Annual Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival

BWiFF will be presenting its 15th festival at the Classic Cinemas Elk Grove XQ, located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, from April 27-May 6, 2025.

Every year, the festival exhibits over 30 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 is screened in one theater over the course of the festival. Judges experience each film for the first time along with the audience. During the festival's week-long run, filmmakers are encouraged to attend and participate in QandA's moderated by a festival judge and any potential filmmaker panels. Each accepted filmmaker will receive two (2) festival passes.

Blue Whiskey Independent Film Festival continues to build a reputation for exhibiting rare and compelling independent films while bridging the gap between the film-goer and the filmmaker.

Schedule of Events:

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm: Discovering Catharine

Discovering Catharine
Feature Documentary
Director: Susan Hope Engel
Country of Origin: United States
Language: English

BWiFF 2025 Beyond Presentation

Set against the backdrop of the early 20th century women's suffrage movement, the Discovering Catharine explores McCulloch's trailblazing career as one of the first female attorneys in the U.S. and her relentless fight for women's equality, particularly in the legal and political arenas. Through archival footage, expert interviews, and personal stories, the documentary sheds light on McCulloch's contributions to securing women's right to vote and her enduring impact on modern women's rights movements.