2008 FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is on sale now?
• How do I buy tickets?
• I bought a Pass. Am I all set to see a movie?
• Can I use my Pass over the phone?
• I bought tickets or redeemed a Pass over the phone. Where do I get my tickets?
• I ordered a Pass through Festival Hotline but it never came in the mail.
• Can I buy a pass that gets me into everything?
• I have my tickets. Now what?
• I'm running late, but my ticket guarantees me a seat, correct?
• Can I get a refund if I didn't get a good seat / don't like the film / missed the beginning?
• I missed my film. Can I get a refund?
• I missed my first film. Can I pick up the rest of my tickets somewhere else?
• The film I came to see is sold out. Do you have a wait list?
• If sold out, however you have a couple options:
• Where do I get my parking validated?
• Do you have any group rates?
• Do you offer discounts for Students or Senior Citizens?
• I heard you have American Sign Language interpreters for some programs. Which ones?
• Is there accessible seating?
• What films do you recommend?
• I have children. What films are appropriate for them?
• How can I volunteer for the Festival?

Tickets to all festival events are now on sale.

There are three ways to purchase tickets to the film festival:

1. By phone: Call us at 1-312-332-FILM (48 hours in advance) or Ticketmaster (24 hours in advance) at 312-902-1500.
2. Online: To buy Festival Passes only, and not individual tickets, click here. Individual tickets and passes can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com.
3. In person at several locations:
   • Buy at the Chicago International Film Festival's office, 30 E. Adams, #800, Monday-Friday, between 10:00am and 6:00pm. To ensure availability, tickets and Passes should be purchased in advance at 1-312-332-FILM. All film festival events, merchandise, and Cinema Chicago memberships are sold at the office.
   • Buy at Festival Venues beginning October 6th. The Festival Venues that will be selling tickets are AMC River East 21 and AMC 600 N. Michigan 9. From October 6-15, Tickets will be on sale from noon to 8pm. Please do not call the AMC Theaters for Festival information. Please call 312-332-FILM with any questions you may have.
   • Buy at Box Offices: Box Offices are open one hour before the first screening of the day until the start time of the last film of the evening. Please note that Box Offices accept cash only. Box Office locations are: AMC 600 N. Michigan 9, 600 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL and AMC River East 21, 322 E Illinois St., Chicago, IL.

No, you must use your Pass to get a film ticket before you will be admitted to a theater. Refer to the Schedule to make your film selections in advance, then visit a theater box office to redeem your pass for tickets.

- All festival patrons who are holding passes must redeem them in person.
- - Passes ordered driectly by phone from the Chicago International Film Festival after September 22nd will not be mailed, and can be picked up at one of our ticketing locations.

Your tickets will be available for pick-up at the Will Call booth at the theater where your first film is playing. Will Call booths are open one hour before the first screening of the day until the last film is seated.

Passes ordered through Chicago International Film Festival's hotline will NOT BE MAILED. If you did not call to make your film selections, visit the Festival Office or a Festival Store to pick up your pass and get film tickets.

Yes. If you join Cinema/Chicago at the Founder's Club level ($1,000 and above) you will receive TWO all-festival badges that guarantee you admission to any ticketed festival event.

Unless you are coming to the first screening of the day, there is probably a film playing in the theater where your film will be. When you arrive at the theater please find the line for your screening. If you need assistance, please find an usher or festival volunteer.

No. A ticket or badge only guarantees admission until 15 minutes prior to the scheduled screening. After that time, the Festival reserves the right to fill any vacancies by selling rush tickets to customers who are in the rush line.

No. Our films are general admission, which means first-come, first served seating, with the exception of patrons requiring accessible seating. Ticket-holder lines begin to form up to an hour before every film, so we encourage you to get to the theater early and get in line to ensure a good seat.

No. The Chicago International Film Festival cannot refund or exchange any tickets.

We regret that we cannot be responsible for transporting your tickets from one location to another. If you missed your first film, your tickets will still be at the theater where that film was playing. If you can't remember the location of your first film, please call the Festival Hotline at 312-332-3456 and press Option 2 to speak to a ticket agent.

Many of our films sell out, even before the day of the screening, therefore we recommend that you buy tickets in advance. Everything in the schedule is on sale as of September 22nd.

- Many films have multiple screenings. Check the schedule to see if the film is playing again and if tickets are still available.

- Go to the Box Office where the film is playing no earlier than one hour before the film's start time to get a rush card. Rush cards are cards with your number in line printed on them. There is a limit of two rush cards per person. The Box Office does not take reservations. At the film's start time, if there are vacancies in the theatre, the Box Office can sell them as rush tickets. A ticket agent will call out the numbers on the rush cards. You must be present when your number is called in order to buy a ticket. Because seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis, rush tickets are always the least desirable seats and the available seats may not be next to each other.

- Take a chance on another film. We work hard to bring you films you may never get another chance to see on the big screen. Make it an adventure and explore the celluloid jungle.

We offer group rates for groups of 50 people or more only. The group rate is $9 for regular films and $6 for matinees. Group rates do not apply to Opening Night, Closing Night, or any Gala Presentations. If you are interested in purchasing group rate tickets please contact the Ticketing Manager (312-683-0121x101) or the Hotline Supervisor (312-332-3456 and ask for the Supervisor) directly.

Our Student/Senior rate is $10 (w/ photo ID) for regular films. Matinees are always $7.

ASL interpreters will be provided upon request for our deaf and hard of hearing patrons if there will be a guest speaker at the film screening you wish to attend. We will need at least 72 hours notice. To request an interpreter, please email hotline@chicagofilmfestival.com. In the subject of the email, write: ASL INTERP REQUEST. You can also request an interpreter at any Film Festival ticket sale location when you purchase tickets. Please note that the 72 hour advance notice always applies.

All of our theaters offer accessible seating. For Opening Night or Closing Night, please let the ticket agent know at the time of your purchase that you will require accessible seating. For other theaters, an usher will be able to assist you in securing seats for you and a companion.

Many of our films are in competition, therefore we cannot recommend any one film over another.

Most of our films are not rated, and many contain adult material. You are in the best position to make the decision about what is appropriate for your children.

We are always looking for volunteers to help with the Festival or in the office year-round. Please send an e-mail to volunteer@chicagofilmfestival.com to get involved.