Membership

Membership Requirements

• Membership in the Chicago Film Critics Association is restricted to professional film critics recognized by editors or producers as their commercial media outlets' official critical voices or staff authorities on the cinematic arts, and whose work has a Chicago presence.

• Members must provide film criticism and not just interviews, capsule descriptions or other pieces that offer no critical assessment.

• Member must be able to demonstrate an ongoing body of work, be it for one outlet consistently or for several.

• Educational publications and broadcast outlets (E.G. colleges and high schools) are ineligible for membership.

• Members of the CFCA cannot simultaneously hold membership in other Chicago-market film critics organizations. Membership in national organizations, such as the National Society of Film Critics and the Online Film Critics Society, is allowed.

• Members must agree to the terms of and abide by the CFCA Ethics Policy

Whether you are renewing your membership or applying for the first time, be sure to fill out the handy application form. If you are applying for the first time, you will also need to secure a letter from an editor confirming that you are serving as a film critic for the media outlet on your application. This can be sent directly to me via e-mail at petersob13@icloud.com. (Yes, you need to send one even if you are serving as your own editor.) After the new applications have been reviewed by the CFCA Board, potential members will be contacted and informed of their status. All applications are due on Monday, August 14, 2023.

The yearly membership fee is once again $75 and can be paid via PayPal at membership@chicagofilmcritics.org or through Zelle at alejandroriera64@gmail.com. While current members need to send this along with the form in order for their application to be considered complete, new applicants are asked to hold off sending their payment until their application status has been decided by the Board and they have been contacted. As with the form, the dues are also due by Monday, August 14, 2023. If PayPal is somehow not an option for you, please contact me immediately at petersob13@icloud.com so that an alternative can be found.