At the Independent Film Alliance Chicago, our mission is to provide the community and resources needed to build a diverse and sustainable industry of independent content creators & filmmakers. We support creatives and entrepreneurs in the film industry and are conveniently located at the bustling Cinespace Film Studios, where shows like Chicago PD, Chicago Med and Chicago Fire etc are filmed!

Our inaugural fundraiser gala, entitled MAGIC HOUR, will help us continue our mission and also celebrate the recent growth of the film industry in Chicago. It will be a night to remember – bringing together Chicago’s creative and civic leaders to support Chicago's independent filmmakers and storytellers. This event is titled creatively after the cinematography term when filming is done just after sunset and just before sunrise, when the warmest colors are produced!

Join us at the swanky Wildman BT for an evening of dancing and celebration. With food and drink from Cocina Fusion, event design from Fierce Productions, and beats from The DJ Firm - it's an evening you don't want to miss.

*Tickets not available for purchase on-site. Must have a ticket to enter.*

Back by popular demand, our visit our unique Silent Auction (scroll to the top of the page)! Check back periodically as more items will be added in the coming weeks!

The VIP Experience *Limited number of VIP tickets available*
Purchase a VIP ticket, where you will:
- Be entered into a drawing for a TOUR for you +3 guests of Cinespace Film Studios!
- Have access to the VIP Room throughout the event
- Receive a SPECIAL GIFT
- Engage with local and celebrity actors
- Receive FREE ENTRY to 3 IFA events in 2023

More exciting details to come!
*IFA members can reserve their ticket in our IFA Member Portal*

HONOREES

Alex Pissios, IFA Inaugural Visionary Leadership Award and Hometown Hero Award

A Chicago native and the son of Greek immigrants, Alexander S. "Alex" Pissios is the visionary behind Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, the largest film and television production soundstage in North America. With his Uncle Nick Mirkopoulos as his mentor and inspiration, Alex’s steadfast leadership led to an economic juggernaut that created over 15,000 jobs and brought billions of dollars in revenue for the city and state. Countless movies and TV series have called Cinespace Chicago their home including NBC’s Chicago Fire, Chicago Med and Chicago PD; 20th Century Fox’s long running series Empire, Showtime’s The Chi, The Bear, and movies such as Divergent and Transformers 3, among many others.

Throughout his successful career, the importance of giving back has always been at the forefront of Alex’s work. Pissios, along with his brothers Dean and Nick created The CineCares Foundation to honor the memory of Uncle Nick Mirkopoulos with innovative programs that empower Chicago residents through film and TV job training. Recognizing Chicago's tremendous creative talent, Pissios co-founded the nonprofit Independent Film Alliance Chicago, dedicated to providing the community and resources needed to build a diverse and sustainable industry of independent content creators. IFA Chicago has served our region's aspiring filmmakers with programs and educational opportunities serving thousands of local filmmakers. In addition to his commitment to supporting Chicago’s film workforce, Alex’s philanthropic work has touched thousands of people with a particular focus on organizations serving Chicago’s west side.

For all of these reasons and so much more, IFA Chicago is proud to celebrate Alex Pissios with its Visionary Leadership and Hometown Hero Award.

McKenzie Chinn, IFA Inaugural Breakthrough Voice Award

McKenzie Chinn is a filmmaker, actor, and poet based in Chicago. Driven by a revolutionary sensibility, her work uses rich imagery and a deeply personal lens to explore the lives, relationships, and dreams of those who experience marginalization based on their identities, frequently returning to themes around longing and ambition, with her storytelling rooted in sensuality, everyday magic, and the beauty of the ordinary.

She is the writer, producer, and lead actor of Olympia, which premiered at the 2018 LA Film Festival and won the Audience Award at the 2019 Bentonville Film Festival, and is a 2021 Sundance Screenwriters and Directors Lab Fellow with her next feature A Real One, currently in late development.

As an actor, her on-camera credits include guest star roles on the FOX series The Big Leap, ABC's forthcoming Will Trent, CBS’s The Red Line, and others. Onstage she has worked with Steppenwolf and Goodman Theatres, The Second City, Woolly Mammoth, and others.

Her poetry has been nominated for multiple awards including a Pushcart Prize. She is part of Growing Concerns Poetry Collective which released its second studio album BIG DARK BRIGHT FUTURES in 2020.

Her recently completed short film A Real One - the stand-alone proof-of-concept for the feature - was made possible when she became the recipient of the inaugural NBCUniversal Grant through the Bentonville Film Foundation.

For all of these reasons and so much more, IFA Chicago is proud to celebrate McKenzie Chinn with its Breakthrough Voice Award.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

AbelCine / The Hub at Cinespace
Alecko Capital
Allstate Foundation
BAM Studios
Be Powerful Inc
Belmont Bank
Betsy Steinberg and Michael Prendergast
Beyer Insurance
Burke Burns Pinelli Ltd
Chicago Media Angels
Chicago Sculpture Exhibit
Chicago Studio Mechanics Local 476
CineCity Studios
CINELEASE
Cinespace Studios
Custom Companies Inc
DCASE
DePaul University
El Nacimiento Tequila
Elephant Pictures
entertainmint.com
Essanay
Hayes Talent Agency
Ilinois Production Alliance
Illinois Film Office
Jason Stephens
Kathy and Jack Lavin
Maplewood Brew
MetaFilms
Miraflores Films
Mirkopoulos Family
Much Shelist
NBC Universal
Niche Visuals LLC
Noisefloor
O'Connor Casting Company
Periscope Post & Audio
Revolution Brewing
SAG AFTRA
SCREEN Magazine
Showrunner
Sunbelt Rentals
The MBS Equipment Company
The Second City Film School
Winger Marketing
Wintrust, Chicago’s Bank
Wolf Entertainment

Magic Hour!