A snippet of a documentary series on equity at Oak Park and River Forest High School will be shown at a Chicago film festival Friday, and filmmakers will welcome feedback from the audience.
Tim Horsburgh, director of communications and distribution for Chicago-based Kartemquin Films, said 10 to 15 minutes of “America to Me,” directed by Steve James, will be shown at ArcLight Cinemas Chicago, 1500 N. Clybourn Ave., Suite C301. The exclusive viewing is part of Kartemquin’s fall film festival, which runs Nov. 2-4.
The preview of the docuseries will be shown along with brief spots of two other documentaries made by Kartemquin Films, which is celebrating 50 years this year. General tickets are $14; VIP tickets with access to the post-screening reception are $20.
James, whose work with Kartemquin Films includes “Hoop Dreams” and “Life Itself,” is an Oak Park resident whose three children attended OPRF. His work frequently addresses race and economic inequality, Horsburgh said.
Because “America to Me” won’t be completed until 2017, “this is the only time you’re going to be able to see this footage,” Horsburgh said.
Following the viewing, the audience is invited to share its opinions with the filmmaking team, he added.
“We like to get feedback on our work while it’s still in progress,” Horsburgh said.
James and the filmmaking team have been fascinated by OPRF and view the high school as a microcosm of Chicago’s issues and America’s issues, Horsburgh said.
“It’s especially interesting to look at it in the context of OPRF being such a progressive, high-performing public school,” that still deals with equity issues, Horsburgh added.
Production began just before the 2015-16 school year started, and multiple crews — what Horsburgh said they call “story directors” — filmed throughout the school year. Production essentially wrapped after a year, he said; editing is now underway.
The crews filmed closely with teachers, students, parents and administrators inside and outside the school, which the filmmaking team was grateful for, Horsburgh said. Although filmmakers are committed to trust and fairness, he said they know it can be difficult for people to open up and let them into their lives.
Horsburgh hopes the docuseries stimulates thought and empathy.
“Our goal, fundamentally, is just to tell a story and move people emotionally,” Horsburgh said. “When you examine something through this lens, everyday moments can be quite profound.”
Participant Media, the production company behind films like “The Help” and “Food, Inc.” has financed and produced the series, Horsburgh said, and the Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation also provided some funding for the series.
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Horsburgh couldn’t comment on how the docuseries will be released, and said a release date has not yet been determined as it’s still in post-production. When the series is completed, Horsburgh added, it’s inevitable that some sort of screening party will be held in Oak Park.
For more information, visit www.ktq50.org/fall-festival. To purchase tickets, go to www.arclightcinemas.com.
Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.