Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita

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!

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

Congrats to Maria Finitzo and the entire Terra Incognita team for another well-deserved award.  The film won "Best Feature Documentary" at the 2009 Kos International Health Film Festival in Greece.  Director/Producer Maria Finitzo and Producer Justine Nagan attended the festival on behalf of the doc.  It screened to a crowd of nearly 200 people in the outdoor cinema in downtown Kos.

A recent screening of Terra Incognita kicked off the two-day, tenth anniversary celebration of the discovery of stem cells at UW Madison. An enthusiastic crowd watched the film and participated in a discussion following in the beautiful overture center theatre. Thanks to the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters for hosting. Maria Finitzo and Justine Nagan attended on behalf of the film.

Kartemquin is excited to announce that Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita recently took home two prizes at the Coruna Science Film Festival in Galicia, Spain. The film tied for second place in the feature category and was awarded 1,500 Euros. Additionally, the film received a "Youth Award," the highest honor given by the youth jury, and a 1,000 Euro prize.

Two exciting Terra Incognita developments this week! For those of you in the Chicago area, WTTW the local PBS station, is re-broadcasting the film this Wednesday night at 10:00pm- right after the debates! Get more information.

Then, later this month the film will screen twice on October 23rd, in competition, as a part of the first annual Science Film Festival in Galicia, Spain. Get the details.

Additionally, Kartemquin is excited to announce that Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita has been accepted to the prestigious Council on Foundations Film Festival taking place in May 2009 in Atlanta. Exciting to have two films in the fest this year!

Catch a free screening of Kartemquin's Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita at the Portage Indiana IMAX on August 3rd at 2pm. The event is being sponsored by the Northwest Indiana Spinal Cord Injury Group.

Portage 16 Theater 6550 US Highway 6 Portage, IN 46368

Kartemquin's Maria Finitzo received her MFA in "Writing for the Stage and Screen" from Northwestern University in Evanston today. Congratulations Maria!

Kartemquin's In the Family is featured in an article in today's Wilmette Life. Additionally, At the Death House Door was recently highlighted in the International Documentary Association newslestter. Check it out. In the blogosphere, Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita was recommended to faith-minded filmgoers on the Explore the Sprit blog.

Add Kartemquin's recent doc, Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita, to your Netflix queue now. The stem cell doc joins the growing list of other Kartemquin titles available on Netflix today.

We are excited to announce that Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita has been accepted into the 3rd annual International Science Film Festival in Athens next month. The film will premiere in Greece on Wednesday May 21st at 8:00pm. Get more information.

Read some coverage of the recent Virginia Tech screening of Terra Incognita.

Gordon Quinn and Maria Fintzo's journey to Virginia next week was recently covered by the Virginia Tech Collegiate Times. A reminder that both Golub: Late Works are the Catastrophes and Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita will be screened during events on campus next week.

Kartemquin staff members, and UW Madison alumni, Justine Nagan and Liz Kaar will be heading to Madison tomorrow for the 10th annual Wisconsin Film Festival. Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita is screening Sunday morning at the fest at 11:15am.

Kartemquin's Maria Finitzo will be participating in an event surrounding her recent film, Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita, at Virginia Tech in April. Finitzo will be visiting a class, participating on a panel, and answering questions following a screening of the film. The documentary will screen Monday April 14th, at 3:00pm. The event is free and open to the public. Get the details.

Kartemquin is happy to announce that Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita has been selected for the 2008 Wisconsin Film Festival. Get tickets here. This festival has special meaning as Madison, WI is where James Thomson and coworkers derived the first human embryonic stem cell line, and several of the film's crew are alumni of the University of Wisconsin. The Isthmus featured the film in a recent article about the festival.

Catch the webcast of Kartemquin's Maria Finitzo as she discusses Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita with bioethicist Cynthia B. Cohen at the National Cathedral this past weekend.

The screening was also featured on the dcist blog.

Kartemquin is excited to announce the Washington DC premiere of Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita, Saturday, February 9th. Filmmakers Maria Finitzo and Justine Nagan will be in attendance. Get the details.

We hope that you are able to catch one of the national broadcasts this week of Kartemquin's Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita. Make sure you tell PBS's Independent Lens what you think in their Audience Award Poll. Vote now.

In anticipation for tonight's national premiere of Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita, Director Maria Finitzo and Dr. Jack Kessler have been providing radio interviews about the film. Here are a few samples:

Dr. Kessler on WNYC's The Leonard Lopate Show

Maria Finitzo on WBEZ's Eight Forty-Eight

Additionally, tonight's broadcast has been featured in several publications as recommended viewing for tonight. Check out this piece by the Chicago Tribune.

Filmmaker Maria Finitzo will appear tonight on WTTW's Chicago Tonight, at 7:00pm to discuss the upcoming national broadcast of Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita. The program will also be re-broadcast at 1:00am and 4:30am.

Maria can also be heard interviewed on WBEZ's morning radio program, Eight Forty-Eight, on Tuesday, January 15th (the day of the PBS broadcast) at 9am and again at 8pm. Tune in!