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 - 10:00 pm: Never Not Yours + Short Selections

Never Not Yours
Feature Narrative
Directors: John Klein, Stephen Kniss
Country of Origin: United States
Language: English

30ish siblings Michael, Ellie, and James drive to their family cabin to visit their parents Jonathan and Maddie. But when their mom and dad unexpectedly announce their divorce, chaos ensues.Preceded by

Smoothie
Short Narrative
Director: Chris M. Churchill
Country of Origin: United States
Language: English

A middle-aged stay at home dad is confronted by his daughter's best friend about a recent infidelity.

Sally, Get the Potatoes
Short Narrative
Director: Danicah Waldo
Country of Origin: United States
Language: English

A little girl's innocence is shattered when she takes an unexpected ride in her wealthy family's rolling laundry cart and learns their dark secrets.

Nothing Safer
Short Documentary
Director: Cynthia Cazanas Garin
Country of Origin: United States
Language: English

Incarcerated women in the Prison Trained K-9 Companion Program, gain skills, self-esteem, and income by training dogs from all backgrounds. Launched in 2002 by Colorado Correctional Industries, the program benefits both inmates and children with serious medical conditions by providing trained dogs and preparing inmates for life after prison. It also gives dogs a second chance as a perfect marriage of ideas – saving humans through saving dogs.