Kartemquin’s ‘City So Real’ to premiere at Sundance

Kartemquin Film’s City So Real, the newest project by two-time Academy Award-nominated director Steve James, will make its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, running January 23-February 2.

The four-hour miniseries is a mosaic portrait of current-day Chicago that delivers a deep, multifaceted look into the soul of America’s third-largest city, set against the backdrop of its history-making 2019 mayoral campaign.

Sundance will premiere the first two episodes as one of just eight projects in the Indie Episodic program.

ALSO READ: Kartemquin announces recipients of $90K in grants

 

Above: a frame from Steve James’ “City So Real”

 
Steve James at Sundance
City So Real will be Steve James’ ninth project to screen at Sundance, following Hoop Dreams (1994), and most recently, America to Me (2018). The series marks his third in collaboration with producer Zak Piper, following The Interrupters (2011) and Life Itself (2014).

Read Kartemquin’s interview with James about the making of the series here.

 
Behind the scenes
City So Real is a co-production between Participant Media and Kartemquin Films. The series is directed by Steve James, and produced by Zak Piper and Steve James. Edited by David E. Simpson and Steve James. Cinematography by Jackson James and Steve James. Original music composed by Will Miller and Resavoir. Field Producers Sylvetta Christmas, Fenell Doremus, Janea Smith. Executive Producers Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Alex Kotlowitz, Gordon Quinn, Betsy Steinberg, Jolene Pinder.

 
About Kartemquin Films
Sparking democracy through documentary since 1966, Kartemquin is a collaborative center empowering filmmakers who create documentaries that foster a more engaged and just society. The organization’s films have earned four Academy Award nominations and several major prizes, including six Emmys, four Peabody Awards, multiple Independent Spirit, IDA, PGA and DGA awards, and duPont-Columbia and Robert F. Kennedy journalism awards. Kartemquin is recognized as a leading advocate for independent public media, and has helped hundreds of artists via its filmmaker development programs that help further grow the field, such as KTQ Labs, Diverse Voices in Docs, and the acclaimed KTQ Internship. Kartemquin is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization based in Chicago. www.kartemquin.com.

 
Top photo A still from City So Real by Steve James, an official selection of the Indie Episodic program at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Photographer | photo by Steve James.

 
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