CCFF SPOTLIGHT
“Just Be Cool” | The Authentic Devotion of Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted
In 1970, the musician’s original stage name, “Little Jerry Williams,” was no longer serving the persona he wanted to sonically step into, and so Swamp Dogg was born. In their 2025 documentary Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted (screening Monday at 4:30 p.m.), directors Isaac Gale and Ryan Olson allow his story to unfold naturally and comedically.
“America’s Dreams” | Angus MacLachlan, A Little Prayer
Screening Thursday, May 8, at 7:15 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre, as the closing-night title of this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival, with MacLachlan and Levy in attendance for a post-film Q&A, A Little Prayer is a profoundly moving and delicately crafted drama of the human heart, brought to life with passion and and grace by a gifted ensemble cast.
“A Need to Create” | Matthew Shear, Fantasy Life
Screening Tuesday, May 6, at 7:15 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre, as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Fantasy Life is an irresistible, heartfelt comedy — and an exciting feature filmmaking debut by writer-director-star Matthew Shear.
“Just Me and My Cat” | Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
Screening Monday, May 5, at 7:00 p.m., with writer, director, and star Eva Victor in attendance, Sorry, Baby is one of the year’s most exciting feature debuts.
“Draining the Genre” | Zodiac Killer Project Is An Autopsy of True Crime Docs
Screening Wednesday, May 7, at 9:30 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre, as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Zodiac Killer Project has been compared to Jafar Panahi’s This Is Not a Film, in which Panahi, under house arrest, explains the bones of the movie he’d be making at that moment had he not been prevented from doing so by the Iranian government.
Meet the Critic: Robert Kojder
In the Chicago Critics Film Festival’s new “Meet the Critic” series, we’re introducing our readers to some of the many talented members of our Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group, which celebrates the art of film and film criticism. In today’s feature, meet Robert Kojder, who has been covering all facets of the entertainment industry (including film, gaming, and professional wrestling) since the early 2010s.
Meet the Critic: Daniella Mazzio
In the Chicago Critics Film Festival’s new “Meet the Critic” series, we’re introducing our readers to some of the many talented members of our Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group, which celebrates the art of film and film criticism. In today’s feature, meet Daniella Mazzio, a recipient of this year’s CFCA / Rotten Tomatoes Emerging Critics Grant.
Meet the Critic: Robert Daniels
In the Chicago Critics Film Festival’s new “Meet the Critic” series, we’re introducing our readers to some of the many talented members of our Chicago-area print, online and broadcast critics group, which celebrates the art of film and film criticism. In today’s feature, meet Robert Daniels, an Associate Editor at RogerEbert.com.
“In the Face of Nihilism” | Alex Ullom, It Ends
Screening Sunday, May 4, at 7:00 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre, as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival, with writer-director Alex Ullom in attendance for a post-film Q&A, It Ends is a subversive, thrillingly existential feature debut that soars on the strengths of not only its writing and direction but the performances of Phinehas Yoon, Akira Jackson, Noah Toth, and Mitchell Cole, the four breakout stars at its center.
“From Reality to Fantasy” | Embeth Davidtz, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight
A potent, moving adaptation of Alexandra Fuller’s memoir about growing up in the Rhodesian civil war, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (screening Saturday, May 3, at 11:30 a.m. at the Music Box Theatre) follows 8-year-old Bobo, who lives on her family farm in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) at the end of the Zimbabwean War for independence.
“More Ruckus” | James Sweeney, Twinless
In Twinless, screening May 3 at the Chicago Critics Film Festival, two young men meet in a twin bereavement support group and form an unlikely friendship.
“You’ll Understand When You’re Older” | Family Secrets and Horrific Initiations in Best Wishes to All
Young people’s political awakenings are often violent and radicalizing, a concept that receives a rare horror-movie treatment in Yuta Shimotsu’s debut feature Best Wishes to All, screening Friday, May 2, at 11:59 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre, as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival.
Meet the Critic: Danielle Momoh
In today’s feature, meet Danielle Momoh, a recipient of this year’s CFCA / Rotten Tomatoes Emerging Critics Grant. She is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Cinema and Media studies at the University of Chicago. She’s passionate about the intersection of film, feminism and race. Danielle is a Boston University graduate and is from Lagos, Nigeria.
“A Space Spot” | Jordan Michael Blake, Paradise Man (ii)
In Paradise Man (ii), screening as part of CFCA Shorts Program #2 at the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Paradise Man searches for meaning in an unknowable universe… This uniquely touching and philosophical film—which premiered earlier this year at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival—hails from director, writer, and editor Jordan Michael Blake.
“That Strange Mix of Grief and Absurdity” | Bri Klaproth, Such Good Friends
After reevaluating a toxic friendship, Emma tries to overcome her people-pleasing ways by cutting ties with a life-long friend. The next day, she learns that her decision has ended more than just a friendship. Emma finds herself falling into old patterns with her former best friend's family, while she struggles to keep a dark secret from them. Such Good Friends screens Sunday, May 4, at the Music Box Theatre, as part of CFCA Shorts Program #2 (2:15 p.m.), during the Chicago Critics Film Festival.
“Literal Body Buzz” | R.T. Thorne, 40 Acres
Screening May 4, at 9:30 p.m., at the Music Box Theatre, as part of the Chicago Critics Film Festival,40 Acres is an action-packed debut by filmmaker R.T. Thorne.
“Cinema Is Constructed” | Philip Thompson, Living Reality
Ahead of “Living Reality” screening within the shorts program, filmmaker Philip Thompson graciously took the time to answer this year’s CCFF filmmaker questionnaire. Below, his individual responses.
Meet the Critic: Alejandro Riera
In today’s feature, meet Alejandro Riera, a Chicago-based film critic and publicist who has worked with the Chicago International Film Festival, the Chicago Latino Film Festival and the Gene Siskel Film Center's Panorama Latinx initiative.
Meet the Critic: Katie Rife
In today’s feature meet, Katie Rife, a freelance writer, critic, and film programmer. She was a writer for The A.V. Club from 2014-2022. When she’s not writing about film for outlets like Indiewire, IGN, and RogerEbert.com, you can find her serving on juries at Fantastic Fest and the Fantasia Film Festival.
“Mean Boys” | Alex Russell, Lurker
A razor-sharp directorial debut from The Bear and Beef writer-producer Alex Russell, LURKER is a screw-turning psychological thriller made for the moment.