The 16th Lake County Film Festival 
March 5 – 16, 2026

Founded in 2004, The Lake County Film Festival is a multi-weekend event spanning multiple venues across Northern Illinois. The bulk of the festival takes place at the College Of Lake County in Grayslake, IL, but we also have screenings at the Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest, IL, and have had events at over a dozen other locations over the decades.

Lake County, with a population of over 700,000, has limited access to independent cinema, making our festival a vital cultural event in the region. The LCFF remains the only multi-year film festival in the area. Our patrons are engaged, eager, and excited to watch films from independent filmmakers across all different genres and walks of life. Filmmakers consistently tell us our post-film Q&As are engaging, interesting, and occasionally tell us they are among the most rewarding they’ve ever had, thanks to our audiences and moderators.

We proudly champion a wide range of voices and stories, striving for gender parity and actively seeking out diverse perspectives across race, culture, and genre. The Lake County Film Festival has stories for everybody, and we crave more work from diverse voices.

While we’re proud to have shown early work by filmmakers like Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep) and Chad Hartigan (Morris From America), our greatest joy comes from presenting a range of films—from festival favorites that premiered at major international events to intimate, DIY projects created by families in their backyards.

In 2026, we’re moving back to our original spring schedule, which we believe will allow for a tighter, more focused lineup and showcase films in our very best venues.

We’re also thrilled to welcome a new partner venue, the historic Antioch Theater, which will expand our screenings across both weekends, and possibly expand through the week as well.