Steve James

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Celebration: Michael Kutza, Founder of the Chicago International Film Festival.

CHICAGO – It was a night of stars, tributes and memories as Cinema/Chicago, the organization that presents the annual Chicago International Film Festival, honored the Founder of the Fest (and longtime Artistic Director) Michael Kutza at their 2018 Summer Gala on July 14th. Appearing on the Red Carpet to honor the Chicago cinema icon, who will be retiring at the end of the year, were movie stars Kathleen Turner and Terrence Howard, directors Andrew Davis (“The Fugitive”) and Steve James (“Hoop Dreams), as well as the iconic movie producer Paula Wagner.

CHICAGO – It was an amazing Oscar season in 2018 for Chicago-based Kartemquin Films. Two of the their documentary film productions, “Edith + Eddie” by director Laura Checkoway and “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”) were nominated at the 90th Academy Awards. Both films will be showcased at the Midwest Independent Film Festival on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2018, at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema in Chicago For more information, ticket purchasing, click here.

CHICAGO – Oscar Week is upon us, and Chicago is represented with a nomination in the Best Documentary (Feature) category at the 90th Academy Awards on March 4th, 2018. “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail” is directed by Steve James of Chicago’s Kartemquin Films, and is one of five nominees for the prestigious award.

CHICAGO – The documentary maker Steve James, one of the best in the history of cinema, has a resume of quality reporting through feature film that is stunning in its context. The director of “Hoop Dreams,” “Stevie,” “The Interrupters,” “Head Games” and the Roger Ebert biography “Life Itself” has a new doc, focusing on one repercussion of the financial crisis of 2008, subtly entitled “Abacus: Small Enough to Jail.

CHICAGO – Kartemquin Films is concluding its Fall Festival tonight on Friday, November 4th, 2016, with a special presentation of clips from three upcoming documentary projects. The film house, famous for the legendary “Hoop Dreams,” will show previews of ”America to Me” by director Steve James; “Eating Up Easter” by Sergio Rapu; and ”Dilemma of Desire” by Maria Finitzo. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

CHICAGO – In the final chapter of a three-part interview, Gordon Quinn of Kartemquin Films desires to evolve forward, soon after the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Chicago documentary house have past.

CHICAGO – It has been 22 years since one of the greatest documentaries in film history was released, and it was created right here in Chicago by Kartemquin Films. “Hoop Dreams,” produced by Gordon Quinn (among others) and directed by Steve James, was a turning point for Kartemquin, which had at the time been making socially focused docs for over 30 years. As part of the film company’s 50th anniversary, Gordon Quinn revisits the groundbreaking film.

CHICAGO – Two months ago, producer/director/cinematographer/editor Gordon Quinn received the Baadasssss Award from the 2016 CIMM Fest, for his longtime contributions to the cinema scene in Chicago through Kartemquin Films. The famous production house, known for their documentaries, is celebrating their 50th anniversary.

CHICAGO – One of the specialities of HollywoodChicago.com is the film and personality interview. The majority of these chats came through me, Patrick McDonald, and I couldn’t narrow it down to a top 10 or even a top 20. For 2014, there were 25 top interviews, and it is a diverse range of voices.

CHICAGO – The discovery of an outsider artist’s eccentric creations leads to the testing revelation of a public shame in “Almost There,” a definitively human documentary that mixes the idiosyncratic canvas of “Grey Gardens” with the compassion of “Hoop Dreams.” Making its Chicago premiere tomorrow night at the Gene Siskel Film Center, “Almost There” has sold out its 7:45pm screening, but tickets a