It’s no secret I like documentaries, so it’s no surprise that some of my all-time films have come from Kartemquin, which began life as a filmmaking collective (the name comes from founders Stan Karter, Jerry Temaner, and Gordon Quinn) then became a production company specializing in documentaries. Kartemquin turns 60 this year, so I’m honoring that anniversary by sharing my appreciation of some of their many films.
Ten of my Favorite Kartemquin Films (in alpabetical order):
Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (2016; no U.S. streaming availability). Exactly one bank in the United States was prosecuted in relation to the 2008 financial crisis, and wouldn’t you know it would be a small minority-owned bank that looked more like an easy victim than a guilty party? Abacus is about more than the justice system, however: director Steve James also offers an intimate look at the Sung family who own and operate the bank and the Chinese-American community in New York City where it is located.
Eating Up Easter (2018; many services including Amazon Prime, Hoopla, and tubi). Besides those giant stone figures (moai), Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is most famous for its remoteness. Or used to be: today it’s part of Chile and, thanks to air travel, has become a popular holiday destination for mainlanders. Director Sergio Mata’u Rapu looks at how mass tourism is affecting traditional culture and the ecology of this unique island 2000 miles west of Chile (spoiler alert: it’s not good).
Finding Yingying (2020; Prime Video, pluto tv): Yingying Zhang, a top student in China, came to the University of Illinois in 2017 to conduct research on photosynthesis and crop productivity. Then she disappeared, with her last recorded moments captured on a security camera. Director Jiayan “Jenny” Shi offers a warm portrait of Yingying as well as chronicling of the investigation into her death and the determination of her family members to see justice done.
Hoop Dreams (1994; many services including Prime Video, HBO Max, and pluto tv). The granddaddy of blockbuster documentaries needs no introduction, and neither does director Steve James, so I’ll just say that it’s not only the best basketball movie ever, it’s also one of the best movies about American urban life. And, rumors are, it caused the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to change its selection process for documentary films.
The Interrupters (2011; many services including Prime Video, Hoopla, and Kanopy). Steve James again directing an outstanding film, this time about CeaseFire, a violence prevention organization working on Chicago’s South Side. Three individuals are centered: Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams, and Eddie Matthews, but the historical and social background of the neighborhood are also included to provide context for conditions in the present day.
Minding the Gap (2018; Hulu): The directorial debut of Bing Liu looks at the similarities and divergences of the stories of three young men (including Liu) who grew up in difficult circumstances in Rockford, IL. They bonded through their love of skateboarding, a sport that provides some real visual poetry within a thoughtful exploration of what it means to grow up in a town where economic opportunity is hard to find and domestic violence is still considered a family matter.
No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson (2010; many services including ESPN, Hulu, and Disney+). Produced for ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, Steve James’ film reveals the real story behind how NBA-star-to-be Allan Iverson came to be labeled as a “thug” who served prison time before being pardoned by the then-governor of Virginia, Doug Wilder. Spoiler alert: race had a lot to do with it, as did being a star athlete whose face was familiar to many people.
Raising Bertie (2016; Kanopy): Director Margaret Byrne follows the lives of three young African American men in Bertie County (rural North Carolina) over six years. What began as an documentary about an innovative high school became a beautifully-paced film about how these young men grow up and learn to navigate the world.
Stevie (2002; no U.S. streaming availability): Perhaps Steve James’ most personal film, Stevie looks at the life of a troubled young man for whom James was once a Big Brother. The filmmaking is simple but the result is powerful, raising questions about what we owe to other people and how long that obligation lasts.
The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013; Prime Video, Hoopla, Kanopy, Curiosity Stream, Apple TV). A non-verité documentary by Bill Siegel looking at the career of Muhammad Ali, with the focus more on politics than sports, including his conversion to Islam (which, obviously, shouldn’t be political at all) and his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War. It’s particularly worth watching to remind yourself of just how much Ali was a target of hate in his prime (I could say the same for Martin Luther King, Jr.), even if everyone professes to love him today.
Five Kartemquin Films I Want to See:
Barbara Forever (Byrdie O’Connor, 2025). Offers a look at the life and career of pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer, who refused to accept limitations and has a lot to say about everything.
In the Game (Maria Finitzo, 2015). Follows the mostly Hispanic players on a girls soccer team in Chicago as they deal with a variety of on- and off-field challenges and try to access the American Dream of a college education. I’ve seen this type of film many times with boys as the subject, so I’d love to see how it works with girls at the center.
My Omaha (Nick Beaulieu, 2025). Director Beaulieu returns to Omaha to assess the community’s political activism and make peace with his pro-Trump father who is dying of cancer. Despite my local connections (I grew up in Nebraska and have relatives near Omaha) this is not a homer vote, since this film sounds like it deals with issues a lot of people are facing right now.
Paradise Valley (Kimberly Reed, in production). Doc about the efforts made in Montana, Detroit, and Arizona to adapt agriculture to a changing world, whether by embracing regenerative techniques, building urban food systems, or better supporting farmworkers.
Riders of the Dawn (Katrina Lillian Sorrentino, Prairie Rose Seminole, in production). Four Indigenous women prepare for the 2025 Medicine Wheel Ride (on motorcycles, through the annual Sturgis rally), which supports efforts to end violence against American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian women. | Sarah Boslaugh
*Don’t forget to check your local public library, especially for the movies not available for streaming!
