John Digles

John Digles is an actor, writer and producer who has earned critical praise for his work and recognition as a catalyst in bringing film production back to the U.S. As an actor, Digles became a notable performer in Chicago's vaunted theatre community when he earned a starring role in a theatrical production with the European Repertory Company that gained international acclaim. He was cast in numerous commercials, industrials and plays and built a network of extraordinary artists. John produced and co-starred in "Design" (2002), an independent film that sparked the careers of several accomplished Chicago actors and gained notoriety for its complex screenplay and inventive filmmaking approach. "Design" earned several firsts in technical achievement, including becoming the first feature film to screen as a 35mm print transferred from HD assemble of Super 16mm reversal film. "Design" was an Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival, won top awards throughout its global film festival tour, and secured an arthouse theatrical run before its broadcast premiere on the Sundance Channel. Digles produced the World War II documentary, "The 95th: The Iron Men of Metz", a historic account of the famed U.S. Army unit, the 95th Infantry Division. The 95th was a breakthrough hit at the Maryland Film Festival and was celebrated with audiences and veterans groups in its U.S. festival tour, leading to its broadcast premiere on PBS. Digles' third feature, "Hollywood", premiered at the CineVegas and attracted an ardent following on the film fest circuit. Digles' films stream on multiple platforms, including YouTube and Prime Video. He led a successful effort with other movie industry leaders to gain legislative passage of Illinois' first film production tax incentive, which attracted Hollywood studio movies and major network television and streaming series to the state. The tax incentive was renewed, expanded, and strengthened as it generated record-setting revenue for the state and created thousands of new jobs with diverse hiring practices. The film production incentive became a model for other states and helped increase film production nationally.