THE LAKE COUNTY FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES PRE-FESTIVAL & OPENING NIGHT SCREENINGS

The 14th Lake County Film Festival will occur from October 31 through November 3 and November 8 through 11. Over two dozen features and 80 short films will be shown over the two long weekends.

All films will be screened at the College Of Lake County, at the Grayslake campus. Some films will have additional screenings at The Gorton Center in Lake Forest, IL. 

PRE-FESTIVAL SCREENINGS

Before the festival, the LCFF will be co-hosting two free advance screenings of films showing at the festival. Out There: A National Parks Story, will be shown at both the Grayslake and Waukegan campuses of the College Of Lake County. 

In this feature documentary, two childhood friends plan a 10,000-mile road trip through the National Parks. Along the way, the two record stories of the people that work in the parks, and those that come to enjoy them. They hear profound stories from people of all ages who come to the parks seeking tranquility, healing, motivation, and connection to the natural world.

Both screenings are co-hosted by Voices Of Lake County, a collaborative effort at the College Of Lake County, led by the Communication Arts & Fine Arts and Humanities divisions. 

Both screenings will feature three short films that feature the theme of sustainability, including one about CLC’s sustainability efforts on campus. 

The first screening will be held at the Lakeshore Campus of CLC, in Waukegan, IL, on Thursday, September 19th, in room S116. The second screening will be held on September 27th, at the Grayslake campus, in room A011. Both screenings are at 7 p.m.. 

OPENING NIGHT SCREENINGS

While the entire lineup of the festival will be announced on September 3rd, the festival is excited to announce our Opening Night festivities. Opening Night will again be held on Halloween Night, and feature a locally made thriller/horror film, and four additional horror short films.

Room Six is the story of Maxx, a college student, who is working the night shift at a vacant, rundown motel before the late-night arrival of two brothers. After a few suspicious incidents, Maxx’s curiosity (or paranoia) gets the best of her, and she decides to investigate the situation. Maxx quickly finds herself in danger as she uncovers what lies hidden in the brothers’ room.

The film is written, directed, and produced by Lake County residents Michael Panico and Matt Hobart Miller.

On Halloween Night, Room Six will first play at 7 p.m. at The Gorton Center. “We’re thrilled to have The John & Nancy Hughes Theater once again hosting some of the always engaging and entertaining independent films selected as part of the Lake County Film Festival,”  said director of film Josh Wolff. The screening will be followed by a Q&A from the filmmakers and other attending cast and crew. 

Room Six will then play at the College Of Lake County in Grayslake, starting at 8:30. Filmmakers will also be on hand at that screening to answer questions. 

The screening in Grayslake will be preceded by the festival’s first-ever block of short films by Lake County filmmakers at 7 p.m. The four-film block features a documentary about a food services worker at Lake Forest College, an experimental film that revolves around the wooly mammoth at Libertyville’s Dun Museum, a narrative film about a woman saying goodbye to her best friend on her last night in town, and one about a black woman’s sentient hair. 

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FEATURE FILMS ANNOUNCED TODAY

Out There: A National Parks Story (Brendan Hall)
Documentary Feature: 70 minutes

When filmmaker Brendan Hall saw that the National Parks Service was celebrating its 100-year anniversary, he and his childhood friend Anthony Blake decided to set off on a 10,000 mile road trip through the park system.

Along the way, the two record stories of the people that work in the parks and those that come to enjoy them, as part of the rich tapestry of the history of the park system emerges. They hear profound stories of people from all ages, walks of life, and cultures that come to the parks seeking tranquility, healing, motivation, and connection to the natural world.

Between the spectacular shots of the parks and compelling interviews are colorful bits of old maps, posters, and travelogs. This stunning road trip is a tribute to the national parks and their history, and is also a recognition of the people that appreciate them and work to maintain their beauty.

Room Six (by Michael Panico, Matt Hobart Miller)
Narrative Feature: 81 minutes

Room Six is the story of Maxx, a college student, working the night shift at a vacant, rundown motel before the late-night arrival of two brothers. After a few suspicious incidents, Maxx’s curiosity (or paranoia) gets the best of her, and she decides to investigate the situation. Maxx quickly finds herself in danger as she uncovers what lies hidden in the brothers’ room.

The Unseen (by Francesco Guarini): 3 minutes
Timo is busy making his nest, when he hears a reply to his mating call. Desperate to find his mate, he takes flight, only to find the source of the reply is not what he had hoped.

The Path To Sustainability (by Stephen Miller): 9 minutes
College Of Lake County student Stephen Miller directed this short documentary about the college’s efforts at sustainability on campus.

HORROR SHORTS BEFORE ROOM SIX

Kombucha! (by Jake Myers): 7 minutes
A musician trapped in an office job tries the free kombucha that helps his coworkers hit their quotas with a smile. Unfortunately, the kombucha has a series of nasty side effects that give new meaning to being consumed by your work.

The Lure (by Tony Hipwell): 1 minute
Late at night, a lone fisherman discovers he is not the only one hoping to hook something.

My Dreams Have Been Dark Of Late (by Joshua Warren): 4 minutes
A knight finds himself at the mercy of his armour.

Night Shift (by Dexter Blanchard): 4 minutes
A new father who works the night shift as a security guard must fight his personal issues within the confines of a film studio while an unexpected intruder stalks him.

LAKE COUNTY SHORT FILMS

A Mind Of Its Own (by C.C. Randle): 12 minutes
C.J., a black woman, is a hard worker and looking to move up the corporate ladder. When she comes into work on the day of her big presentation with a new hairstyle, her literal, loud-talking hair causes her coworkers to react in a less-than-ideal manner, where she faces racial microaggressions. She must then decide: is her hair worth the headache, or will she just let her hair have a mind of its own?

The Mammoth In My Community (by Sean Anderson): 6 minutes
A man believes there’s a mammoth in his community, and he’s determined to find it.

Midwest Goodbye (by Noah Tomlinson): 14 minutes
Nervous about her upcoming big move after college, Frankie spends her final night in town bidding a drawn-out farewell to her best friend.

Olivia (by Juliana Corral Bustamante): 16 minutes
Olivia Vázquez has worked in the library cafe at Lake Forest College for over 20 years. She is a central piece of the community building within campus, but who is she? This short documentary recollects facets of her life to get to know who is behind the counter.

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ABOUT LAKE COUNTY FILM FESTIVAL

Founded in 2004, The Lake County Film Festival is the only ongoing film festival in Lake County, IL. Each year, the Lake County Film Festival brings over 100 independent films from around the world to  the College Of Lake County in Grayslake, IL. We host dozens of filmmakers, who show their films to our eager audiences, and participate in Q&A’s after their films.