L-R: Frederick Marx, Peter Gilbert, and Steve James
Steve James has been directing and producing award-winning documentaries for Kartemquin Films for eight years.
"HOOP DREAMS" is the first feature-length film he has directed. Recently, he co-directed, co-wrote, and edited "Higher Goals," the half-hour educational companion piece to "Hoop Dreams," which premiered on PBS and was nominated for a national Emmy award. In 1991, James wrote and directed "Grassroots Chicago," a documentary on the crucial role that community organizations play in Chicago as they fight for social change. Among its awards was a first place in the BRAVO Channel's "Community Cinema" Awards. His films have won awards at festivals in Chicago, New York, Germany, and Spain, among others.
As a freelance director and producer, James has made numerous other award-winning films and videos, including "Stop Substance Abuse," which features Michael Jordan, football great Walter Payton, and other professional athletes.
James received a BS in Communication Arts from James Madison University in Virginia in 1977 where he also played basketball for one year under current Cleveland Cavaliers Coach Mike Fratello. He received an MFA in Film Production from Southern Illinois University in 1985. Born in Hampton, Virginia, James now resides in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois with his wife and their three children.
In addition to co-producing, co-directing and co-writing "Higher Goals," which was nominated for an Emmy, Frederick Marx recently co-produced and edited "Out of the Silence," an hour-long documentary about the international fight for human rights. Two other recent films, "Hiding Out for Heaven," and "Dreams from China," premiered at the New York Film Festival, and "Dreams from China" was broadcast nationally on the Learning Channel's "Distant Lives" series after receiving awards at major film festivals including Bombay, Vancouver, Hawaii, and Chicago.
Marx has also won awards for his freelance work as a producer, director, and/or editor on a wide variety of educationals and industrials. His subjects include care giving for the elderly, stopping sexually transmitted diseases, and the perniciousness of the alcohol industry's advertising. Additionally, he has over 5 years experience working in film distribution and exhibition.
While living and working in China for two years in the early '80s, Marx lectured on American Independent Film and screened his films throughout the country.
Marx received a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies and Political Science from the University of Illinois in 1978, and a Master of Fine Arts in Film Production from Southern Illinois University in 1983. Born in Philadelphia, he now resides in Chicago.
Peter Gilbert is a filmmaker and director of photography based in Chicago. His film credits include the 1990 Academy Award winning, feature-length documentary, "American Dream," directed by Barbara Kopple; "A Long Way Home," directed by Michael Apted, produced and distributed worldwide by Granada TV; the Peabody Award winning "Age 7 in America," produced by Michael Apted and directed by Phil Joanou, which was broadcast on CBS-TV; and "Bookmark: Day of the Dead," produced and directed for the BBC.
Peter Gilbert has co-produced and photographed "Higher Goals," which was nominated for a national Emmy. His work for PBS series include "Nova," "American Master," and "Great Performances."
Gilbert has also lensed and directed music videos for REM, Drivin' n Cryin', Rude Boys, Ten City, Paul Shaffer and the Late Night Band, and Don Dixon. He has also worked on concert films for Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel, and Lou Reed.
Recently, Gilbert was Director of Photography for the ABC weekly television drama, "Missing Persons," starring Daniel J. Travanti. Born in Chicago, he is a graduate of New York University Film School, and currently resides in Chicago.
Gordon Quinn was one of the original founders of Kartemquin Films in 1966, serving as producer, director, cameraman, and editor on a wide variety of documentary and educational films. Most recently, Gordon was the executive producer of "Hoop Dreams'" companion piece, "Higher Goals." Other nationally broadcast award-winning productions Gordon has directed and co-produced include "Golub," a documentary on art, politics, and the media, featuring the work of New York artist Leon Golub; "The Last Pullman Car"; "Taylor Chain I, A Story in a Union Local," and "Taylor Chain II, A Story of Collective Bargaining." He also recently co-produced "Grassroots Chicago."
Some of Kartemquin's earlier films produced by Gordon have just been released to the home video market through Facets Multimedia, including "The Inquiring Nuns," "Winnie Wright, Age 11," and "What the Fuck Are These Red Squares."
In addition to his documentary work, Gordon has long been a longtime supporter of community based groups, and served on the boards of National Coalition of Public Broadcast Producers, Chicago Access Corporation, Chicago Area Film and Video Network, Citizens Committee on Media, and Chicago Filmmakers.
Catherine Allan is Senior Executive Producer for National Programming at KTCA-TV. She is currently overseeing the production or development of several national series and specials for PBS, including an upcoming documentary series, "The American Revolution," and "Pathfinders," a 13-part children's series on values.
Ms. Allan's credits include PBS specials, "Grant Wood's America," "Kids Ask About War," "Castro's Cuba," "Legend of the Wolf," "Christmas at Kings," and "Higher Goals." Her numerous awards include the Ohio State Award and awards from the Chicago Film Festival, the International Film and Television Festival of New York, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
"HOOP DREAMS" is the latest in a long line of award-winning films produced by Chicago's most prestigious documentary production company. For over 25 years Kartemquin's documentaries have examined contemporary society by chronicling the stories of real people as they unfold. Their first film, "Home for Life" (1967), followed two new residents' adjustment to life in a home for the aged. Roger Ebert found it, "Extraordinarily moving...recording moments of deep human emotion."
[Fine Line Home] [Hoop Dreams Home]
™ & © MMV New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS OF USE