SCREENINGS, PRESS & FILMOGRAPHY
UPCOMING SCREENINGS
4 / 27 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at Chicago Humanities Festival
Chicago Humanities Festival
Sunday, April 27, 2025, 11 am - 12:30 pm
Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture, 2936 N. Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Get tickets here
5 / 9 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at the University of Chicago
Event hosted by University of Chicago's Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity
Location: Cobb Lecture Hall 307, 5811 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637
Friday, May 9, 2025 - RSVP Here
6 / 25 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at Chicago Architecture Center
Event hosted in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center and Go Green on Racine
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - More info coming soon!
6 / 27 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at Overton Exchange Public Outdoor Plaza (POP)
Event hosted in partnership with AIA Chicago and Strong Towns Chicago
Friday, June 27, 2025, Location: 4927 S Indiana Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615
4 / 27 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at Chicago Humanities Festival
Chicago Humanities Festival
Sunday, April 27, 2025, 11 am - 12:30 pm
Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture, 2936 N. Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
Get tickets here
5 / 9 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at the University of Chicago
Event hosted by University of Chicago's Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity
Location: Cobb Lecture Hall 307, 5811 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637
Friday, May 9, 2025 - RSVP Here
6 / 25 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at Chicago Architecture Center
Event hosted in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center and Go Green on Racine
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 - More info coming soon!
6 / 27 / 2025 - Beyond Closure screening at Overton Exchange Public Outdoor Plaza (POP)
Event hosted in partnership with AIA Chicago and Strong Towns Chicago
Friday, June 27, 2025, Location: 4927 S Indiana Avenue, Chicago, IL 60615
PRESS
4/2025 - New Documentary about CPS School Closings, “Beyond Closure” / WGN Morning News
12/2024 - What Happened To Neighborhoods When Their Schools Closed? New Documentary Explores Aftermath / Bock Club Chicago
12/2024 - New documentary spotlights efforts to revive Chicago's closed schools / AXIOS Chicago
12/2024 - Documentary Shows Impact Of School Closures / Citizen Weekly
12/2024 - Film Premiere of “Beyond Closure” to Spotlight Impact of Chicago Public School Closures on South and West Side Communities / Businesswire
9/2023 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
11/2022 - Nuestra Herencia: Adelante Chicago with Lourdes Duarte / WGN NEWS
10/2022 - Nuestra Herencia: Legacy Film Project on Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons / WBEZ
9/2022 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
7/2022 - ImageUnion Live with On The Real Film / ImageUnion
9/2021 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Michael Sullivan & Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
9/2020 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Michael Sullivan & Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
8/2018 - The First Lions Co-Director Erin Babbin on WBEZ's Newscast during Weekend Edition / WBEZ
8/2018 - Newcity Art picks The First Lions for their September Art Top 5 / Newcity Art
8/2018 - The First Lions Film listed in the top 50 Things to Do in Chicago in August / Chicago Magazine
8/2018 - August Art Picks 'The First Lions' Film / Sixty Inches From Center
8/2018 - Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art Presents LIONS Review – Engaging Time Capsule / Picture This Post
2/2017 - Art + Love: Erin Babbin and Michael Sullivan of On The Real Film / Sixty Inches From Center
12/2016 - Local Documentary Web Series Gives Voice to Arts Community Post-Election / Columbia Chronicle
12/2015 - Presenting Fusion Doc Challenge finalists Erin Babbin and Michael Sullivan / Aud News
5/2015 - Meet Erin Babbin + Michael Sullivan of On The Real Film / Aud News
4/2015 - Presenting Filmmaker Erin Babbin / Aud News
4/2025 - New Documentary about CPS School Closings, “Beyond Closure” / WGN Morning News
12/2024 - What Happened To Neighborhoods When Their Schools Closed? New Documentary Explores Aftermath / Bock Club Chicago
12/2024 - New documentary spotlights efforts to revive Chicago's closed schools / AXIOS Chicago
12/2024 - Documentary Shows Impact Of School Closures / Citizen Weekly
12/2024 - Film Premiere of “Beyond Closure” to Spotlight Impact of Chicago Public School Closures on South and West Side Communities / Businesswire
9/2023 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
11/2022 - Nuestra Herencia: Adelante Chicago with Lourdes Duarte / WGN NEWS
10/2022 - Nuestra Herencia: Legacy Film Project on Reset with Sasha-Ann Simons / WBEZ
9/2022 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
7/2022 - ImageUnion Live with On The Real Film / ImageUnion
9/2021 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Michael Sullivan & Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
9/2020 - Filmmaker Spotlight: Michael Sullivan & Erin Babbin / Chicago OnScreen Film Festival
8/2018 - The First Lions Co-Director Erin Babbin on WBEZ's Newscast during Weekend Edition / WBEZ
8/2018 - Newcity Art picks The First Lions for their September Art Top 5 / Newcity Art
8/2018 - The First Lions Film listed in the top 50 Things to Do in Chicago in August / Chicago Magazine
8/2018 - August Art Picks 'The First Lions' Film / Sixty Inches From Center
8/2018 - Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art Presents LIONS Review – Engaging Time Capsule / Picture This Post
2/2017 - Art + Love: Erin Babbin and Michael Sullivan of On The Real Film / Sixty Inches From Center
12/2016 - Local Documentary Web Series Gives Voice to Arts Community Post-Election / Columbia Chronicle
12/2015 - Presenting Fusion Doc Challenge finalists Erin Babbin and Michael Sullivan / Aud News
5/2015 - Meet Erin Babbin + Michael Sullivan of On The Real Film / Aud News
4/2015 - Presenting Filmmaker Erin Babbin / Aud News
FILMOGRAPHY
Beyond Closure, 2024 Feature Film co-production with Borderless Studio
12/2024 Chicago Premiere Screening at the Chicago Cultural Center, 3/2025 Illinois Institute of Technology, 3/2025 University Of Illinois Chicago, 4/2027 St. Olaf College, 4/2027 The Trylon Cinema Minneapolis, 4/2027 Columbia College Chicago
Stacked, 2023 Short film in collaboration with Chicago Architecture Biennial and Practice Landscape
11/2023 - 2/2024 Installed at Chicago Cultural Center as part of the Chicago Architecture Biennial
Banshee, 2023 Fashion Film in collaboration with Banshee of Savile Row for Modern Capital Concepts
10/2023 Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Premiere, 2023 London Fashion Week World Premiere
Nuestra Herencia, 2022 Feature-length documentary, in collaboration with El Paseo Community Garden
2023 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection, 2023 Lit & Luz MX Festival Official Selection, 4/2023 Chicago Art Department Community Screening, 3/2023 Jazzatlán Mexico City Traditional Music Series & Screening, 2/2023 18th Street Casa de Cultura Community Screening,
10/2022 National Museum of Mexican Art World Premiere
Nuestra Herencia Short Film, 2021 Short documentary, in collaboration with El Paseo Community Garden
2022 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection
Walking for Water, 2019 Short documentary
2022 Tulum World Environment Film Festival Official Selection, 2021 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection, 2020 Environmental Short Film Festival Official Selection
The Grand Tour, 2019 Short documentary
2021 Aesthetica Film Festival Official Selection + Guest Programme, 2021 DC After Dark International Film Festival Honorable Mention, 2020 DOC NYC Official Selection, 2020 New Filmmakers New York Film Festival Official Selection
The First Lions - Founding the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2018 Feature-length documentary, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art
2020 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection, 2019 Avant Edge Film Festival Award Winner for Best Feature-length Film, 2018 FilmArte Festival Semi-Finalist, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art Community Screening 9/2018, 2018 Chopin Theatre World Premiere
Questing for Vision, 2018 Short documentary
2020 DocuWest Documentary Film Festival Official Selection, 2018 The Purpose Summit San Francisco World Premiere
Honey Pot Performance : Ways of Knowing, 2018 Short experimental documentary
2019 Screening at Experimental Station Chicago, 2018 Elevate Chicago Dance, 2018 at the Chicago Cultural Center
From Celluloid to the Pixel: Exploring Relationships between Documentation, Technology, and Time, 2017 Short experimental documentary, in collaboration with Media Burn
2017 Chicago Archives + Artists Festival
Transition To Power, 2016 Short documentary web-series
First 100 Days Screening & Artist Talk at MANA Contemporary Chicago 4/2017, Greenheart Transforms Community Screenings & A Dialogue with On The Real Film 2/2017, Anti-Inauguration Screening at Mana Contemporary Chicago 1/2017
Do You See What I See?, 2016 Short documentary
2016 Big Sky Doc Film Fest Fusion Doc Challenge Finalist, 2016 Slamdance Film Festival Award Winner of Fusion Best Use of Social & Political Winner & World Premiere
Wake Up, 2015 Short documentary
2018 REEL Recovery Film Festival NYC & LA Editions Official Selection, 2016 New York Film Week Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film, 2016 Toronto Arthouse Film Festival Official Selection, 2016 Prairie State Film Festival Official Selection, 2016 Doc Your World Chicago Official Selection, 2016 The Spectacle 'Bae' Short Films for Strong Femmes Official Selection, 2016 NYC Independent Film Festival Official Selection, 2016 Belleville Downtown Doc Fest Ontario Official Selection, 2015 Hammerbrook Film Fest, Hamburg, Official Selection, 2015 Toronto Indie Doc Fest Official Selection, 2015 Docuwest International Film Festival Official Selection, 2015 San Francisco Film Awards Winner Best In Show Art Film, 2015 SF DocFest Official Selection, 2015 Blow-Up Arthouse Filmfest Chicago Official Selection, 2015 TrueDoc Documentary Festival Official Selection, 2015 Big Sky Doc Film Festival Official Fusion Doc Challenge Finalist, 2015 Slamdance Film Festival Fusion Best Use of 1st Person Winner & World Premiere
12321, 2014 Short film
2015 Springfield LGBT Film Festival Official Selection, 2015 Mumbai International Queer Film Festival Official Selection, 2014 Chéries-Chéris Festival, Paris, Official Selection, 2014 CMG Film Festival Official Selection, 2014 Winner of Avant-Garde Showdown Short Film Competition, 2014 The Online Film Festival Official Selection, 2014 Serile Filmului Gay International Film Festival Official Selection
Chicago Bicycle Love, 2012 Short film
2012 - Chicago Bicycle Film Festival Official Selection, 2012 Millennium Park Chicago Chainlink PSA Video Contest Winner
Beyond Closure, 2024 Feature Film co-production with Borderless Studio
12/2024 Chicago Premiere Screening at the Chicago Cultural Center, 3/2025 Illinois Institute of Technology, 3/2025 University Of Illinois Chicago, 4/2027 St. Olaf College, 4/2027 The Trylon Cinema Minneapolis, 4/2027 Columbia College Chicago
Stacked, 2023 Short film in collaboration with Chicago Architecture Biennial and Practice Landscape
11/2023 - 2/2024 Installed at Chicago Cultural Center as part of the Chicago Architecture Biennial
Banshee, 2023 Fashion Film in collaboration with Banshee of Savile Row for Modern Capital Concepts
10/2023 Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Premiere, 2023 London Fashion Week World Premiere
Nuestra Herencia, 2022 Feature-length documentary, in collaboration with El Paseo Community Garden
2023 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection, 2023 Lit & Luz MX Festival Official Selection, 4/2023 Chicago Art Department Community Screening, 3/2023 Jazzatlán Mexico City Traditional Music Series & Screening, 2/2023 18th Street Casa de Cultura Community Screening,
10/2022 National Museum of Mexican Art World Premiere
Nuestra Herencia Short Film, 2021 Short documentary, in collaboration with El Paseo Community Garden
2022 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection
Walking for Water, 2019 Short documentary
2022 Tulum World Environment Film Festival Official Selection, 2021 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection, 2020 Environmental Short Film Festival Official Selection
The Grand Tour, 2019 Short documentary
2021 Aesthetica Film Festival Official Selection + Guest Programme, 2021 DC After Dark International Film Festival Honorable Mention, 2020 DOC NYC Official Selection, 2020 New Filmmakers New York Film Festival Official Selection
The First Lions - Founding the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2018 Feature-length documentary, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art
2020 Chicago OnScreen Film Festival Official Selection, 2019 Avant Edge Film Festival Award Winner for Best Feature-length Film, 2018 FilmArte Festival Semi-Finalist, Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art Community Screening 9/2018, 2018 Chopin Theatre World Premiere
Questing for Vision, 2018 Short documentary
2020 DocuWest Documentary Film Festival Official Selection, 2018 The Purpose Summit San Francisco World Premiere
Honey Pot Performance : Ways of Knowing, 2018 Short experimental documentary
2019 Screening at Experimental Station Chicago, 2018 Elevate Chicago Dance, 2018 at the Chicago Cultural Center
From Celluloid to the Pixel: Exploring Relationships between Documentation, Technology, and Time, 2017 Short experimental documentary, in collaboration with Media Burn
2017 Chicago Archives + Artists Festival
Transition To Power, 2016 Short documentary web-series
First 100 Days Screening & Artist Talk at MANA Contemporary Chicago 4/2017, Greenheart Transforms Community Screenings & A Dialogue with On The Real Film 2/2017, Anti-Inauguration Screening at Mana Contemporary Chicago 1/2017
Do You See What I See?, 2016 Short documentary
2016 Big Sky Doc Film Fest Fusion Doc Challenge Finalist, 2016 Slamdance Film Festival Award Winner of Fusion Best Use of Social & Political Winner & World Premiere
Wake Up, 2015 Short documentary
2018 REEL Recovery Film Festival NYC & LA Editions Official Selection, 2016 New York Film Week Award Winner for Best Documentary Short Film, 2016 Toronto Arthouse Film Festival Official Selection, 2016 Prairie State Film Festival Official Selection, 2016 Doc Your World Chicago Official Selection, 2016 The Spectacle 'Bae' Short Films for Strong Femmes Official Selection, 2016 NYC Independent Film Festival Official Selection, 2016 Belleville Downtown Doc Fest Ontario Official Selection, 2015 Hammerbrook Film Fest, Hamburg, Official Selection, 2015 Toronto Indie Doc Fest Official Selection, 2015 Docuwest International Film Festival Official Selection, 2015 San Francisco Film Awards Winner Best In Show Art Film, 2015 SF DocFest Official Selection, 2015 Blow-Up Arthouse Filmfest Chicago Official Selection, 2015 TrueDoc Documentary Festival Official Selection, 2015 Big Sky Doc Film Festival Official Fusion Doc Challenge Finalist, 2015 Slamdance Film Festival Fusion Best Use of 1st Person Winner & World Premiere
12321, 2014 Short film
2015 Springfield LGBT Film Festival Official Selection, 2015 Mumbai International Queer Film Festival Official Selection, 2014 Chéries-Chéris Festival, Paris, Official Selection, 2014 CMG Film Festival Official Selection, 2014 Winner of Avant-Garde Showdown Short Film Competition, 2014 The Online Film Festival Official Selection, 2014 Serile Filmului Gay International Film Festival Official Selection
Chicago Bicycle Love, 2012 Short film
2012 - Chicago Bicycle Film Festival Official Selection, 2012 Millennium Park Chicago Chainlink PSA Video Contest Winner
DISTRIBUTION
2024-2026 - WTTW on TV and Streaming - Nuestra Herencia
2022 - Image Union - Wake Up / Do You See What I See? / Project Onward
2021 - Image Union - 50 Shots / Ben LaMar Gay / Walking for Water
2017 - Fusion Network - Nasty
2016 - Fusion Network - Do You See What I See?
2015 - Fusion Network - Wake Up
2024-2026 - WTTW on TV and Streaming - Nuestra Herencia
2022 - Image Union - Wake Up / Do You See What I See? / Project Onward
2021 - Image Union - 50 Shots / Ben LaMar Gay / Walking for Water
2017 - Fusion Network - Nasty
2016 - Fusion Network - Do You See What I See?
2015 - Fusion Network - Wake Up
