CHICAGO feature The Alley Cat makes its World Premiere at the 50^th Anniversary edition of the Chicago International Film Festival.

A road movie on a bicycle, The Alley Cat takes place over a single night. Jasper competes in an alley cat, but leaves it to go on a spontaneous journey through Chicago's nighttime streets to a destination holding an emotional secret.

By taking place at night, the film exists in a liminal space. This liminality is echoed by the events that occur: things are overturned and unresolved.   The film occupies a dark space, but Jasper’s emotional and physical journey ends with a glimmer of hope.

The feature is based on the same main character as her festival favorite short Faster!, in a completely new plot. Faster! also debuted at the Chicago International Film Festival, and went on to play juried festivals internationally, including The BFI London Film Festival, interfilm Berlin’s Shorts Attack, and the International Cycling Film Festival in Germany, where it won 2^nd place. Her spec commercial for Chrome Messenger Bags won a Bronze Telly Award (the Telly’s second highest honor) in 2010. Faster! is available on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video, and is distributed by Shorts International.

The full schedule is available at www.chicagofilmfestival.com, and tickets are on sale to the general public now.

Saturday, October 18 ^th, 9:15 p.m. (Code EFACAT1)

Monday, October 20 ^th 4:45 p.m. (Code EFACAT2)

Tuesday, October 21^st 3:00 p.m. (code EFACAT3)

Ullrich will also speak on two panels during the festival:

The Long and Short of It is about moving from making short films to features. Saturday, October 18^th at noon. It is a free, but ticketed, event. (Code EFPAN2)

Makers: Women in Hollywood is a free film screening about the opportunities and challenges for women working in film. Ullrich will speak on a panel following the screening at the Chicago Cultural Center, Saturday, Oct 18. 2:00 PM, Panel at 3:00 PM (78 E. Washington St.)

Unless otherwise specified, all screenings / panels at:

AMC River East

322 E. Illinois

Chicago, IL 60610