DePaul University’s innovative and fast-growing School of Cinema and Interactive Media (CIM) has become a key sponsor of the Chicago International Film Festival, which is marking its 45th year this fall.  The festival runs from Oct. 8 to 22.

CIM’s sponsorship, along with greatly expanded state-of-the-art production facilities and classrooms that debuted this month, represents a major step forward for DePaul’s program, according to Matt Irvine, assistant professor and chair of the digital cinema program.   

“The Chicago International Film Festival is one of the world’s pre-eminent film events and a cornerstone of Chicago’s vibrant cultural scene,” said Irvine. “DePaul’s School of Cinema and Interactive Media is delighted to be supporting this year’s fest.”

As part of DePaul’s festival involvement, five humorous short films produced by CIM students will be featured as trailers at all Docufest documentary screenings and at the Best of the Fest screenings at the festival Oct. 21.  The roughly one-and-a-half minute films provide comical interpretations of the evolution of film and the technologies behind them over the years.

“DePaul’s CIM is a high quality program that prepares students to work in the digital cinema, interactive media, animation and gaming fields,” said Irvine.

This fall, the school also opened expanded new facilities at 14 E. Jackson Blvd., to accommodate the full range of activities required for digital student film production. These facilities include:

DePaul’s CIM is one of the fastest-growing cinema programs in the Midwest and is currently serving about 500 students.  The school is one of the six inaugural universities selected to participate in the Sony Pictures Imageworks IPAX program. The program develops future artists, designers, animators and engineers who will help the visual effects industry to grow.