To promote its 62nd edition, the Chicago International Film Festival chose photographs of moviegoers during screenings. The Cinema in Real Life campaign was created by Ogilvy, while Chicago photographer Sandro Miller photographed festival audiences as they laughed, anticipated the outcome or watched the action unfold on screen in disbelief. Their reactions became the basis for black-and-white ads that are already displayed across the city.
The photographs are accompanied by messages connecting cinematic language with the viewing experience. “Anxiety with surround sound” appears alongside a person covering their face with their hands, while “Dopamine, 24 frames per second” accompanies a viewer’s expressive reaction. A close-up of an eye carries the message “120 minutes of uninterrupted screen time”, while a portrait of an older man is paired with the line “Drama deserves an audience”.
Choosing audiences as the central motif gives the festival a way to talk about going to the cinema without relying on stars and scenes from its programme. As streaming services compete with cinemas for viewers’ attention, the campaign promotes what happens among the seats: shared laughter, anticipation and silence during a screening. Miller’s photographs show these moments up close, through the faces and gestures of real attendees.
The same approach carries through to the advertising spot featuring a voiceover by Helen Mirren, recipient of the festival’s Gold Hugo award in 2017. The spot features festival moviegoers, including an older couple who are also married off camera.
The spot’s festival premiere is scheduled for opening night, October 14, while the festival itself runs from October 14 to 25.
