Once again, Chicago Film Archives and the Chicago Film Society join forces to present CHICAGO HOME MOVIE DAY at the Chicago History Museum — featuring live accompaniment by pianist Dave Drazin!
Home movies provide invaluable records of our families and our communities: they document vanished storefronts, questionable fashions, adorable pets, long-departed loved ones, and neighborhoods-in-transition. Many Chicagoans still possess these old reels, passed down from generation to generation, but lack the projection equipment to view them properly and safely. That’s where Home Movie Day comes in: you bring the films (16mm, 8mm and/or Super 8mm), and we inspect them, project them, and offer tips on storage, preservation, and digitization – all free of charge.
Chicago Home Movie Day is dedicated to YOUR home movies. From 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM, archivists and projectionists will inspect and project any celluloid home movies that walk in the door. We encourage providers of these gems to introduce their films to an eager HMD audience. Don’t have any films? Feel free to just sit back and enjoy the show.
Questions? Contact us at at (312) 243-1808 or email info@chicagofilmarchives.org
Visit https://www.chicagohistory.
Did you know that Home Movie Day has been happening around the world since 2003? For more information about the history of Home Movie Day, visit the Center for Home Movies website.
HOME MOVIE DAY FAQ:
What film formats can I bring to Home Movie Day?
We can inspect and project 16mm, 8mm, and Super 8. If you have any other oddball formats (28mm, 9.5mm, etc.), we can’t project the films for you, but we can help you find a safe, cost-effective way to view these prints. You’ll also earn our undying film nerd envy.
Do I need to bring a home movie?
Nope. You’re welcome to stop by and just watch other people’s home movies. And if you’re a walking encyclopedia of forgotten Chicago landmarks, eateries, and parades, your commentary will be much appreciated!
I have a whole box of ‘em! Can we watch ‘em all?
Nobody likes a home movie hog. Bring as many films as you’d like, but we’ll be screening a maximum of ten minutes of footage from each participant until everyone has had a chance to see their home movies. After that, second helpings are totally fine–especially in Kodachrome.
Do I have to get up and talk about my home movies?
You’re welcome to narrate your home movies and inform everyone that this scene was shot at Aunt Bertha’s high school graduation and that this one was shot on your family trip to Florida in 1982. Or you can just sit in the auditorium and watch them in anonymous silence. Whatever floats your celluloid boat.
My home movies are very personal. Why would I want to watch them with a bunch of voyeurs?
Home movies often commemorate scenes of enormous personal importance: weddings, graduations, birthdays, family reunions. Though home movies often begin as family records with deeply private meaning, the passage of years makes them compelling to people far beyond your immediate family. They serve as authentic records of our neighborhoods, traditions, and communities. You’ll enjoy sharing them–really.
Will you take my home movies and never give them back? They’re incredibly precious to me!
Nope. We’ll just inspect and project your home movies and return them to you in comparable condition (if there are broken perforations or cracked frames, we’ll fix those and return the films in better condition!). Keep in mind that decades-old films are fragile and there’s an inherent (though slight) risk of damage during any projection. If we do not feel that the film can be safely projected, we will not screen it.
Will you take my home movies and never give them back? I don’t want ‘em anymore! (They smell funny.)
The Chicago Film Archives would be happy to discuss options for donating your old, unwanted home movies to its ever-growing collection.
This sounds amazing! How much will this expert consultation set me back?
Home Movie Day is absolutely free, but donations are welcome.
