The 2nd-annual Northwest Illinois Film Festival 2022 has been announced and scheduled for screening on June 24 and 25, 2022, at Morrison Technological Institute in Morrison, Illinois.
The film festival, hosted by the Northwest Illinois Film Office (NIFO), celebrates independent filmmakers with ties to Northwest Illinois. This year’s films will be the award-winning documentary "A Bridge too Far from Hero Street" (an award-winning documentary that tells the story of Hero Street's William Sandoval's journey from a boxcar in Silvis, Illinois to a battle in a forest in Holland during WWII) produced by Emmy-award winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, and their Emmy-nominated “Sons & Daughters of Thunder” (a docudrama that portrays the true story of the Lane Seminary debates on slavery of 1834); Never Submit Entertainment’s “Without Grace” (a romantic drama with a faith-based undercurrent); and “The Blacklight” (a genre bending thriller from Rockford’s Dashford Media and producer Don Hatton).
Joining the films will be two short films and the introduction of “Chucky Chicken,” a lovable animated chicken character created by Michael Cook from Oswego, Ill., and Valley Studios.
The Northwest Illinois Film Festival 2022 will be held at Morrison Tech, 701 Portland Avenue, Morrison, Illinois and is a free event, but registration is required.
- Friday, June 24th, 7 p.m. — “Sons & Daughters of Thunder,” and an episode of “A Bridge Too Far From Hero Street.” A Chucky Chicken animation will join the screening.
- Saturday, June 25th, 3 p.m. — “Without Grace” and a Chucky Chicken cartoon.
- Saturday June 25th, 7 p.m. – “The Blacklight,” short film “Wolfdog,” and a Chucky Chicken cartoon.
All the films shown have a strong connection to the Northwest Illinois region, with production teams based in Northwest Illinois, and featuring locations from the region, according to a Wednesday release. Gary Camarano, executive director of the Northwest Illinois Film Office, said, “The region has some very talented filmmakers, and we want to celebrate their successes.
“With nearly $500 million in film production last year, Illinois is becoming a major destination for film projects, and we would like to point out the growing activity here in Northwest Illinois,” he said in the release. “We have seen short films, feature films, major studio episodic projects filmed here, and we have a new animated character, ‘Chucky Chicken,’ making his local debut.”
The event is free, but registration is required HERE.
For further information, call 815-772-5182 or visit https://www.nwillinoisfilmfestival.com/.
Fourth Wall Films' "Sons & Daughters of Thunder" is also screening at the Fayette Opera House on June 25th in Fayette, Ohio. For more information on that event, visit Fayette Opera House HERE.
Only a block and a half long, Hero Street in Silvis, Illinois lost six young men in World War II and two in the Korean War, more than any other street in America of any size. Hero Street has provided nearly 200 American military service members since World War II.
Hero Street, a multi-part documentary series by Fourth Wall Films, explores the personal and family sagas behind each of the eight heroes and tells the compelling true story of an ongoing struggle to memorialize Tony Pompa, Frank Sandoval, William Sandoval, Claro Solis, Peter Masias, Joseph Sandoval, Joseph Gomez and John S. Muños.
The series combines interviews with family members, friends, veterans, community leaders and historians with vintage photos, film, and archival materials to tell an unforgettable story of American courage, character and perseverance.
To order the DVD or stream Riding the Rails to Hero Street (part 1), A Bridge too Far from Hero Street: William Sandoval's Story, or Fourth Wall Films' Emmy®-nominated and award-winning film Letters Home to Hero Street (co-produced with Lora Adams and WQPT), CLICK HERE!
An Infantryman from Hero Street (part 4) in the Hero Street series will premiere at the Putnam Giant Screen on Saturday, November 12th for Veterans Day. Follow Hero Street Documentary Series on Facebook for updates.
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