On November 13th, the Channel 4 BRITDOC Foundation will announce which documentary film wins the 2013 PUMA Impact Award. Our The Interrupters is one of the 5 nominated films, chosen for making the most significant social impact over the last year. Huffington Post UK profiled some of the highlights of The Interrupters audience engagement campaign, after speaking to Patrick Lile, Outreach Coordinator for the film, and Tim Horsburgh, Kartemquin's Director of Communications and Programs. Continued

We are very excited to be bringing home The Trials of Muhammad Ali to Chicago today! The film is opening in theaters on the North, South and West sides of the city, with the great Khalilah Camacho-Ali (former wife of Muhammad Ali) and director Bill Siegel attending screenings across opening weekend. Continued

Rolling Stone has placed our 1994 film Hoop Dreams at the very top of their list of "15 Sports Documentaries to Cheer About." The magazine writes: "This excellent movie was filmed over a five-year period and follows two inner-city basketball players from Chicago as they pursue their NBA dreams. Although the film was universally praised by critics – Roger Ebert called it "one of the great moviegoing experiences" of his lifetime – it was completely snubbed at the Oscars. The resulting outcry ultimately led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to revise its nomination process." Continued

IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam), the world's largest documentary film festival, is just one week away. We are honored to have three films at the festival, and have compiled the full schedules for each film below. Usama Alshaibi's American Arab will have its World Premiere at IDFA; Dan Rybicky and Aaron Wickenden's Almost There has been selected to deliver a Central Pitch at the 2013 IDFA Forum; and The Trials of Muhammad Ali, directed by Bill Siegel, will have its European Premiere at IDFA. Continued

The Trials of Muhammad Ali has secured a second week of bookings at all three Chicago venues it is currently playing in: the Music Box Theatre, ICE Lawndale, and Chatham 14. If you're in Chicago, you have until Thursday November 21st to catch the film - and to help it perhaps get a third round! Continued

Usama Alshaibi's American Arab will have its World Premiere this Friday, November 22 at IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam), the world's largest documentary film festival. Iraqi-American director Usama Alshaibi who has spent 4 years working on the film, a personal, provocative documentary that deals with US attitudes to Arabs after 9/11, American Arab weaves his own story which encompasses racist violence, death, humor, and rebirth with that of other Arab Americans. Continued

Our new documentary on the life of Roger Ebert, Life Itself, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to raise $150,000. LIFE ITSELF - uniting a community of Roger Ebert fans from Kartemquin Films on Vimeo. Continued

Since appearing at the inaugural Good Pitch Chicago in October, our in-progress documentary The Homestretch received over $40,000 in finishing funds from The Chicago Community Trust, the Ebert Foundation, the Baskin Family Foundation, the Vicki and Bruce Heyman Foundation and the Mullen Family Foundation. These donations are providing crucial funds to keep going through the end of the year. The film, about homeless youth in Chicago, is focused on raising the remaining funds needed to keep editing to a finish in the New Year. An end of the year campaign to raise $20,000 to support their next steps with a composer and to make the film broadcast ready are underway. Continued

Kartemquin has sold all rights in the international marketplace (minus the US) for our latest documentary, American Arab, to Cargo Film & Releasing. New York-based international documentary film sales agent Cargo Film & Releasing struck the deal with Kartemquin following the IDFA 2013 (International Documentary Festival Amsterdam) world premiere of Iraqi-born director Usama Alshaibi’s provocative, personal look at look at the contradictions of Arab identity in post 9/11 America. Negotiations were finalized at IDFA late on Monday November 23rd by Cargo’s David Piperni, and Kartemquin’s Gordon Quinn, Justine Nagan and American Arab director Usama Alshaibi. Continued

We appreciate all the support you have given us this year. As a thank you for the holiday season, we're offering a 25% discount on purchases in the Kartemquin store. This discount is available now through December 31st with the coupon code KTQTHANKS13. Continued