Fifth Annual Chicago International Social Change Film Festival Focuses on Turning Problems and Protest Into Progress

The Chicago International Social Change Film Festival (CISCFF) brings it’s 2016 festival schedule of inspiring films and highlighted social change issues to the Showplace ICON located in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood.  More than 30 films were selected to be screened from Friday, September 23 through Sunday, September 25. Social change issues to be highlighted during the festival include mental illness from Australia, terrorism recruitment from Qatar, women’s rights from India, and gender identity from the U.S. The theme of this year’s festival is ”Turning Problems and Protest into Progress”

CISCFF is a unique vehicle for social change that leverages technology, innovative programing, film and art to provide communities, filmmakers, and organizations with the tools, resources, and platform needed to bring international exposure to the untold stories that must be told, seen, and heard for the issues plaguing the communities across the globe to be heard. Founded in 2011, CISCFF aims to encourage and support the work of independent filmmakers from all over the world.  Through the festival, the filmmaker is able to promote their product as a valuable contribution to the understanding of social change.  The CISCFF was co-founded by social-preneur, filmmaker, and professor Emile Cambry, Jr., and poverty law attorney and lobbyist Todd Belcore.

Now in its fifth year, the mission of CISCFF remains that social change empowers and collaborates with artists, activists, communities, and organizations to increase public consciousness, build capacity, and create transformational change through film, training, and public advocacy. ”Change requires two things: identifying the problem; and the willingness to do the hard work it takes to fix it,” explains festival co-founder Belcore. “CISCFF gives attendees the unique opportunity to do both. Attendees also have a lot of fun meeting and sharing ideas and more with amazing people from all over the world.”

CISCFF makes a point to address the major issues and hardships around the world using the storytelling tool of filmmaking. The festival offers world premieres, insightful Q&As with directors and panelists with proactive brainstorming sessions on what can be done to remedy matters that the films touch upon.

The CISCFF will be held from September 23-25, 2016 at the Showplace ICON,150W. Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL, 60608.  For more information, and to purchase festival tickets and passes, please visit www.chicagosocialchange.org.