Midwest Film Festival

What Midwest Film Festival does

Midwest Film Festival is an Illinois-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 that operates the nation's only year-round film festival dedicated exclusively to Midwestern filmmakers. The festival serves filmmakers, audiences, and creative industry partners across the 12 Census Bureau-defined Midwest states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin), with a 34-member volunteer Screening Committee evaluating submissions. Its flagship product is the annual Midwest Royale festival, a five-day event (July 22-26, 2026 in its 21st edition) anchored at Rivers Casino Des Plaines for Opening Night, Ramova Theatre for three days of screenings, and CineCity Studios for the Best of the Midwest Awards Gala. Supporting programs include the 10x10 Voices on the Rise emerging filmmaker showcase, High Noon Horror genre block, Fresh Cuts documentary shorts, and the AdComm advertising shorts program, plus the Midwest Film Fair pre-season event at Chicago Cultural Center.

The festival's underlying technology is a Squarespace-hosted marketing and ticketing site integrated with third-party platforms: Etix for Opening Night, Tixr for festival passes, Givebutter for gala tickets and donations, and PayPal for general donations. The operating model is event-driven with year-round monthly screenings layered atop the peak July festival week. Revenue is generated through four streams: ticket sales (one-time paid admissions across multiple tiers from $85 1-Day GA up to VIP passes), corporate sponsorships (Rivers Casino, Verve Credit Union, Bolt Media Group, plus three entertainment unions), tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations, and public grants from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (CityArts), Illinois Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The organization operates with a lean staff of approximately five full-time roles under Executive Director NK Gutiérrez, supported by a Board of Directors and a network of volunteers.

Customer relationships are split between Midwestern filmmakers (primary supply side, submitting narrative, documentary, music video, and experimental work), film audiences (primary demand side, purchasing tickets and attending events), corporate and union sponsors (secondary, funding the festival in exchange for brand visibility), and government/institutional grantors (tertiary, providing public arts funding). All Official Selections are automatically eligible for Best of the Midwest Awards consideration, creating a recognition pathway that anchors the festival's value to emerging and established Midwest creators.

Name

Midwest Film Festival

Legal name

Midwest Film Festival

Website

https://midwestfilm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midwest Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the nation's only year-round film festival dedicated to Midwestern filmmakers across 12 states, producing the annual Midwest Royale festival, Best of the Midwest Awards, and year-round screenings from Chicago venues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Festival & Cinema Programming

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Independent film festival
• Filmmaker awards ceremony
• Nonprofit film organization
• Regional cinema programming
• Film screening events

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from selling tickets to festival events including Opening Night at Rivers Casino, Midwest Royale screenings at Ramova Theatre, and the Best of the Midwest Awards Gala. Multiple ticket tiers including GA and VIP options.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships from organizations including Rivers Casino, Verve Credit Union, Bolt Media Group, IATSE 476, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters Local 727, and other regional businesses. Sponsorship packages provide brand visibility and community engagement.
3. Donations & Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax I.D. 20-2712520), the festival accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations to support year-round programming, educational initiatives, and festival experiences.
4. Grants: Supported by grants from CityArts Grant (City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events), Illinois Arts Council, and National Endowment for the Arts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Midwest Film Festival operates the nation's only year-round film festival dedicated exclusively to Midwestern filmmakers. Its core offering is the annual "Midwest Royale" five-day festival (July 22-26, 2026) including Opening Night at Rivers Casino, three days of curated screenings and filmmaker Q&As at Ramova Theatre, and the Best of the Midwest Awards Gala at CineCity Studios. The organization also runs monthly screenings, filmmaker submission programs, and the Midwest Film Fair pre-festival event. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it is funded through ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, donations, and arts grants.

Product overview

Midwest Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as the nation's only year-round film festival dedicated exclusively to Midwestern filmmakers. The organization offers a multi-layered portfolio centered on its flagship event 'Midwest Royale' (a five-day expanded festival experience), the 'Casino Royale Opening Night' red carpet premiere, and the 'Best of the Midwest Awards' ceremony. Supporting programs include the Emerging Filmmakers showcase (10×10 Voices on the Rise), genre programming (High Noon Horror), documentary showcases (Fresh Cuts: Documentary Voices), and the AdComm advertising shorts program. The festival provides film submission and Official Selection status, with all selected films eligible for BMA awards. A pre-festival Midwest Film Fair launches the season at Chicago Cultural Center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Midwest Royale: The 2026 festival season brand name for the five-day film festival experience
• Best of the Midwest Awards

Products and services

• Midwest Royale
• Casino Royale Opening Night
• Best of the Midwest Awards (BMAs) Gala
• Midwest Film Fair
• Official Selection & BMA Eligibility Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 years of continuous operation as the premier Midwest film festival
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bolt Media Group (Media Bolt Productions)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner co-founded by Eric Dider and Justin Jackson. Provides media production and promotional support for festival coverage.
• SAG-AFTRAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramming sponsor representing the actors' union partnership supporting union filmmakers and talent at the festival.
• IATSE Local 476coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramming sponsor representing the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees stagehands union, supporting production professionals.
• Teamsters Local 727coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramming sponsor representing the Teamsters union supporting entertainment industry workers.
• Verve Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor providing financial services partnership and community support.
• QuadCity FilmminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity sponsor representing the Quad Cities film office supporting regional film ecosystem.
• Kartemquin FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner60th Anniversary partnership featuring KTQ Shorts Retrospective including 'Trick Bag', '63 Boycott', and documentary work celebrating six decades of Chicago documentary storytelling.
• Kelly Allison StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhotography partner providing professional photography services for festival events and team portraits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tribeca Film Festival: Major US film festival offering comparable multi-day, multi-venue programming and filmmaker Q&As but at substantially larger scale and broader geographic remit.
• Sundance Film Festival: The preeminent US independent film festival operating at a far larger scale. Many Midwest filmmakers aspire to Sundance selection; serves as the broader benchmark for an indie festival's brand positioning.

Direct peers

• Chicago International Film Festival: Chicago's longest-running competitive film festival, also nonprofit-organized. Operates in the same metro with overlapping Midwestern and international filmmaker audiences and competes for the same local sponsors and audiences.
• Heartland Film Festival: Indianapolis-based nonprofit festival celebrating Midwest and independent film. Similar mid-size scale, similar nonprofit funding model (sponsorships + grants), and overlapping mission to elevate regional filmmakers.
• Cleveland International Film Festival: Nonprofit Midwest film festival operating in Cleveland with multi-day programming, filmmaker Q&As, and year-round educational outreach. Directly comparable mission, scale, and operational model.
• Milwaukee Film Festival: Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) festival providing year-round film programming and education across the Midwest. Comparable nonprofit operations, regional filmmaker focus, and audience development role.
• Sidewalk Film Festival: Birmingham, Alabama's nonprofit independent film festival. Similar multi-venue format, regional filmmaker focus, and reliance on sponsorship and ticket revenue streams.
• Traverse City Film Festival: Michigan-based regional festival founded with a strong independent-cinema mission, comparable scale and Midwest regional filmmaker focus. Operates as nonprofit using theater venues for screenings.
• Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival: MSP Film runs an annual Minneapolis festival plus year-round screenings. Comparable nonprofit structure, Midwest geographic scope, and filmmaker showcase mission.

Emerging players

• DOC NYC: New York's premier documentary festival, comparable in format (multi-venue screenings, awards) and partial overlap with the Midwest Film Festival's 'Fresh Cuts: Documentary Voices' program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwestfilm

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Midwest Film Festival