Doc10 Film Festival — Documentary Showcase

Doc10 returns to Chicago on April 24 for its 11th year, bringing 10 days of documentary screenings, filmmaker talks and civic events. (doc10.org) The festival runs through May 3 at the Davis Theater in Lincoln Square, with additional programs at the Gene Siskel Film Center in the Loop. Doc10 says it is Chicago’s only all-documentary film festival. (doc10.org; chicagoreader.com) Doc10’s main slate is built around 10 official selections, and its 2026 program also includes a “Speak Truth” series focused on civic dialogue and issue-driven nonfiction. The film guide lists titles including “Give Me the Ball!,” “Knife: The Attempted Murder of Salman Rushdie,” “Soul Patrol” and “The Librarians.” (doc10.eventive.org) Variety reported that “Give Me the Ball!,” a documentary about Billie Jean King, is set to open the festival on April 30. WBEZ’s event listing says the 2026 edition also includes 10 days of social-impact programming tied to the screenings. (variety.com; wbez.org) Chicago Media Project, the nonprofit behind Doc10, has positioned the festival as a place to see nonfiction films that often arrive from Sundance, Telluride, Venice and Berlin before they reach wider release. The festival says 20 of the more than 50 films it has premiered have been shortlisted or nominated for Academy Awards. (doc10.org) That pitch lands in a documentary market that has grown less predictable. WBEZ reported in December 2024 that Chicago filmmakers were facing tougher paths to streaming distribution, while Doc10 board chair Steve Cohen called it “a fraught moment” for documentaries. (wbez.org) The festival’s scale is part of its identity. Doc10 says it screens “over 10” documentaries rather than mounting a sprawling lineup, and the Chicago Reader reported that this year’s edition is curated by Chicago Media Project and split between the Davis and Siskel venues. (doc10.org; chicagoreader.com) Ticket prices vary by program. Choose Chicago lists most “Speak Truth” tickets at $10 and most official-selection tickets at $20, while Eventive lists a $150 Speak Truth pass, a $350 official-selections pass and a $450 full-festival pass. (choosechicago.com; doc10.eventive.org) For Chicago audiences, the immediate change is simple: the screenings start this week, on Friday, April 24, and run into the first weekend of May. The lineup, schedule and passes are live now. (choosechicago.com; doc10.eventive.org)