Every spring since 1994, dozens of autonomous filmmakers have been gathered and exposed in the Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF). The longest running underground film fest in the world, CUFF defines its mission as to “showcase the defiantly independent filmmakers” and “to promote films and videos that dissent radically in form, technique, or content from the indie mainstream.” It has presented features that transverse the perimeters of film making, and become a haven to average folk who simply love to make movies.
Since 2009 CUFF has made the Gene Siskel Film Center its home, screening all presentations there with appearances from the directors and actors to speak for their pieces. Unbeknownst to anyone, involved or not, 2012 marked an end to that arrangement, and 2013 is a new beginning. This year CUFF will be held at the fresh and prestigious Logan Theatre in Logan Square, Chicago. Director of Marketing and Events at Logan, Shaylah Paul, said she initially approached the organization about being involved last year. Nothing ever came about however, due to the renovations Logan had been going through. Later in 2012, Logan began speaking to CUFF again, and eventually won favor with the team behind the fest. Paul says,” I think what the Logan had to offer was a convenient and unique positioning in an up-and-coming neighborhood with a lot of focus on the arts.”
The Chicago Underground Film Festival comes to Logan Theatre this March.
