CHICAGO, IL — The Midwest is winning big, and Creative Cypher is leading the charge.
At the 46th Annual Telly Awards, two Chicago-made short films backed by Creative Cypher, “Mr. Abbott” and “Cottage Grove,” brought home major honors — including two Golds and a Silver.
🏆 Award Highlights:
GOLD – 2025 Inaugural Student Film Award: Cottage Grove
GOLD – 2025 People’s Telly Award – Film & Shorts: Cottage Grove
SILVER – 2025 History Award: Mr. Abbott
Both films were featured on AMC+ during XL Fest’s “Future of Film” showcase, a Creative Cypher collaboration with Larenz, Lahmard, and Laron Tate, and will officially premiere on VTV Network this Juneteenth (June 19).
Cottage Grove, by South Side native George Ellzey Jr., captures a heartfelt story between a son and his father outside a local grocery store. Mr. Abbott, by Patrick Wimp, is a poetic docu-short honoring Chicago Defender founder Robert S. Abbott.
“These wins reflect what happens when we bet on our own,” said Troy Pryor, Founder of Creative Cypher. “George and Patrick didn’t wait for permission — they created the spotlight.”
Catch both filmmakers speaking at FilmScape Chicago this July.
🎥 Learn more: creativecypher.org
