Only films from the eight-state Midwest region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin are considered for screening.
The festival was originally hosted every first Tuesday of the month at Chicago's Landmark Century Centre Cinema but is presently held on the final Monday of the month at the Gene Siskel Film Center.
[1] The film festival was founded by Chicago actor Mike McNamara and filmmaker Michael Kwielford in 2004.
[14] In July 2018, Amy Guth was named the new executive director of the festival.
[15] In December 2019, Erica Duffy was named the festival's new executive director.