King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones
Synopsis
One of the most powerful Chicagoans of the 20th Century, Edward Jones built a $25 million empire as the brains and brawn behind Policy, an illegal racketeering syndicate in the 1930s and ’40s. The “Policy King” went head-to-head with Al Capone’s “Outfit” at the same time as he hobnobbed with celebrated artists including Josephine Baker, Frida Kahlo, and Duke Ellington. Using lively animated sequences and interviews with the likes of Quincy Jones and others who knew Jones’ story, filmmaker Harriet Marin Jones, the kingpin’s granddaughter, delves deep into her own extended family’s past to tell this remarkable and thrilling story of a legendary African American who rose to the heights of financial and political prominence, reclaiming his legacy as a man fighting for respect in a racist society.
Screenings & Events
Screening
Wed, Oct 19 @ 6:00pm CDT
at Chicago History Museum
*Subject to change
Screening
Fri, Oct 21 @ 6:00pm CDT
at Hamilton Park Cultural Center
*Subject to change
Media
Film Credits
- Harriet Marin Jones
- Harriet Marin Jones, Michel Fessler, Giles Gardner
- Giles Gardner, Harriet Marin Jones
- Emmanuel Guimier
- Timuel Black, Quincy Jones
- Philippe Kelly
- Abelart Productions
- https://kingofkings-film.com
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Art and Pep
Synopsis
Art Johnston and Pepe Peña are civil rights leaders whose celebrated gay bar Sidetrack has helped fuel movements and create community on Chicago’s Halsted Street for decades. Bringing together a wealth of archival video footage, photographs, and lively animated sequences, Art and Pep chronicles the story of Sidetrack, beginning with its humble origins in 1982 as a single storefront, and the lives of its proprietors. The couple fought on the frontlines of the AIDS crisis, helped co-found Equality Illinois, and have continued to serve as a beacon for equal rights through the pandemic and beyond. Mercedes Kane (2015 Festival hit Breakfast at Ina’s) returns with another loving tribute to an iconic Chicago establishment and the individuals who have transformed the site into a haven of joy and solidarity.
Screenings & Events
Screening
Thu, Oct 13 @ 6:00pm CDT
at AMC River East, Screen 11
Following the screening, join us for an after party on Sidetrack’s rooftop (3349 N Halsted St, Chicago) from 8:30-10:30pm to celebrate with Art, Pep, and the filmmakers. Your screening ticket is also your admission ticket!
*Subject to change
Screening
Sun, Oct 16 @ 1:00pm CDT
at Chicago History Museum
*Subject to change
Virtual Screening
Available to stream Oct 13 @ 12:00pm CT through Oct 23 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window. Available in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin only.
Media
Film Credits
- Nate Freyman, Sanghoon Lee
- Mercedes Kane
- C.J. Arellano
- Sanghoon Lee
- Arthur Johnston, Jose Pepé Peña, Cleve Jones, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Rep Greg Harris, Senator Mike Simmons
- Fred Kron, Jesse Case
- Daisy May Films
- https://www.artandpep.org
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The Big Payback
Synopsis
In 2021, Evanston, Illinois became the first city in the United States to approve a reparations program for some of its Black residents. How did it get there? Captivating and urgent, The Big Payback follows the dramatic journey of rookie Alderman Robin Rue Simmons as she fights to redress the wrongs of “redlining” and the legacy of slavery. Filmmakers Erika Alexander (John Lewis: Good Trouble) and Whitney Dow (Two Towns of Jaspar) chart Simmons’ emotional and political path from the onset of the pandemic through the racial protests of 2020, as she faces detractors who criticize her legislation for doing too little and supporters who herald the bill as an important first step into the future. An inspiring story of the early signals of seismic change, one citizen and then one city at a time.
Screenings & Events
Screening
Sat, Oct 22 @ 1:00pm CDT
at Chicago History Museum
Screening
Sun, Oct 23 @ 2:00pm CDT
at AMC River East, Screen 20
Virtual Screening
Available to stream Oct 13 @ 12:00pm CT through Oct 23 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window. Available in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin only.
Media
Film Credits
- Ben Arnon, Xan Parker, Erika Alexander, Whitney Dow
- Melissa Neidich, Chistopher Nizza
- Margaret Byrne, Keven Shaw, Brett Weily, Keith Walker
- Tom Efinger
- Adrien Younge
- Katy Barksdale, Joy Ann Reid, Jason Reid, Marco Williams, Adrienne Becker, Jedd Canty, Dara Canty, Spring Point Partners
- Color Farm Media, Feral Films, Reversal Pictures
Sponsors
Film Sponsor
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