This program presents a curated body of short films by George Ellzey Jr., tracing the evolution of his work from Division (2017) to the acclaimed Cottage Grove (2023), alongside two new works in progress.
Tyler Michael Balantine Presents…Sunday’s Best
Interior: Films by George Ellzey Jr.
Sunday, March 1
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Showtimes
Sunday, March 1
2:00pm – Introduction & Shorts Program
3:00pm – Post-Screening Q&A with George Ellzey Jr.
4:00pm – Reception with Food in Studio
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$12 /General Admission
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Spanning narrative, experimental, and hybrid forms, the films explore Black interiority, intimacy, and the fragile mechanics of communication.
Featuring five completed short films and two new works, the program reflects an artist in motion. The film Cottage Grove marked a turning point in Ellzey’s career. It led to the founding of Cottage Grove Productions, his Chicago-based company dedicated to emotionally grounded, socially conscious storytelling. This screening looks forward as much as it looks back, building momentum toward Ellzey’s first feature film, slated to enter production this year.
Division (2017)
Romantic Comedy | Runtime: 28:33
Michael and Camilla are an interracial couple navigating a long-distance relationship despite living in the same city.
Role Model
Experimental | Runtime: 2:05
A Black man attempts to make himself beautiful.
Bosom
Drama | Runtime: 11:33
When estranged sisters Jade and Amber reunite at their mother’s funeral, long-held resentments and painful secrets surface.
SWITCHIN’
Experimental Dance Film | Runtime: 6:15
A lyrical dance film using vocal percussion to explore the mixed reality of Black voices in a white world.
Cottage Grove (2023)
Drama | Runtime: 13:24
A young man struggles to communicate with his stroke-afflicted father while staying true to himself.
Works in Progress
Accessories
Experimental Satire| Runtime: TBD
In a pristine dollhouse world, two Black toys are summoned to fix absurd problems until their slow unraveling reveals a hidden tragedy.
Closed Mouths
Psychological Drama | Runtime: TBD
A struggling filmmaker confronts his flaws while racing to submit a competition-winning script in one night.
George Ellzey Jr. is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker and Telly Award–winning director based in Chicago. His work has screened at Athens International, Tallgrass, and Black Harvest, with projects featured on AMC+, NBC5, and OTV. He is the founder of Cottage Grove Productions and is currently developing his debut feature SHADES, set for filming in fall 2026.
TYLER MICHAEL BALENTINE PRESENTS… SUNDAY’S BEST
From the programmer of Life Within the Lens at Music Box Theatre, Tyler Michael Balentine brings Sunday’s Best, a Black History Month program featuring short films from local Black filmmakers who are either currently working in Chicago or have done so in recent years.
