33rd Onion City Experimental Film Festival in-person and online

Chicago Filmmakers invites you to this year’s competition for the 33rd Onion City Experimental Film Festival!

These nine programs feature 54 shorts from over 15 countries, with themes of Love, Isolation, Revolution, Simulation, Virtual Spaces, Ecologies, and Geologies. We are thrilled to once again present one of the most important revues of contemporary alternative, avant-garde, and experimental cinemas from critically-acclaimed visionaries and emerging new talents.

Enter the next wave of movie exploration.

Competition film programs will be screened both in-person and online. Scroll down to view the programs and visit OnionCityFilmFest.org for the full festival lineup. 

Thursday, March 30

6:00 PM – Deborah Stratman: LAST THINGS | Opening Night! | Gene Siskel Film Center

Friday, March 31

7:00 PM – Machine Perspectives | Chicago Filmmakers

9:00 PM – The Land Folds | Chicago Filmmakers

10:00 PM – Late Night (For the Night Owls) | Comfort Station

Saturday, April 1

3:00 PM – Sipping Solitude | Chicago Filmmakers

5:00 PM – Suspended Masses | Chicago Filmmakers

8:00 PM – Mediating Desires | Chicago Filmmakers

Sunday, April 2

11:00 AM – 33rd Onion City Brunch Reception | Mana Contemporary

3:00 PM – High Points of Our Intimacy | Chicago Filmmakers

5:00 PM – Enchanted Environments | Chicago Filmmkaers

Monday, April 3 to Sunday, April 9

2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM – About Life | Mana Contemporary


Virtual Schedule

Competition programs will be available to watch on the Onion City website the day after the in-person screening starting at 10:00 AM (Central) – April 9 at 11:59 PM.

Saturday, April 1 at 10:00 AM (Central) until Sunday, April 9 at 11:59 PM (Central)

Machine Perspectives, The Land Folds, For the Night Owls

Sunday, April 2 at 10:00 AM (Central) until Sunday, April 9 at 11:59 PM (Central)

Sipping Solitude, Suspended Masses, Mediating Desires

Monday, April 3 at 10:00 AM (Central) until Sunday, April 9 at 11:59 PM (Central)

High Points of Our Intimacy, Enchanted Environments

Tuesday, April 4 at 10:00 AM (Central) until Sunday, April 9 at 11:59 PM (Central)

About Life


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33rd Onion City Experimental Film Festival Info:

Attending In-Person Screenings

Admission for all screenings at Chicago Filmmakers (1326 W. Hollywood Ave.), Comfort Station (2579 N. Milwaukee Ave.), and Mana Contemporary Chicago (2233 S. Throop St.) is a suggested donation of $10. Admission for Opening Night at the Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N. State St.) is $12 and $7 for students with a valid student ID and youth under 17. Tickets may be purchased online in advance or at the respective theaters on the day of the show.

Proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test result are no longer required for entry into screenings and events. Masks are strongly encouraged while indoors.

Streaming Programs Online

Competition programs will be available to watch on the Onion City website the day after the in-person screening starting at 10:00 AM (Central) – April 9 at 11:59 PM (Central).

Online screening tickets are $10 ($8 for students with a valid school ID.) Students may email onioncity [at] chicagofilmmakers.org for a discount code.

Once your order is complete, you should receive a “Viewing Link” email as a follow up to the order confirmation. Included in this email is a “Watch” button directing you to the program page on Onion City’s website. An embedded video player will become available to view during the festival. The provided password is required to access the showcase.

If you do not receive this email, please contact onioncity [at] chicagofilmmakers.org.


Can I watch Onion City’s online screenings if I’m located outside of Illinois or the United States?

Yes! All online programs are accessible to stream worldwide for $10.

I purchased a ticket but didn’t get a confirmation or follow up email. 

Check the junk, spam, and/or promotions folder of your inbox as these emails can sometimes be filtered or blocked as spam. If you do not receive the confirmation or follow up email, please contact onioncity [at] chicagofilmmakers.org.

How long will Onion City’s online screenings be available?

Online screenings will be released on Onion City’s website the day after the in-person screening starting at 10:00am CT until April 9 at 11:59pm CT.

Which web browser is best to stream videos? 

Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge and Safari are all Vimeo supported browsers. If you’re using an older browser version, system, or website, you’ll need to upgrade to continue watching Vimeo videos.

Have another question?

Contact onioncity [at] chicagofilmmakers.org.


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