Kartemquin Films
Kartemquin Films is a home for independent media makers who seek to create social change through film. With a noted tradition of nurturing emerging talent and acting as a leading voice for independent media, Kartemquin is building on over 45 years of being Chicago’s documentary powerhouse.

KEEP TALKING
KEEP TALKING

2018  Native American Studies  American Studies  Kartemquin Films  Cultural Studies  Indigenous Studies 

Keep Talking follows four Alaska Native women fighting to save Kodiak Alutiiq, an endangered language now spoken by less than 40 remaining fluent Native Elders.

ALMOST THERE
ALMOST THERE

Kartemquin Films  Art History  Aging / Gerontology  Psychology & Psychiatry  Disabilities  Cinema Studies  Media Studies  Family Relations  Criminal & Law  Health  American Studies  Photography  Human Sexuality  2017 

Humorous and candid, Kartemquin Films' documentary Almost There is a fascinating portrait of eccentric "outsider" artist Peter Anton. Living in a home that has been consumed by mold and filth, the octogenarian has produced a startling collection of unseen paintings, drawings, and notebooks. The film’s remarkable journey follows this witty and gifted artist through startling twists and turns.

RAISING BERTIE
RAISING BERTIE

2016  African-American Studies  American Studies  Sociology  Criminal & Law  Education  Family Relations  Alcohol & Drug Abuse  Directed by Women  Kartemquin Films 

Recorded over six years, Raising Bertie delivers an authentic and tender portrait of the lives of three young boys as they face a precarious coming of age within Bertie County, a rural African-American community in North Carolina. Another harrowing work from the acclaimed documentary powerhouse Kartemquin Films, the film shows the process of growing up in a place afflicted by generations of economic and educational segregation.

CITY OF TREES
CITY OF TREES

2016  Kartemquin Films  Environmental Studies  American Studies  Labor Studies  Criminal & Law  African-American Studies  Urban Studies  Political Science  Sociology  Health  Business 

A complex tale of social justice, urban forestry and community politics, City of Trees portrays the struggles of a DC non-profit to challenge the cycle of poverty and violence in blighted urban areas by implementing an ambitious "green jobs" program that hires 150 unemployed residents to plant trees in underserved parks.

AMERICAN ARAB
AMERICAN ARAB

Islamic Studies  American Studies  Middle Eastern Studies  Religion & Spirituality  Kartemquin Films  2014  Immigration 

A provocative look at the complexities of Arab identity in post 9/11 America, American Arab interweaves filmmaker Usama Alshaibi's own story, and that of his family, as well as other Arab Americans to thoughtfully explore the values, passions, hopes and perceptions of his community, from inside and out.

AS GOES JANESVILLE
AS GOES JANESVILLE

American Studies  Labor Studies  Political Science  Sociology  Economics  American History  Business  Cultural Studies  Kartemquin Films  2013 

With efforts to recall newly elected Governor Scott Walker making national news, As Goes Janesville provides an in-depth account of the struggles and hopes of union workers, business leaders and elected officials in Janesville, WI to rebuild their town's economy following the closure of the local General Motors plant.

THE INTERRUPTERS
THE INTERRUPTERS

2011  Kartemquin Films  Women's Studies  Urban Studies  Sociology  Peace & Conflict  Latino Studies  Criminal & Law  American Studies  African-American Studies 

From Steve James, acclaimed director of Hoop Dreams, and Alex Kotlowtiz, bestselling author of There Are No Children Here, The Interrupters is an epic documentary work exploring violence in America, a look at an innovative program in which former gang members disrupt violent situations as they happen.

TYPEFACE
TYPEFACE

Art History  American Studies  Media Studies  Kartemquin Films  2010  Directed by Women 

In the age of Photoshop, Typeface explores the centuries-old tradition of hand-making wood type and the role it played in American graphic design. The latest documentary from award-winning production company Kartemquin Films, Typeface further examines the surprising resurgence of this analog craft in a digital age.

AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR
AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR

Criminal & Law  American Studies  Latino Studies  Religion & Spirituality  Kartemquin Films  2009 

An impassioned exploration of the legal and ethical issues surrounding capital punishment, this award-winning documentary looks at the death penalty through the eyes of Pastor Carroll Picket, who served 15 years as a death house chaplain in a notorious Texas penitentiary and presided over 95 executions.

THE NEW AMERICANS
THE NEW AMERICANS

2009  Chicano Studies  Kartemquin Films  Political Science  Latino Studies  Latin-American Studies  Anthropology  American Studies  African Studies  African-American Studies  Immigration 

A landmark seven-hour documentary series, The New Americans follows the lives of a diverse group of contemporary immigrants - from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, India, Nigeria and Palestine - to offer a kaleidoscopic picture of immigrant life in the U.S. Available for the first time in its entirety on DVD.

GOLUB: LATE WORKS ARE THE CATASTROPHES
GOLUB: LATE WORKS ARE THE CATASTROPHES

Terrorism Studies  New York City  Kartemquin Films  Women's Studies  Sociology  Photography  Media Studies  Latin-American Studies  Jewish Studies  Criminal & Law  Art History  American Studies 

An acclaimed documentary on American artist Leon Golub, whose politically charged work calls attention to human rights violations and the abuse of power around the world.