International Film Festival is North America’s longest-running competitive international film festival showcasing the best in international and independent cinema. This festival of discovery celebrates the work of rising filmmakers and established masters, showcasing more than 150 films from more than 50 countries each October. Learn more about the Chicago International Film Festival…

Year-Round Initiatives

Cinema/Chicago presents year-round inclusive programming that reflects our diverse audience at the Festival and through Summer Screenings, Community Cinema, Chicago Industry Exchange, Membership, and Education programs.

Hear From Supporters of Cinema/Chicago

“The CineYouth Festival has given me great opportunities to explore my dreams of becoming a filmmaker. It is a great outlet for young artists to express themselves to the world, an aspect that I have not seen in any other film festival.”

-Andres Aurelio, age 18, Lincoln Park High School

“I love Cinema/Chicago because it offers the opportunity to see a variety of amazing films throughout the year. I also enjoy meeting other members that have a love for great films! It is a wonderful community of nice people.”

-Nerissa Legge, Cinema/Chicago Member

“Being at the Chicago International Film Festival, it really reminds me that I haven’t made my ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ yet – I haven’t made my ‘Grapes of Wrath’ yet. It makes me hungry. I will go home from here with a healthy appetite to keep working.”

–Steven Spielberg, Director and Festival Honoree

“I love Cinema/Chicago because no one else brings such a rich variety of stories to Chicago audiences. From polished modern classics to raw, visceral narratives from all-corners of the world, Cinema/Chicago is my way to live a thousand lives, two hours at a time.”

–Lauren Robishaw, Board Member