The IMDb qualifying Chicago Indie Film Awards celebrates indie U.S. and international film and script projects through its annual and bi-monthly competition. The festival is looking for fiction, documentary, experimental, animation, comedy and all genres of filmmaking which can inspire us, challenge us and make us think.

Here are the winners of the 17th edition:
Best Narrative Feature
Into the Box
Nasim Naghavi- Amir Ganjavie
Best Narrative Short
Wasted Blind Director: Troy Burbank
Best Feature Documentary
The Vertical Border Director: Sonja Wolf
Best Short Documentary
Merk Director: Bernard Gray
Best Experimental
The skinning of the eel Director Christine Comeau
Best Animation
PERCEPTION Director: Brandon Frank Lopez
Best Sci/Fi
The Split Director: Dario Vero

Best Short Horror
The Dark Director: Randy Sage
Best Director One Man Band Director: Dekang Liu
Best Producer & Best Edit Falconer 2 The Untold Stories Director: Edwin E. Brochin Best Cinematography You Can't Be Here Director: Zachary A Pope Best Actress THE RIVER YOU STEP IN Astrid Van Wieren Best Actor Blueberry Andrew McIntyre Best Script SOUL'S ON FIRE Writer: Joseph Lincoln Harrison Best Web-Series Angel Dust Directors: Mark Hemstock, Chrystal Snow
Best Comedy Garage Sale Director: Troy Burbank
Best Student Film Althaea Director: Karim Shawky
Best Music Video JULIAN BROOKS - SNAKEBITE Directors: Tim Cash, Irie Adina Best Short Thriller Pros and Cons Director: Robert Vassie Best Composer Drown Without Water Rachel Walker Mason Best First Time Filmmaker & Best Indie Film You Never Know One Day You Too Might Become A Refugee Directors: Teo Nicholas Ormond Best Female Filmmaker Interpretive Dance Director: Anne Brashier