Free Film Festival: A Taste of Theatre International Film Festival 2026

A Taste of Theatre Announces First International Short Film Festival in Chicagoland

South Holland & Chicago, IL — April 2026 — A Taste of Theatre, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization, proudly announces its International Short Indie Film Festival, launching Saturday, April 18, 2026, in the Chicagoland area. This exciting, family-friendly festival will showcase 40–60 independent short films from around the world, all under 15 minutes in length.

The festival kicks off on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in the Community Room in the South Holland Public Library at 16250 Wausau Ave., South Holland.

The celebration continues on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM in the meeting room at the Hegewisch Public Library, located at 3048 E. 130^th St., Chicago.

Led by Festival Directors Victor Gulley, Brian Stanley, and Janice Newman, the festival received over 900 submissions through FilmFreeway before closing entries on April 1. Selected films represent a diverse range of voices and cultures, with entries from countries including Turkey, India, Trinidad, and the United States. This is A Taste of Theatre’s second film festival, but first internationally.

Audiences will enjoy a wide variety of short films, including cartoons, AI-generated works, narrative films, and documentaries, each ranging from 1 to 15 minutes. The event is designed to be interactive, allowing attendees to vote for their favorite films via QR code and compare their choices with official judges’ selections. The audience participates as film critics by providing feedback, notes, and comments, such as the great movie film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.

“This festival is about giving independent filmmakers a platform while connecting communities through storytelling,” said the festival team.

In addition to screenings, attendees will gain valuable industry insight through live presentations:

• Victor Gulley will present a session on developing ideas for screenplays.
• Janice Newman will lead a workshop on marketing your film project.

The top three films will receive awards, and their directors will be featured on the A Taste of Theatre radio show on Chicago’s WIIT 88.9 FM, where they will discuss their creative process and future projects.

Admission to both festival dates is free and open to the public. The films are family-friendly and open to all ages. While tickets are not required, attendees are encouraged to reserve a spot via Eventbrite.

A Taste of Theatre continues its mission to support artists and provide accessible arts programming to the community through initiatives like this international festival.

For more information about the festival and organization, visit:

• Film page: https://filmfreeway.com/ATasteOfTheatre
• Organization: https://www.atasteoftheatre.org/about