Chicago Industry Exchange Lab (CIX:LAB) – Program Manager
As the inaugural Program Manager for the CIX:LAB at the Chicago International Film Festival, Amber Eswani successfully launched and managed this year-round industry initiative focused on elevating emerging and mid-career filmmakers. She oversaw the full scope of programming—including filmmaker labs, one-on-one advisory sessions, and major public-facing events such as the Annual Pitch Event and two Industry Days, which featured community mixers and masterclasses with high-profile guests.
Over the course of the year, CIX:LAB events drew nearly 400 attendees, creating a vibrant, collaborative space for filmmakers, producers, funders, and film professionals. Amber played a key role in curating and coordinating appearances by award-winning guests like Jay Van Hoy (The Witch, American Honey) and Sara Murphy (Licorice Pizza, If Beale Street Could Talk).
During her tenure, the program became a launchpad for standout projects such as All Things Considered by James Choi, which won the 2022 Pitch Award and was spotlighted in major film press like Screen Magazine. The lab also supported the early development of A Real One by McKenzie Chinn, an award-winning film that went on to be the winner of the 2023 Chicago International Film Festival’s GOLD HUGO for Live Action Short Film, and long-listed for 2025 Academy Award consideration, garnering critical acclaim and industry buzz for its authentic, character-driven storytelling.
Her work included overseeing scheduling, logistics, guest relations, event marketing, and stakeholder communications—establishing CIX:LAB as a respected, dynamic space for collaboration, creativity, and career advancement within Chicago’s independent film ecosystem to the larger film industry abroad.
