The Oak Park IL Film Festival has announced its 2026 film lineup, with two days of screenings and events set for September 19 and 20 at the Madison Street Theater in Oak Park.
The annual festival celebrates films with an Oak Park connection, whether through their content, cast, crew, filmmakers, or locations.
The festival will get an early start with its previously announced opening night presentation of Nicole Holofcener’s Enough Said on Wednesday, September 16, at Classic Cinemas Lake Theatre.
Oak Park native Tavi Gevinson, who appears in the film, will welcome guests through a prerecorded Q&A. Guests are encouraged to arrive by 6:30 p.m., with cocktail attire optional. Opening night tickets are $25.
The main festival weekend will feature four film blocks on Saturday, September 19, followed by two blocks on Sunday, September 20. The festival will also include an industry panel and a special presentation by animation producer and Oak Park resident Charlie Sweitzer.
Sweitzer’s animation credits span 2D, including Amazon Prime Video’s The Mighty Nein, 3D with DreamWorks’ Scared Shrekless, and the decidedly harder to classify Adult Swim series Tigtone.
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Saturday, September 19
Breaking Free
The opening block explores feeling trapped and breaking free.
- Bored — Oak Park crew
- Call Me Speed! — Oak Park director, cast and locations
- Space Hustler — Oak Park producer and crew
- Eighteen — Oak Park director and locations
- The Knot Job — Oak Park producer, writer and cast
- Hot Water — Oak Park director and writers
Divine Feminine
The second block features short films centered on women claiming their power.
- Corners of Girlhood — Oak Park director, subject and locations
- Sing a Black Girl Song — Oak Park writer and producer
- Sewer Pigs Declare War on London! — Oak Park director
- Marimar’s Story — Oak Park director
- The Tensile Strength of Air — Oak Park director and writer
- The Wilted Flower — Oak Park producer and crew
Community
Saturday afternoon turns to films exploring community, shared belief systems, and identity.
- سحر Sahar — Oak Park location
- Sur La Kuro — Oak Park cast and locations
- Surviving Zendik Farm — Oak Park director and subject
After Dark
Saturday closes with a shorts program featuring horror and darker themes.
- No Clean Hammer — Oak Park director
- Last Night — Oak Park director, writer, cast and locations
- Enter the Void: A Paper Story — Oak Park location
- The Antidote — dedicated to Oak Park composter Bernie Metzger (1950–2026)
- Here to Help — Oak Park director
- CLOUT — Oak Park crew and locations
- The Hitchhiker — Oak Park director
Sunday, September 20
Legacy and Impact
Sunday begins with documentaries about people working to make a lasting impact.
- Be the People — Oak Park director, subjects and locations
- Belly Button – Chapter 2 Mezcal — Oak Park director
- Generating Our Future — Oak Park directors
- Lou Holtz: 60 Minutes to Play And A Lifetime To Remember — Oak Park subjects
- Nasty — Oak Park producer
The End
The festival’s final block explores loss, death, and the ways people cope with saying goodbye.
- ABEL — Oak Park subject
- Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum — Oak Park director and subject
- IN THE REALM OF THE HEART — Oak Park director
- Judgment Day — Oak Park director and location
- Saying Goodbye: A Personal Documentary of Attachment and Loss at End of Life — Oak Park director
The complete film lineup, including categories, running times, and credits, is available on the Oak Park IL Film Festival website. The complete block schedule will be announced soon.
Weekend festival passes include admission to all screenings and events at the Madison Street Theater. Passes are currently available for $60 through September 9 and increase to $70 on September 10.
Individual block tickets will also be offered, beginning at an early bird price of $12 and increasing to $15 closer to the festival.
The Oak Park IL Film Festival runs September 19 and 20 at Madison Street Theater, following the September 16 opening night presentation of Enough Said at Classic Cinemas Lake Theatre.
