2027 Call for Entries Now Open on FilmFreeway

Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival (BWiFF) will host the 16th festival at Music Box Theatre, located at 3733 N Southport Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood on Chicago’s North Side. Short film entries are now being accepted online through February 26, 2027.

The festival will exhibit short films from around the globe that compete for a variety of awards that range in genre, production, performance, and audience categories. Each film selected for exhibition and competition will be screened in one auditorium in 2027. Above all else, the festival seeks strong, unique, character-driven stories.

Filmmakers are encouraged to attend and participate in live Q&A’s moderated by a festival judge and a new filmmaker panel – presented by Imbibe Cinema.

“One of the things we do at BWiFF that is different than most other festivals,” said Executive Director and Founder Michael Noens, “our judges are in the theater with the audience and experience each film for the first time right then and there.” Judging panels are made up of industry professional writers, directors, cinematographers, editors, and production designers.

Discounted early bird entries are only $25 to submit through December 18, 2026. Categories include narrative short and documentary short. All 2027 entries must have a completion date no earlier than January 2024.

Narrative short films must be a work of fiction with a running time of 45 minutes or less. All narratives can be of any genre, shot in any style, and can be "based on true events". The festival welcomes a variety of narratives including (but not limited to): live-action, animation, experimental, and more.

Documentary short films must be a work of non-fiction with a running time of 45 minutes or less. Documentaries may contain some dramatization of actual events.

To submit a film, visit filmfreeway.com/bluewhiskeyff. Each submission is carefully considered solely on its own merit by the festival’s volunteer programming committee.