In Progress

In Cooked, filmmaker Judith Helfand takes audiences from one of the most extreme heat waves in US history deep into the politics of disaster. In 1995, 739 Chicago residents – most of them poor, elderly and African American – died over the course of one hot July week.

Yet it soon became clear that there was, and continues to be, an underlying disaster. Persistent and pernicious, it started long before the heat and had almost nothing to do with the weather. In the wake of the heat crisis, Dr. Steve Whitman, Chicago’s Chief Epidemiologist, correlated heat deaths to zip code. His findings were as stark as they were resonant. Where poverty was greatest, death from heat was greatest.
 

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Our Mission

Kartemquin Films is a home for independent filmmakers developing documentary as a vehicle to deepen our understanding of society through everyday human drama. Focusing on people whose lives are most directly affected by social and political change and who are often overlooked or misrepresented by the media, Kartemquin's films open up a dialogue, both in communities and between the general public and policymakers.

Kartemquin documentaries are supported by civic engagement strategies that are developed with local and national partners to foster understanding, change thinking, and build support for social change. As a locally and nationally-recognized media arts organization, Kartemquin acts as a trusted bridge between communities and the media, fosters the growth of emerging filmmaking voices passionate about social issues and media policy, and encourages staff and stakeholders to play a role in advocating for a strong public media.

Kartemquin is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.

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Internships at Kartemquin

The deadline for Spring internships at Kartemquin has passed. Applications are currently being accepted for Summer 2013. The application deadline is May 1st 2013. Apply for an internship