CHICAGO — The XL Film Festival and Summit unites industry experts to offer audiences an engaging experience. It features stimulating discussions and film presentations that honor storytelling through the mesmerizing medium of cinema.

Troy Pryor, the Founder of Creative Cypher XL Film Festival, realized the significance of “removing the need for permission” by connecting undiscovered diverse talent with major media platforms. Through his entertainment brand Creative Cypher, Pryor has built a talent ecosystem that includes the “XL Lab.”

“The lab was design to put grant dollars in the hands of rising storytellers,” Pryor said.

The “XL Lab” empowers budding creators, ensuring their stories are told by providing access to industry experts who mentor and support independent artists. The Lab is a year-round initiative, aimed at giving emerging storytellers practical opportunities to produce a film from start to finish.

“We realized that we needed to have a showcase opportunity, and that’s when we decided to expand into a film festival,” Pryor said.

Creative Cypher has grown into a global network of entertainment partners. This year’s partners feature Chicago’s own with the Tate Brothers, Larron, Lahmard and Larenz Tate.

“We’ve been a part of various film festivals but nothing here in Chicago,” Tate said. The partnership is buzzing around the entertainment industry, which has led to multiple celebrities and major media companies to partner with the film festival. “It brings us together. And other communities begin to see that and want to be a part of it.”

Troy Pryor and the Creative Cypher team continue to influence the creator economy by fostering an inclusive environment that champions authenticity, innovation, and empowerment in storytelling.

This year’s festival takes place August 14 – August 23.

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