At the Death House Door

As the 'noughties' draw to a close, many critics have been publishing their lists of the decade's best films. Kartemquin is honored that our 2003 film Stevie is represented in a few of these lists, capping an incredible decade of growth and achievement for our organization.

Stevie is increasingly being recognized as a modern documentary masterpiece, gaining acclaim as one of the top 25 essential documentaries of the decade in a list by popular online critic Marilyn Ferdinand. NewCity Film critic Ray Pride went even further, listing Stevie at #19 in his ranking of the decade's best films in any genre. Only one other documentary placed higher. Stevie also gained a #5 place on Filmsweep's list of the decade's best documentaries, was #1 on Collin Souter's list on eFilmCritic, and was the highest-placed documentary on this top 50. The Onion AV Club's Keith Phipps also placed the film at #57 on his top 100, and Sunday Morning Reviews ranked it at #19, calling Steve James "the best documentarian working today… to make Stevie and Hoop Dreams in one lifetime is an amazing feat."

Our 2004 series The New Americans was also heralded as "the greatest accomplishment of any documentary this decade" while placing at #2 on a list of the top 10 Chicago movies of the past decade by Chicago Beat.

During the past decade, Kartemquin Films has released ten documentaries and received numerous awards and accolades, including a MacArthur 'Genius' Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, a Peabody Award (for Terra Incognita: Mapping Stem Cell Research), an Emmy-nomination (for In the Family), a Gold Hugo (for The New Americans), and several other awards from film festivals across the world including Sundance, IDFA, Atlanta, Chicago, Full Frame, Florida and many more. Two Kartemquin films have also been short-listed for the Academy award for Best Documentary (Stevie and At the Death House Door).

As we enter into our 44th year, with three new films - Typeface, No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson, and Prisoner of her Past - screening across the world in 2010, and a number of our classic films due to be released on DVD, we look forward another decade of successful cinematic social enquiry. Happy new year!

Kartemquin is proud to announce that Library Journal has selected At the Death House Door (ISBN 978-1-56580-849-2) as one of the 10 best DVD's of 2009.

The award-winning film, directed by Steve James and Peter Gilbert, is available for purchase from the Kartemquin Store.

Acclaimed Kartemquin filmmaker Steve James will attend the Chinese premieres of his award-winning documentaries Hoop Dreams and Stevie this December in Beijing. The screenings are a part of the IDOCS International Documentary Forum, a week-long celebration of documentary film taking place at the nation's top cinema school, the Beijing Film Academy, from December 12-17. 

The unmissable double-bill of the acknowledged classics Hoop Dreams and Stevie occurs on December 13th. Despite garenering numerous awards and praise over the years, neither film has ever played inside the world's most populous nation until now. Steve James will participate in Q+A's after both screenings.

Steve will also take part in several panels discussing his own career and the current state of documentary film throughout the week (see our events page for full listings). A highlight of the week will be an exclusive, in-depth 'master class' on the production of Stevie on December 14th, in which Steve James will discuss the film with director Peter Wintonick (Manufacturing Consent).

For more information, please visit the official website.

U.S. users of iTunes can now download two acclaimed Kartemquin documentaries. Find festival favorite Milking the Rhino and the 2008 Peabody award-winning Terra Incognita: Mapping Stem Cell Research by searching for "Independent Lens" in the iTunes store. Both films are $9.99. Kartemquin looks forward to reading your reviews on the site.

Also, read Cecilia Wendiga's excellent blog post about Milking the Rhino for some links to recent outreach events related to the film, and some valuable background information on community-based conservation in Africa.

~ Watch Milking the Rhino now

~ Watch Terra Incognita now

Other award-winning Kartemquin films also available on iTunes:

~ Watch At the Death House Door now

~ Watch In the Family now

At the Death House Door has been nominated for the 2010 American Library Association Notable Videos for Adults list.  Each year a committee comprised of Video Round Table members selects up to fifteen noteworthy educational, performance or how-to titles released during the previous and current calendar years. The committee is composed of public and academic librarians, and makes its selections during the ALA Midwinter Meeting in January.  The list is published in Booklist and Video Librarian magazines.

Get more information about the Notable Videos for Adults list, and see a list of the most recent winners.

Last weekend Executive Producer Gordon Quinn and Co-Director/Cinematographer Peter Gilbert accepted the first ever outreach award from the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty for At the Death House Door. The award, which recognizes the successes of noteworthy leaders in the field, was given during the Coalition's annual conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, following a screening of the film. Peter also participated on the panel "Using the Arts to Make Change Happen," speaking about his experiences mobilizing audiences to effect change with the film.

Kartemquin's Steve James will curate a series of sports films for Full Frame's 2009 thematic program, "This Sporting Life" . In recent years, Full Frame has screened James’ Stevie, Reel Paradise, and At the Death House Door, which received the Inspiration Award at the festival last year.

James describes his involvement, “When Full Frame approached me about curating a series of sports films, it took me two seconds to say yes. Maybe it has something to do with a lifelong fascination with sports and film. And I’ve been a fan of how Full Frame selects a topic each year to do a series of films around. It challenges the viewer to engage with documentaries both thematically and historically, something that doesn’t happen enough in the festival world.”

Get more information.

Kartemquin is thrilled to announce that Peter Gilbert and Steve James have been nominated for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for At the Death House Door. It is Peter's third DGA nomination (he won in 1998 with Jerry Blumenthal and Gordon Quinn for Vietnam: Long Time Coming). It is Steve's second nomination, having previously won for Hoop Dreams.

The winners will be announced at the 61st Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 31, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. Read more.

Read these recent reviews of Kartemquin films: Milking the Rhino is covered in Variety and At the Death House Door is featured in the Chicago Reader's Best of 2008.

Leading up to the 2009 Academy Awards announcement, read some recent blog coverage of At the Death House Door with this Steve James interview by "Movie Mom." The film airs on IFC again on January 6th at 5:30pm (CST).

As At the Death House Door returns from IDFA, the buzz about the documentary short list intensifies. Watch Steve James' masterclass from the festival. Read this discussion on the hot blog or this one from the fortnightly.

A large Kartemquin contingent heads to the International Documentary Festival, Amsterdam (IDFA) today representing Milking the Rhino and At the Death House Door. Additionally, Kartemquin Board Member Pat Aufderheide is participating on a panel during the festival.

David Simpson's Milking the Rhino is in competition for the Joris Ivens Prize and the center of a large special screening at the end of the festival sponsored by OXFAM. At the Death House Door is up for a Human Rights Award and following its screening, Steve James will speak about his experiences to be joined by Peter Gilbert and Gordon Quinn for the second half. Buzz about At the Death House Door is building following yesterday's announcement about the Academy Award shortlist. Read continued coverage in The Chicago Sun Times.

Kartemquin is honored and excited to announce that their recent documentary, At the Death House Door has been included on this year's shortlist for the Academy Awards. Get the full list from Variety and from The Hollywood Reporter.. Also, read analysis of the list from film writer AJ Schnack.

Congrats to Steve James, Peter Gilbert and the whole At the Death House Door crew.

Kartemquin's recent doc At the Death House Door has its Winnipeg premiere at the "Gimme Some Truth" festival. Director Steve James will be in attendance. A post screening reception is planned. Get the details.

Catch Kartemquin's At the Death House Door at the Lake County Film Society Doc Fest, ILL - DOCS this Saturday night.

College Of Lake County - Grayslake, IL 60030 8pm

Get more information.

Kartemquin is thrilled that two of its recent documentary features will be included in this year's prestigious International Documentary Festival, Amsterdam (IDFA) in November. David Simpson's Milking the Rhino will screen in competition for the Joris Ivens Award, screening details to be announced shortly. Additionally, Steve James and Peter Gilbert's At the Death House Door will be screening, followed by "A Conversation with Steve James," on Friday, November 21st.

Kartemquin's At the Death House Door will be screening for free in Glen Ellen, Illinois at the College of DuPage on September 15. Reverend Carroll Pickett will be speaking the following day at the College. Get the details.