On December 5th, 2015, the International Documentary Association (IDA) honored Gordon Quinn, Kartemquin founder and artistic director, with their prestigious Career Achievement Award at the 2015 IDA Awards.

Haskell Wexler and Chaz Ebert gave the award to Gordon, who received a standing ovation from the audience at the Paramount theater in Los Angeles.

In his speech, Gordon urged documentary filmmakers to work to make the documentary industry "more diverse" and to remain engaged in the political issues affecting their artistic practice. "Make the field what you want it to be. Don't ask how you can fit in. Ask how we can make this field serve the needs of what it needs to be," he said. He also stated that he shared the award with all the Kartemquin filmmakers from over the organization's 50 years, "an incredible journey." Gordon also described how during the distribution of Hoop Dreams he was asked by a publicist to "stop using those D words... Democracy and Documentary," and how he has always rejected that advice, and embraced them as the core of his life's work. Listen to the full audio here

We salute and thank you, Gordon. And we thank the IDA for honoring him in this way, and for hosting a memorable celebration.

"What's really important is that documentaries play a part in the democratic process." - Gordon Quinn. https://t.co/EjCjJsEFhL #IDAawards

— Kartemquin Films (@Kartemquin) December 8, 2015

Gordon Quinn - @IDAorg career achievement winner - on the red carpet for the #IDAawards. pic.twitter.com/LXhX5afqw3

— Kartemquin Films (@Kartemquin) December 6, 2015

The #IDAawards are about to begin! Gordon Quinn with Haskell Wexler, Chaz Ebert, and team HARD EARNED! pic.twitter.com/3g7lM33JyB

— Kartemquin Films (@Kartemquin) December 6, 2015

The legendary @HaskellWexler and @ChazEbert present the #IDAawards Career Achievement to our founder Gordon Quinn. pic.twitter.com/AWo42GEMbs

— Kartemquin Films (@Kartemquin) December 6, 2015

"I was inspired by Leacock, Rouch, Pennebaker, Drew, so it's incredible for me to win an award that they also won" - Gordon Quinn #IDAawards

— Kartemquin Films (@Kartemquin) December 6, 2015

"Don't ask how you can fit in but how you can change things." -Career Achievement honoree Gordon Quinn #IDAawards pic.twitter.com/lFAUpOgcqD

— The IDA (@IDAorg) December 6, 2015

Gordon Quinn helped to create ITVS. Through @Kartemquin we've worked on films together like The Interrupters, The New Americans & many more

— ITVS (@ITVSIndies) December 6, 2015

Congrats to the incredible Gordon Quinn @Kartemquin for a very deserved @IDAorg Career Achievement Award! #IDAawards pic.twitter.com/O3F5vrvsgI

— Hot Docs Industry (@hotdocsindustry) December 6, 2015

Congrats @Kartemquin @IDAorg: "Don't ask how you can fit in but how you can change things." Gordon Quinn #IDAawards pic.twitter.com/Om8pzyyPuY”

— Liz Garbus (@lizgarbus) December 6, 2015

Deeply proud of my friend Gordon Quinn of #Kartemquin for his very well deserved Career Achievement Award #IDAawards pic.twitter.com/oDDVlNBIGa

— Lois Vossen (@Lois_Vossen) December 6, 2015

Not just at celebrations #filmmakers applaud Gordon Quinn every day. Thanx for the enduring support all these years! https://t.co/LjYTjW9lnF

— Andrea Kalin (@andreasparkler) December 6, 2015

Congratulations again to our founder, Gordon Quinn, #IDAawards career achievement award winner! Thanks @IDAorg! pic.twitter.com/ohXjYMGNK7

— Kartemquin Films (@Kartemquin) December 6, 2015