Chicago in the Spotlight: A Retrospective with the Cast and Crew

Becoming a Rose

This Rose will forever be Chicago Red.

House Music: A Cultural Revolution

House music is a genre that connects, uplifts, and unites people. It resonates globally and is prevalent on the world’s biggest music stages. Born in Chicago, this sound developed during the turbulent 1970s when a group of predominantly gay Black artists, who faced constant harassment, pioneered a new type of dance music at underground venues. House music became the anthem of safe spaces, free from the racism and homophobia of the outside world, ultimately igniting a cultural and musical revolution.

When the West Side Burned

In the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, chaos erupted on Chicago’s West Side. Grief turned into anger as protests, riots, looting, and fires consumed some neighborhoods. Audio-narrated descriptions of key visual elements are available.

Share the Care

An anti-littering public service announcement from the Chicago Park District

For Those That Lived There

Amidst the ivy-draped remnants of once-notorious public housing projects, FOR THOSE THAT LIVED THERE weaves a visual tapestry, navigating the poignant impacts of gentrification, the displacement of Black legacies, and the emergent migrant narratives. Against Chicago's ever-evolving skyline, this evocative exploration immerses audiences into the soul of a neighborhood transformed.

The Boss and the Bulldozer

Chicago mayor Richard J. “Boss” Daley had a lofty vision for Chicago’s downtown. Over the course of his 21 years in office, Daley’s ambitious urban renewal initiatives were the foundation of the city’s infrastructure and at the same time displaced the poor and people of color while perpetuating racial segregation. Audio-narrated descriptions are available.

The Rise and Fall of the Mail Order Giants

In an age before online commerce and Amazon, the catalog was king – and two Chicago mail order giants were responsible for making goods and services accessible to the masses. Chicago Stories traces the histories of Sears, Roebuck and Montgomery Ward and the rivalry between the two bold innovators who founded them and forever changed the way we shop. Audio-narrated descriptions are available.

Blowfish

A drifting young high school dropout gets himself employed at a suburban fish store, where he decides to steal a rare and valuable pufferfish that will help him start his life afresh. In his efforts to sell the precious item to a wealthy collector, the scheme begins to deteriorate into paranoia, dangerous situations, and unhealthy relationships. When faced with the results of his dishonesty, he must confront himself and understand the true consequences of his actions.

Sam Wants Her Sweater Back

Three queer friends launch a half-witted heist to steal back a sweater from one of their exes. But recovering from heartbreak isn't quite the slick-lit, neon-noir adventure one of them imagines.

Soldiers

In a time of political turmoil, a striking factory worker struggles to find sexual satisfaction. As unrest turns to violence, his desire takes him down an unexpected path.

All the Broken Flowers

When an underachieving writer spontaneously hosts his former best friend on a layover, he is forced to grapple with their complicated past and confront the faults in his own relationship.

My Christmas Valentine: I Forgot Christmas!

Everyone in the town of Yuletide, Arizona celebrates Christmas year-round. Everyone, that is, except town scrooge Penelope Roche Duplossier. But when a freak coconut bonking accident on New Year’s Eve wipes Penelope’s memory of Christmas, a local reporter helps her discover the true magic of the season.

Prom King

The Prom King goes on a journey of self discovery.

The 6 Days Struggle at the Myong-Dong Cathedral

This is a documentary about 6 days of struggle at Myong-dong cathedral, which triggered the struggle of the June 1987. In the night of 10th June the protest group was chased by the police, came into the Myong-dong cathedral by accident. Their conflicts and hope, political situations of the time are seen in the film with various sources and witnesses. This film seeks hope for today while showing critical reinterpretation on the struggle of the June 1987.

Die Sachsen - Piraten. Heiden. Kaiser

Piero Pelù - Rumore dentro

Documentary based on Piero Pelù.

Newport and the Great Folk Dream

Powerful music leaps from the air and can change the actual world. At the Newport Folk Festivals in the early 1960s, the molecules were electric with rebellion and democracy, with anger and hope. Musicians drove that change — Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger but also banjo players from coal country, remote Georgia gospel artists, rural Canadian fishermen, and the opportunities created for the urban kids to mingle with those they’d not ordinarily encounter.

Francesco de Gregori - Nevergreen

De Gregori's last concert that flopped really hard.

Broken English

A survivor, provocateur and true original, Marianne has spent more than six decades defying expectations — releasing over thirty-five albums while constantly reinventing herself. Made with her full involvement, Broken English is an intimate and unflinching exploration of a fractured yet unbreakable life shaped by fame, creativity and relentless public scrutiny.