Kartemquin Films

Kartemquin Films For 60 years, KTQ Films has been making documentaries that examine society through real stories. Documentary Powerhouse.

A new article in IDA’s Documentary magazine by Kartemquin alum, Risé Sanders-Weir, dives into the ethical questions at t...
12/22/2025

A new article in IDA’s Documentary magazine by Kartemquin alum, Risé Sanders-Weir, dives into the ethical questions at the heart of HOLDING LIAT — consent, trust, and responsibility in moments of profound vulnerability.

We’re very proud to be involved with the Kramer Brothers’ film, HOLDING LIAT, recently shortlisted for the Oscars. Brandon and Lance Kramer have been part of the Kartemquin community for many years, and this piece beautifully reflects the values they’ve long practiced in their work.

We’re especially grateful to see Gordon Quinn’s name and influence acknowledged here—an enduring throughline in how this kind of filmmaking gets made, and taught.

Check out the article here: https://www.documentary.org/online-feature/building-consent-brandon-and-lance-kramer-holding-liat-0

While the weather may be frigid, everyone here at Kartemquin is still glowing from the warmth and joy of our 2025 Divers...
12/15/2025

While the weather may be frigid, everyone here at Kartemquin is still glowing from the warmth and joy of our 2025 Diverse Voices in Docs Culminating Event & Showcase! ✨❄️

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate our incredible 2025 DVID Fellows and their projects (slide one, top row L-R):

Obed Lamy, KONTREDANS
amaranta, WE ARE SEEDS
Cherrelle Swain, ANCESTRAL HEALING
Myron Miller, DOORS OFF
Mariam Atallah*, BREAKING SALT
(*pictured on slide two)

Join us in congratulating these filmmakers on completing the fellowship and creating meaningful, authentic works of art!

A huge thank you is owed to our dedicated 2025 DVID Mentors, all of whom are DVID Alums:

Erika Valenciana, DVID '15, mentor to Obed Lamy
Leigh Jurecka, DVID '15, mentor to amaranta
Eric Seals, DVID '20, mentor to Cherrelle Swain
Reginald Rice, DVID '16, mentor to Myron Miller
Sam Rong, DVID '20, mentor to Mariam Atallah

Your guidance and mentorship make this program invaluable.

Our presence was graced with ANOTHER incredible DVID Alumna & current Supervising Producer for our Zhao-Chen Family AAPI Voice Fund, Cindy Martin (DVID '22), who moderated a panel with our fellows after their showcase. Thank you for helping celebrate this new cohort of graduated fellows!

An additional thank you is owed to our gracious hosts at and to our friends for supporting our Diverse Voices in Docs storytellers with the best brews in Chicago. 🍻📽️

The application for DVID 2026 is LIVE NOW! Apply here: https://kartemquinfilms.submittable.com/submit

Join us for a special virtual screening + conversation ofHSA Strike ’75 with director Judy Hoffman and doctor/activist H...
12/12/2025

Join us for a special virtual screening + conversation of
HSA Strike ’75 with director Judy Hoffman and doctor/activist Howard Ehrman!

- Thursday, Dec. 18
- 7pm CST (5pm PST / 8pm EST)
- Free with registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hsa-strike-75-wjudy-hoffman-and-howard-ehrman-tickets-1976919389110?aff=oddtdtcreator

Fifty years ago, interns and residents at Cook County Hospital launched the longest hospital strike in U.S. history—18 days demanding the staffing, equipment, and dignity their patients deserved.

This film captures it all: the protests, the pressure, and the radical belief that everyone deserves care.

Register now to join the screening + live discussion!

Absolutely thrilled that BARBARA FOREVER will be premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Documentary C...
12/11/2025

Absolutely thrilled that BARBARA FOREVER will be premiering at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Documentary Competition! This film is a result of years of such dedicated work from our fantastic team. We can’t wait to share it with you.

BARBARA FOREVER is an archive-driven exploration of the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering le***an filmmaker Barbara Hammer.

Directed by Brydie O’Connor

Produced by Elijah Stevens, Brydie O’Connor & Claire Edelman

Executive Produced by Killer Films
a Space Time Films production
a Kartemquin Films co-production
in association with Diorama Media

Executive Producers - Christine Vachon (), Matthew Perniciaro ()

Editor - Matt Hixon ()

Composer - Taul Katz ()

Consulting Producers - Zackary Drucker (), Jenni Olson ()

Associate Producer - Chet Pancake (.pancake)

Supervising Sound Editor - Gisela Fullà Silvestre (, )

Colorist - Esmé Smith ()

Re-recording Mixer - Eli Cohn ()

Score Producers - Interlude Sounds (.sounds)

Additional Cinematography - J. Sterling Bennett (.dp), Chet Pancake, Joey Carducci (), Miasarah Lai (), Brydie O’Connor

Graphics - Lauryn Siegel ()

Assistant Editor - Zoë Miller

Archival Producer - Brydie O’Connor

Archival Assistants - Bella Feinstein (), Lisa Bell Weisdorf ()

With incredible support from Kate Silsbury, the Hulu Kartemquin Fund, NYSCA, Women Make Movies, Brooklyn Arts Council, The Stonewall Foundation, and others.

Thank you to everyone who gave, shared, reposted, or simply cheered us on yesterday. Together, this community pushed the...
12/03/2025

Thank you to everyone who gave, shared, reposted, or simply cheered us on yesterday. Together, this community pushed the Doc Futures Fund to meet 35% of our $30K goal. This is such a beautiful start!

Let’s keep this energy going through December! We will keep building toward a stronger, more inclusive future for independent film. 💛🎥

This is the heart of it all ❤️ “Kartemquin was the catalyst not only to my documentary career… they were also the source...
12/03/2025

This is the heart of it all ❤️

“Kartemquin was the catalyst not only to my documentary career… they were also the source of healing for myself and my entire family.” - Colette Ghunim, DVID Alum & director of KTQ Co-Production, TRACES OF HOME.

Community. Care. Healing through storytelling.

This is what you uplift when you give to the Doc Futures Fund.
There’s still time to push us across the finish line. Every gift — big or small — helps independent stories make it to the screen.

Chip in before midnight → bit.ly/DocFuturesFund

Filmmaking with integrity takes time, mentorship, and community. “Kartemquin is deeply invested in documentary ethics an...
12/02/2025

Filmmaking with integrity takes time, mentorship, and community.

“Kartemquin is deeply invested in documentary ethics and the relationship building required to tell stories responsibly and with care.” - Landon Kramer, KTQ Lab Alum & producer of KTQ Co-Production, HOLDING LIAT

This work matters, and with your support, we can keep protecting the craft and ethics of independent documentary filmmaking.

Give today and shape the future with us → bit.ly/DocFuturesFund

Real talk from filmmakers 👇 “KTQ Labs was pivotal. The early, tough-but-thoughtful feedback reshaped my creative path an...
12/02/2025

Real talk from filmmakers 👇

“KTQ Labs was pivotal. The early, tough-but-thoughtful feedback reshaped my creative path and made my film stronger from the ground up.” - Dave Yim, DVID Alum

This is what your Giving Tuesday gift makes possible : it creates spaces where filmmakers can grow, experiment, and push their stories further.

Donate to support the next wave of storytellers. ✨

Give today → bit.ly/DocFuturesFund

12/02/2025

🎁 Giving Tuesday starts now. 🎁

Independent storytelling matters more than ever and the Doc Futures Fund is how we protect it.

Today we’re raising support to fuel the next generation of truth-tellers, filmmakers, and community-rooted stories.

Give today → bit.ly/DocFuturesFund

12/01/2025

✨APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN✨

We are kicking off DVID DECEMBER with our application for the 2026 DVID Fellowship! This year-long Fellowship, founded and run by KTQ and Community Film Workshop of Chicago, supports emerging filmmakers who identify as Black, Indigenous, or another person of color in the Midwest.

Learn more and apply HERE!: https://kartemquinfilms.submittable.com/submit

🎟 Be sure to grab your tickets to our 2025 DVID Culminating Event this FRIDAY, December 5th!: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diverse-voices-in-docs-2025-culminating-event-tickets-1936206749509?aff=oddtdtcreator

🗓 Save the Date! 🗓The 2026 Diverse Voices in Docs Fellowship Application will open on December 1st, kicking off ✨DVID DE...
11/13/2025

🗓 Save the Date! 🗓

The 2026 Diverse Voices in Docs Fellowship Application will open on December 1st, kicking off ✨DVID DECEMBER✨.

Submissions will be accepted through January 12th, 2026. Mark your calendars and tell your friends!!

APPLICATIONS OPEN: December 1, 2025

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: January 12, 2026

Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Address

1757 North Kimball Avenue, Suite 103-A
Chicago, IL
60647

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 6pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 6pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 6pm
Thursday 9:30am - 6pm
Friday 9:30am - 6pm

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