Split Pillow develops, funds and produces several original films each season that it presents to the public. A breakdown of the works produced each season is below. In addition, Split Pillow provides financial and logistical support to a number of independently-produced films in Chicagoland each year through its SP Support Program. For a complete list of those films, please click here.
Season 6
The Disappearance of Daniel Dodger
An award-winning documentarian stumbles onto a dangerous conspiracy while profiling identical twin brothers living very different lives. When one of the brothers becomes the latest victim of a designer street drug called Hoy, a web of intrigue involving a powerful corporation begins to unravel. A suspense-thriller collaboration written and directed by Leo Burnett directors Brian Fox, Thomas Horne and Ben Poster starring Tom Bailey ("soulMaid") and Dan Sanders-Joyce (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre).
Click here to visit the Daniel Dodger website
and watch the trailer and behind the scenes footage
Petersburg
A political drama based on Andrei Bely's classic novel of the same name! The son of a prominent U.S. Senator becomes the not-so-unwitting pawn in a potentially revolutionary plot when a friend gives him a mysterious package for safekeeping. A collaboration written and directed by Dave Belden, Tom Herman, Nick Martin and Jim Vendiola. Featuring performances by Ross Heran, Peter Calandra, Tony DiGanci, Jason Frederick, Nina Fultz, Adam Ruben, Beth Jacoby and Rachel Slavick.
Click here to watch the trailer
Chicago360 v.3: Work
Five mini-documentaries centering around the theme "Work in the City" provide a glimpse into some of the jobs and workers that help define the Chicago landscape. The world's largest button making operation, street-side peanut vendors, the changing image of Chicago's working class, the evolution of urban journalism and the ultimate selfless job of parenting come under examination in this fascinating work. Featuring documentaries by Aaron Brown, Brian Henry, Alan Ortiz, Colin Palombi, Ben Poster, Scott Sonnenberg and Renato Velarde. Produced by Ben Poster. Production Manager Ellie Simcoe.
Season 5
soulMAID
When Moses's seizures begin manifesting as religious visions, he is compelled to abandon the man of his dreams and prepare for a bizarre second coming. Ridiculously romantic, hopelessly funy and unabashedly politically incorrect, soulMaid is a modern day fairy tale that will both touch and offend your soul. Written and directed by Jeff Maccubbin, Jeffrey McHale, Dan Mohr and Joe Steiff with animation by Justin Winslow.
Drama
Four lives intersect in Split Pillow's latest feature. Anne is an alpha-woman who comes home to a shocking discovery one evening. Laura is a commitmentphobe, unwilling to compromise. Avery is a wandering alcoholic, searching for his lost daughter. Isaiah is a naively mature teenager, desperate for co-dependency. Through a series of random encounters with each other, the four apprehensively confront the prospect of change. A motion picture written and directed by Maria Gigante, Scott T. Jones, Nick Martin and Ben Poster. Featuring performances by Jennifer Shin, Ryan Driscoll, Errol McLandon and Adam Clapp. Cinematography by Armando Ballesteros.
Chicago360 v.2
The second installment of Split Pillow's critically-acclaimed documentary series chronicling 21st-century Chicago subcultures. A struggling hip-hop artist with big dreams, the original slam poetry event, a profile of Chicago Avenue's commercial growth, swing dancing culture and the nostalgia of department store Santas are explored in this 1-hour documentary. A film by Tom Bailey, Melina Kolb, Brendan Kredell, Judy Kropsch, Jackie Sestak and Etta Worthington.
Once Upon a Time: The Challenge 5.0
Your favorite fairytales... as you never imagined them! From Hansel and Gretel to Tom Thumb to Rumplestiltskin, 9 different fairytales are retold with a modern Chicago sensibility. The 5th annual Challenge event gives filmmakers just 1 weekend to collaborate on a series of improvised short films.
Season 4
COMMON SENSES
The burgeoning friendship between a kleptomaniac and a hustler is strained when a child goes missing in this compelling feature film collaboration by award-winning filmmakers Alexander Rojas, Daniel J. Pico, Mary Filice, MT Cozzola and Dennis Belogorsky. Featuring outstanding performances by Luis A. Perez, Holly Montgomery-Webb and Cheryl Golemo.
"Impressive performances. Luis A. Perez is remarkable."
-Indymedia.org
"Gritty... fast and furious. Breathes new life into the exquisite
corpse." -Film Monthly
"Common Senses shows its smarts." -The Chicago Tribune
HALLOWEEN CLIFFHANGER
Dead bodies, bloody bathtubs, hooligan twinks and a shoebox porthole to hell tie together in unexpected ways in this trilogy of comedic/horror shorts by filmmakers Bryan Walsh, Jeffrey McHale and CJ Dugan. Featuring Lee Kohler, Jeff Alba, Julienne Bilker and a hilarious cameo by Luis A. Perez.
CHICAGO 360
A time-lapsed history of Logan Square, a performance art group that turns discarded toys into musical instruments, a look at how lives and space intersect in Lakeview, the role of race and class in the changing landscape of Pilsen and the thought-provoking public art of a late night El rider intersect in this unique 60-minute creative documentary collaboration by filmmakers Jim Vendiola, Nick Martin, CJ Dugan, Casy Clark and Erik Gernand.
"A closer look at the beauty behind the bizarre in
Chicago culture." -TimeOut
"A beautifully done photographic ode." -About.com
REALIZATION
The son of a famous physicist attempts to live up to his father's legacy while trying to impress the girl of his dreams. Art and science collide in this bold reality-bending experiment in which each of the seven chapters of the singular story were independently designed an directed by a different filmmaker and feature different actors playing the same roles throughout. Brought to you courtesy of writers Timothy Cooper, Samir Salem, Eric Anderson, Susan Hubbard, Michael Fry, Alexander Rojas, Sean Jourdan and filmmakers Kenneth Yoder, Samir Salem, Chris Tzoubris, Dave Belden, Juan Castaneda, Scott Smith, Michael T. Vollman and Sean Jourdan.
"Exhilirating. A beautiful collision of aesthetics." -Film Monthly
THE CHALLENGE 4.0
A talking ring, a vacuum time-machine, an addiction to egg yolk, and an annoying brother-in-law are some of the insanely funny stars of Split Pillow's fourth collection of imrpoved shorts films created over Memorial Day weekend 2006. Includes 6 directors' cuts.
Season 3
BRUSHFIRES
When shy girl Cat, secretly in love with her housemate Melissa, meets an unbalanced heiress on the run named Dakota, the lives of the three women and a down-on-his-luck janitor named Lenny are turned upside down in this twisting, moving collaboration by filmmakers Etta Worthington, Ai Lene Chor, Aprill Winney, Amber Mohammad, Laura Lonigro, Maria Gigante and Wendy Jo Carlton.
"Conceptually inventive." -NPR
"A smart, sensual tale of love and loss" -Curve
"Great performancess." -Windy City Times
"A turbo charged engine." -Film Monthly
THE MANHATTAN CHALLENGE
A diabolical secret agent, a sexually-confused communist, a lonely city girl and a slimy motivational coach are some of the wild characters in this special collection of 5-short improv films created over a weekend in the Big Apple.
THE CHALLENGE 3.0
A beanie-baby collecting general, a geriatric hip-hop DJ, a trio of xenophobic Lincoln Park trixies and a bizarre tribute to the French New Wave are just some of the components of the 18 short films created over 72 hours as part of Split Pillow's third annual collaborative Challenge event.
Season 2
THE CLIFFHANGER
The mysterious Iris Peterson arrives at a rundown motel in Chicago, bringing with her mementos of a perverse family secret that pull a vast array of characters into a web of deadly intrigue. Inspired by the Exquisite Corpse, The Cliffhanger was a first-of-its kind collaboration by 11 filmmakers.
"Intriguing." -The Chicago Reader
"Propulsive." -New City
"Fun and intense." -Film Monthly
"A must-own for any fan of independent film." -DVD Verdict
THE CHALLENGE 2.0
A cassanova bunny, a spoof on the American draft, a blind date gone horribly wrong and a plastic surgeon's strange homelife are some of the odd and hilarious results of the 18 films created through Split Pillow's second annual collaborative film event.
Season 1
THE CHALLENGE 1.0
A strange meeting of the minds at a Chicago street corner, a dysfunctional apartment complex, a spoof on illicit drug use and an unusual Chinese adoption are some of the unpredictable results of the 14 films created through Split Pillow's first film collaboration. This is what started it all!