Produced by Chicago’s own Angie Gaffney, the dramedy Adult Children stars Betsy Brandt, Aya Cash, Thomas Sadoski, Ella Rubin, and Mimi Rogers
The 61st Chicago International Film Festival will host the world premiere of Adult Children, a whip-smart, emotionally honest dramedy produced by Angie Gaffney, one of Chicago’s most respected independent film producers. The film screens Sunday, October 19 at 5:15 PM at AMC NewCity 14, with an additional screening on Monday, October 20 at 2:00 PM. Check online for available seating.
Directed by Rich Newey and written by Annika Marks, Adult Children was filmed in Chicago and backed by Chicago Media Angels and Rock River Studios. The film follows Morgan (Ella Rubin), a sheltered 17-year-old navigating her identity while spending time with her much older half-siblings, played by Betsy Brandt, Aya Cash, and Thomas Sadoski. What she hopes will be a guide to adulthood becomes an eye-opening look at how no one really has it figured out. Mimi Rogers rounds out the ensemble as Mom.
“Adult Children is a throw-back to those John Hughes movies (sans misogyny) about the moment we leave the safety of childhood behind and wander into the unpredictable wilderness of adulthood,” said screenwriter, Annika Marks .
Director, Rich Newey stated, “With Adult Children I’ve had a chance to re-examine my own backstory and apply it to the narrative before me, which in turn, I think, has helped to solidify a purpose my seventeen-year-old self could only dream of.”
The creative team includes cinematographer Jessica Young, executive producers Christopher Keyser, Randy Lennox, Kelly Waller, and Michele Girgis, and producer Thomas Sadoski, alongside Gaffney. Together, they bring a mix of Chicago-based production strength and nationally recognized talent to the film.
The film has been praised on the festival circuit as a “quiet masterpiece of emotional honesty” and “wonderfully crafted story about family upheaval.” The film received a Jury Commendation for Ensemble Storytelling, calling it “charming, well written, and deeply enjoyable.”
Gaffney, who co-founded Five Two One Films and has long championed Chicago’s independent filmmaking community, serves as one of the film’s producers. The project is another example of Gaffney’s ability to champion and deliver strong independent storytelling from a Chicago base. Reel Chicago will sit down with Gaffney next week for an in-depth conversation about her upcoming projects and future plans, as she continues to shape the city’s creative landscape.
🎟️ Tickets and screening information are available through CIFF.
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