Following a sold-out world premiere at Oscar®-qualifying HollyShorts in Hollywood, CHOKE will make its hometown debut at the 62nd Chicago International Film Festival, marking the film’s second appearance at an Oscar®-qualifying film festival.

CHICAGO, IL, September 17, 2026 -- Chicago-made short film CHOKE has been named an Official Selection of the 62nd Chicago International Film Festival, where it will make its Chicago premiere following a sold-out world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, the Chicago International Film Festival will showcase 100+ feature films and 60+ short films this year. CHOKE’s selection marks the film’s second appearance at an Oscar®-qualifying film festival and a meaningful homecoming for a microbudget production made entirely by Chicago artists.

This selection closely follows CHOKE's world premiere at the 2026 HollyShorts Film Festival, where it screened to a sold-out audience at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

"This movie was made in Chicago, by Chicago artists, and to debut it at Chicago’s most storied festival is an honor we don’t take lightly," says co-creator Joelle Velez. "We made this film to start conversations about complicity and using your voice when it matters most. We’re so grateful to CIFF for giving us the platform to share this message, which feels more urgent now than ever."

A dystopian, girly-pop nightmare, CHOKE takes place in the fictional Very Nice Town, where citizens must undergo a disturbing loyalty test that robs them of the ability to speak for 24 hours. Velez describes the film as "an episode of Black Mirror, if it were written by Dr. Seuss and set in Barbie Land."

Produced on a micro-budget, CHOKE was co-created by Velez and Local 476 member Kemi Mayomi, who served as Director of Photography and Co-Director, with Cee Pham directing. The entirely Chicago-based cast and crew featuring local stars John Mossman, Jennifer Jelsema, Elena Victoria Feliz, and Carlo Aparo.

Filmed across Albany Park, Humboldt Park and Chicago's South Side, CHOKE was produced by Velez's Chicago-based Sparkly Productions, with post-production completed locally in partnership with editor Angie Panganiban, Quicksilver Color, and Argonaut Audio.

CHOKE will screen as part of the Chicago International Film Festival’s City & State: Journey Within program on Thursday, October 15 at 5:45 p.m. at AMC NEWCITY and Saturday, October 24 at 12:00 p.m. at the Chicago History Museum. 

The film will also be featured in a free public screening on Saturday, October 17 at 12:00 p.m. at the Harold Washington Library, presented in partnership with the Loop Arts Fest as part of the Festival’s Community Cinema programming. Entitled City & State Shorts: Homegrown Talent, the special showcase will feature five films from the City & State program, celebrating Chicago's homegrown filmmaking talent.

Tickets and additional festival information are available at https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/festival/.

Follow the film's festival journey on Instagram at @sparkly_productions.

SPARKLY PRODUCTIONS

Sparkly Productions is an independent film production company based in Chicago, Illinois, founded by writer, director, actor, and producer Joelle Velez, a graduate of The Second City Film School. The company creates bold, entertaining films that challenge audiences while celebrating the depth of Chicago's creative community. Sparkly Productions is committed to changing the world… with Sparkly Productions. 

Media Contact

Joelle Velez

Founder & Producer, Sparkly Productions

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 719-351-3561

Website: joellevelez.com

Instagram: @the.joelle.show & @sparkly_productions

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