The MediaBridge YouthFest is ready for its close-up. This dynamic short film festival will feature live action and animated works from eight countries, curated by youth ambassadors from Mexico, India, Portugal, Russia, and Sri Lanka working together with teens from Chicago, downstate and western Illinois. Two MediaBridge screenings will be held on Saturday, August 9th at The Normal Theatre (209 North Street, Normal, IL) at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $6.00 per screening. MediaBridge is a...

The CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL (Thursday, October 18 - Sunday, October 28) is set to kick off its 24th year of screening the best children's films in the world. Showcasing 220 films from 41 countries over 11 days, the Festival is the largest and longest running kidsfest in the U.S, and the only children's festival in the world that's recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an "Academy qualifying" festival. CICFF winners in the animated and live acti...

Nelson Ogbuagu is a typical Chicago middle-school student who has had some atypical experiences. A student at the Walt Disney Magnet School in Chicago, Nelson’s passion for filmmaking has been nurtured for years by the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival’s Young Chicago Critics (YCC) camp, the premier film criticism and production summer camp for kids in Chicago. But this year, after serving on YCC for three years, Nelson will do something he has never dreamed of doing: travelin...