1964
CIFF founded
Michael Kutza launches the Chicago International Film Festival; early editions include documentary programming.
History
Archive & Legacy
Documentary programming at the Chicago International Film Festival, and the path to Chicago DOCUFEST.
Origins
Founded in 1964
Michael Kutza founded the Chicago International Film Festival in 1964 and led it for more than five decades. Non-fiction has been part of the festival since its early editions.
Named Docufest programs appeared at CIFF in 2010 (46th edition, DePaul University sponsor) and 2014 (50th edition, Columbia College Chicago partner). Chicago DOCUFEST is an affiliated independent festival, not operated by Cinema/Chicago.
Six Decades of Non-Fiction
2010
Docufest named
46th CIFF · 17 feature documentaries · DePaul University sponsor.
2014
50th CIFF Docufest
18 features · 8 in Gold Hugo competition · Columbia College partner.
2026
Chicago DOCUFEST
Independent affiliated edition · October 28–30.
Docufest Lineup (Selected)
Titles from the 2014 CIFF Docufest program. Full press materials at chicagofilmfestival.com.
Algren
Michael Caplan
El Gort
Hamza Ouni
Echo of the Mountain
Nicolás Echevarría
Hotel Nueva Isla
Irene Gutiérrez
Into the Clouds We Gaze
Martin Dušek
The Iron Ministry
J.P. Sniadecki
I've Seen the Unicorn
Vincent Toi
Vive La France
Helgi Felixson, Titti Johnson
Red Army
Gabe Polsky
The Look of Silence
Joshua Oppenheimer
National Gallery
Frederick Wiseman
From the Archive
Image sources and licenses: archive credits · photo credits.
