Kartemquin will for the first time announce recipients of $150,000 in grants for up to 15 films at the 2018 Kartemquin Films Empowering Truth Benefit Luncheon, taking place on November 1st at 11:30am at the Union League Club of Chicago. Continued

"Some documentary makers are adept at addressing the structural forces that govern society, and others are skilled at emotional, character-driven storytelling, but few do both simultaneously with the richness and precision of Steve James." – Akiva Gottlieb, Los Angeles Times The first episode of the 10-part docu-series from director Steve James premiered last Sunday, August 26 on STARZ not only to wide critical acclaim, but also marked the kick-off of a multitude of watch parties and episode discussions across the country – including at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Want to host a watch party? Learn more about the America to Me Real Talk social impact campaign here. Continued

"Eye-opening... an invaluable look at where inequity begins, as well as the difficulty of getting to the place where it ends." – James Poniewozik, The New York Times "An urgent, inspiring and often heartbreaking look at teenagers who are playing for the highest of stakes." – Scott Tobias, The Washington Post Continued

America to Me, the 10-part documentary series from director Steve James, begins a nationwide 10-city tour tomorrow, August 24, in Atlanta, GA. The tour is part of the America to Me "Real Talk" civic engagement and educational outreach campaign launched by Participant Media alongside the release of the series, which premieres on STARZ this Sunday, August 26 at 10pm ET/9pm CT. The campaign aims to inspire dialogue and action around the issues of race and equity highlighted in the docu-series. Continued

Audiences turned out in droves for two special preview screenings this week of the upcoming docu-series America to Me by Steve James. The series airs on Starz beginning August 26, 9PM CST. The epic 10-part series follows students, teachers and administrators in suburban Chicago's Oak Park and River Forest High School, one of the country's most exemplary and diverse public schools, over the course of a year as they grapple with decades-long racial and educational inequities – in addition to the challenges that today's teenagers face. The first-ever public screening in Oak Park of episodes one and two of the series took place on Monday, August 13th at the Lake Theatre, and was presented by Kartemquin Films, Participant Media, Starz, and Oak Park and River Forest High School. All 500-plus free tickets to the event were reserved in less than an hour. Continued

Acclaimed director Steve James will receive Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival's 'Sustained Excellence in Documentary Filmmaking Award' on the closing night of the fest at 6:30PM on August 26. The fest will also screen James' 2018 Academy Award-nominated film Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, the first two episodes of James' upcoming Starz-acquired series America to Me, and Bing Liu's Minding the Gap (executive produced by James). Screenings: Saturday, August 25 7:15PM - Abacus: Small Enough to Jail Sunday, August 26 1PM - America to Me Sunday, August 26 4PM - Minding the Gap Continued

Kartemquin is thrilled to share America to Me, which will make its US television premiere August 26 at 9PM ET/PT on Starz. The 10-part docu-series is created by Emmy® Award-winning and Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters, Life Itself, Abacus: Small Enough to Jail) and produced by Kartemquin Films and Participant Media. Variety released the official trailer for the series this morning. You can also read about the series and view the trailer in the Chicago Tribune. Continued

Kartemquin is thrilled to share that long-time Kartemquin associate Steve James has been announced as the 2018 AFI DOCS Charles Guggenheim Symposium honoree. Read the official release from AFI DOCS here. James will be honored on June 14 at 6:30PM at the National Museum of American History's theater, where episode one of the James' upcoming docuseries America to Me will screen. The evening will also include an in-depth conversation with James along with clips from his acclaimed works. Purchase tickets here. Continued

Minding the Gap and America to Me will both travel to Durham, North Carolina, this April for screenings at the 2018 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, running April 5-8. SCREENING TIMES: Minding the Gap: Saturday, April 7 - 4:20PM (Director Bing Liu in-person) America to Me: Sunday, April 8 - 7:30PM (Director Steve James and editor Leslie Simmer in-person) Continued

Starz, a Lionsgate company, today announced the premium cable network has acquired the unscripted 10-part docu-series America to Me, created by award-winning filmmaker Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters, Life Itself), and produced by Participant Media and Kartemquin Films. Continued