CHICAGO CINEMA WORKERS FUND
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icmarkets review As all Chicago cinemas are currently closed due to the COVID-19 crisis, cinema workers all over the city are facing financial hardship. As people invested personally and professionally in Chicago’s vibrant cinema scene, we seek to offer solidarity and mutual aid to lessen the blow. While a few individual theaters have the means to offer continued wages or partial compensation during this time, many theaters have had to lay off their entire staff. Larger government and industry support efforts are underway, but we seek to provide stopgap help to those folks who make Chicago movie-going possible.
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​With the assistance of fiscal sponsor Full Spectrum Features and community partners, Chicago International Film Festival and Nightingale Cinema, we have started a fund for hourly cinema workers who have been furloughed or seen a reduction in compensation. Funds raised will be distributed evenly between applicants, with the goal of providing $300 relief, equivalent to 20 hours of work at $15 an hour. Every $10,000 we raise would provide approximately 30 workers with relief funds at this level.

APPLY FOR RELIEF
DONATE NOW
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zulutrade review ​All hourly workers at cinemas in the Chicagoland area who are experiencing wage disruption because of COVID-19 closures are eligible. 
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​Fill out the form here to apply. Application will be open until MAY 1, 2020.

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olymp trade vip account Our goal is to provide every eligible applicant with $300 paid out during the first two weeks of May 2020.

Given that funding available to applicants is based on total funds donated, timelines may shift. Minimum benefit is set at $100. In the initial round, the application for benefit will remain open until May 1 or until the the application pool reaches 150 people.

Organizers reserve the right to distribute funds on a first come, first served basis, consistent with the pace of funds donated. We will update this page weekly with a report of total money raised, total number of applicants, and funds paid out.

Any questions about the fund may be emailed to [email protected].


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Feel free to contact us at:
​​[email protected] 
Insta: @chicinemaworkers 
Twitter: @chicinemaworkers


WHO ARE WE?
Raul Benitez - Lead Film programmer, Comfort Station Logan Square; Lead programmer, Full Spectrum Features; Programmer, Nightingale Cinema.
Sabrina Craig - Assistant Director, External Engagement Programs, U Chicago Arts, Cinema 53, Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry, South Side Home Movie Project
Emily Eddy - Programmer, Director, Nightingale Cinema
Christy LeMaster - Founder, Nightingale Cinema
Michael Metzger - Media Arts Curator, Block Museum of Art
Mimi Plauché  - Artistic Director, Chicago International Film Festival
Alejandro A. Riera - freelance publicist and film critic for Gozamos.com, Remezcla.com and efilmcritic.com.
Kat Sachs - Associate Editor, CINEFILE
​Yuki Sakamoto Solomon - Chicago International Film Festival Special Projects Coordinator

Fiscal sponsorship courtesy of Full Spectrum Features
Legal advisement courtesy of Lawyers for the Creative Arts
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Photos courtesy of Chicago International Film Festival
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