Midwest Film Festival (MFF) and AICP Midwest will reunite for a AdComm Night on Monday, July 28th at the Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center.
For a decade, MFF’s AdComm Night has been the premier platform for celebrating the brilliance of the Midwest advertising industry. This year, they will be reviving a partnership with AICP Midwest to deliver a one-of-a-kind screening and exclusive industry event like never before, putting the spotlight on the best work from ad agencies, production companies and independent creatives. The screening will feature bold brand campaigns to innovative passion projects.
The films screened at this event will be in contention for the new AdComm AdCine Award, with the winner being unveiled at the MFF Annual Best of the Midwest Awards or BMA Awards this November. The award will honor the intersection of advertising and cinematic storytelling, celebrating the most compelling, creative and technically outstanding work in commercial and independent filmmaking and serve as a tribute to the Midwest’s most innovative advertising visionaries.
Monday, July 28, 2025
Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington St., Chicago
A pre-reception hour will be held at The Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown (71 E. Wacker Dr) from 5:00pm to 6:00pm which will be free to the festival’s members and an additional $15 for non-members. The event will then commence at 7:00pm at the Claudia Cassidy Theater kicked off by a panel discussion with Catherine Hudon, Cultural Strategist and the founder of We Are Shorty, Ted Lega, Co Founder of Lucky Kraken, and Joe Nio, Head of Brand Strategy of Highdive Advertising.
Zach Moore, MFF Board Member and moderator of this conversation had this to say about the topics covered that are relevant to the current advertisement landscape: “Advertising is evolving, budgets are shrinking, engagement is shifting, and audiences are harder to reach. At the same time, the creator economy is redefining how brands connect with consumers, by blending entertainment, brand integration, and community-driven experiences to drive cultural relevance. In this panel, esteemed leaders from across industries will explore how brands, agencies, and production companies can adapt by leveraging branded entertainment, tokenization, and scalable content ecosystems that transform fans into stakeholders and storytelling into commerce.”
The screening will showcase fourteen wonderful film and ad submissions. Afterwards, the filmmakers will take to the stage to participate in a Filmmaker Q&A and an After Party to cap the night at Emerald Loop Bar & Grill, 216 N Wabash Ave.
The Line Up: Stronghold by Meghann Artes
Dirty Business by Jorge Arana
Fine. by Cassie Ballschmidt
COYWOLF by ZAPATA
Dreams Fuel Greatness by Justin Jackson
Cordfusion by Matt Binetti
Everything Or Nothing by Rich Hall
The Protagonist Gene by Kyle Leland Cullerton
AICP Museum Worthy by Brian Billow
Oscar 2025 Stunt Ad Campaign by Ryan Potts
Basis Technologies by Jessica Batson
Love the Racks by Ben Hansford
Shapeshifter by Brian Lawes
Busy, But Good – Ambercita by Gabriel Cuillier
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