The Evolution of Documentary Film and Its Intersection with Advocacy Movements in Chicago
Chicago, with its rich history of activism and cultural diversity, has been a significant hub for documentary filmmakers who seek to merge art with advocacy. It is in this city that I have spent the last 20 years filming it's communities. From large scale social events, weddings, corporations, businesses and non-profits - I have had the privilege of sitting with people from all walks of life to document their experiences. I deeply love Chicago and it's peoples. When studying film here, unsure of what direction I wanted to take in my career - I first thought, like most budding filmmakers, that I was destined for Hollywood. As I set on that path, I found that "breaking in," as a young woman in the late 90s was not easy. As luck would have it, my filmmaking teachers were diverse and I had been dabbling in documentary work with some of the best in our city. While I don't have IMDB credits for my work. I have over 20 years of producing community documentaries with local non-profits, families, businesses, corporations and brands. That work ignited my passion. I see myself as an outlier in an industry that rejected me; forging my own path in collaboration with a large swath of Chicago community in hopes that my thousands of hours of producing screen time adds to the tapestry of Chicago history. Even as media in the "social media age," is fleeting. It's impact reduced to momentary virality, I do believe in the power of documentary film to affecuate change. I've seen it raise millions in funds, change laws, combat bias and update harmful narratives. But what I am most moved by on a day to day basis is how it humanizes our world. Our city long been a playground for such art. Below are some of my personal favorites in how documentary arts and community co-mingle in Chicago.
Cartwright Pictures, focused on the working-class experience, often highlighting the struggles and triumphs of immigrant communities. These films were among the first to use the medium as a tool for social commentary.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the Chicago Workers’ Film and Photo League emerged, documenting labor struggles, racial discrimination, and the plight of the poor. Their films were not just art; they were calls to action, aimed at raising awareness and mobilizing support for social justice causes. The League’s work exemplified the early intersection of documentary film and advocacy, a relationship that would only grow stronger in the decades to come.
The Civil Rights Movement: A City in Transition
The 1960s brought a wave of social and political upheaval across the United States, and Chicago was no exception. The city was a focal point for the Civil Rights Movement, with activists fighting for racial equality, fair housing, and workers' rights.
Kartemquin Films, a Chicago-based production company founded in 1966, quickly became known for its commitment to social justice, producing films that explored issues of race, labor, and inequality. You likely know them from their Oscar winning film: Hoop Dreams. Long before Tik-Tok street interviews; Inquiring Nuns, is a prime example of how documentary film can document community mood. The film follows two Catholic nuns as they roam the streets of Chicago, asking people, "Are you happy?" This created within the landscape of the DNC riots of 1968 uses cinema veritè to document the social climate. Opinions of those interviewed vary across socio-political and diverse identities. Created with the Chicago Catholic Adult Education Center it's worth noting that it's patrons never requested a single edit. The film clearly influenced by jean Rouch and Edgar Morin's Chronicle of A Summer - is Chicago's version of a community moment in the 1960's. I am biased as I learned from their filmmakers and was shaped deeply by their vision for the medium and while I don’t think this is the group’s best film it is a beautiful snapshot of our city.
The Rise of Community Storytelling
As the Civil Rights Movement evolved, so too did the methods and approaches of documentary filmmakers in Chicago. The 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of community-based filmmaking in television, with a focus on giving marginalized communities the tools and platform to tell their own stories. This era was marked by a shift from filmmakers documenting social issues from an outsider’s perspective to a more participatory approach, where the subjects of the films played a significant role in the storytelling process.
Organizations like the Community TV Network (CTVN) were instrumental in this movement. Founded in 1978, CTVN aimed to empower Chicago’s youth by teaching them video production skills and encouraging them to create films about their own lives and communities. This grassroots approach to documentary filmmaking blurred the lines between filmmaker and subject, making the medium a more inclusive and democratic form of storytelling. CCTV and CTVN were instrumental in the days before youtube when community based media making for TV was created via PBS. “Welcome to the Peace House” was produced by 12 students (names below), from two of Chicago’s South Side high schools: Winnie Mandela and Progressive Leadership Academy – with CTVN instructor, Bill Sacco.
Fun fact: I worked on a CCTV fashion show, that showcased designers from the South-Side, as an unpaid director intern for two years. I literally directed the show and was paid for it in opportunity bucks in the late 90s. I knew nothing about fashion but I liked interviewing people, showing their work and directing a crew.
Contemporary Voices: Documentary Film as Advocacy
Today, Chicago remains a vibrant center for documentary filmmaking, with a new generation of filmmakers continuing the tradition of using the medium to advocate for social change. Kartemquin evolves their process to empower young filmmakers with Ashley O'Shay at the helm directing this truth bomb of a documentary: Unapologetic. It is a sharp, timely and poignant portrait of life on the South-Side. A reminder that while for some, activism is a choice, for those fighting for their communities - it is not. It is life. Created long before the movements of 2020 but released right at the moment we needed it - in the wake of the George Floyd protests, Unapologetic roots it's work in the smaller scale protests that are an everyday standard in Chicago's South-Side. A community that is burdened with decades of racist ed-lining practices and over policing. Documenting advocates directly as they work to build a movement, the toll it takes on their lives and the enormity of the work before them tackling systems that engulf their communities.
Chicago has also become a hub for experimental and multimedia documentary projects. Organizations like Chicago Media Project and Full Spectrum Features are at the forefront of this movement, supporting innovative projects that push the boundaries of the documentary form while staying rooted in a commitment to social justice. It has been fun to watch the talent in our city grow in this direction. I'm super excited to see what the next evolution is and am grateful to be working here.
Ok, now one of mine.
Last year, I had the opportunity to work on this project with the MacArthur Foundation and Press Forward Chicago. Directing, filming and editing this with the team at Fig Media. It is currently touring nationwide for conversation and fundraising. The project aims to put dollars in the hands of community based grass roots journalism, like the three we feature here. It debuted at the Obama Foundation summit. Access to quality journalism is vitally important in the mis-information age and empowers advocates with coverage for their causes. “People have a right to know what is happening in their community,” Irene Romulo, Cicero Independiente.