Stevie (2002) by director/producer Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters, Life Itself) is now available to stream on Netflix. Challenging and ethically complex, James describes Stevie as "The hardest film I've made. Also the most honest. And the saddest." Continued

During January 2017, Saving Mes Aynak will be streaming on Netflix. This is a major opportunity for the film to be seen by American audiences and is now available with Spanish subtitles, making it easier to share at bilingual workplaces and schools. The Brent Huffman-directed film has won 25 awards in total since it’s release in 2014 including both the Grand Prize and Audience Prize at the 2016 ICRONOS Film Festival. For even more features, purchase the DVD, which includes 15 minutes of never-seen-before scenes from Mes Aynak, as well as closed captions and foreign language subtitles in French, German, Italian, and Japanese. Continued

Unbroken Glass, the debut feature from director Dinesh Das Sabu comes to the Gene Siskel Film Center at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago from Friday, February 17-23 for its first theatrical run. Tickets available HERE. Continued

Abacus has been voted among the Best of Fest at the 2017 Palm Springs International Film Festival, featuring the award-winning and audience-favorite films of the festival. Lauding the film as an "Immensely sympathetic portrait,"Abacus the festival will screen Abacus on Monday, January 15th at 2PM. Continued

As 2017 begins, certain social issues explored in our films are becoming particularly pertinent. For the next 45 days, receive 45% off the following titles on DVD or streaming in our VHX catalogue with the code: DEMOCRACY ON DISABILITY: When Billy Broke His Head on DVD Refrigerator Mothers on DVD and VHX ON BEING AMERICAN: American Arab on DVD and VHX Continued

The Bertie County Hive House, originally an alternative school for young men in Bertie County, North Carolina, which now operates as a community center has received a $150,000 grant through the North Carolina Development Initiative, provided by Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. The donation will go towards renovations for the community center, founded by Vivian B. Saunders, who is featured in Raising Bertie. Saunders, Dr. Gary Cordon of the Victory Temple Church in Windsor and Tara Kenchen of the NC Community Development Initiative recently discussed their perspectives on the work of the Hive and what it means to be raised in Bertie on the Black Issues Forum on UNC-TV. Continued

The 6th episode of Stranded by the State, entitled "Early Childhood Development" premieres today. A collaboration between In These Times and Kartemquin Films, the series is directed, edited and produced by Kartemquin associate Liz Kaar and explores the human impact of Illinois' budget crisis. Continued

The fourth episode of Stranded by the State, entitled "Adult Literacy" premieres today. A collaboration between In These Times and Kartemquin Films. the series is directed, edited and produced by Kartemquin associate Liz Kaar and explores the human impact of Illinois' budget crisis. Episode 5: Adult Literacy Episode 5 of the series examines the effects of the budget crisis on adult educational services in Illinois, with a specific focus on adult literacy classes. We meet Daysi Funes, the Executive Director of Centro Romero, a community-based organization that serves the refugee immigrant population on the northeast side of Chicago. Due to the budget impasse, the organization has laid off 17 English teachers in 2016. Continued

In the Game and Peabody-award winning director Maria Finitzo traveled to Tajikistan with the American Film Showcase this past December 8-17 to screen In the Game. The film was chosen by the U.S. State Department to be one of the 10 films to participate in the program, and In the Game and Finitzo are scheduled to travel to India and Morocco in February and April with the showcase. In the Game screened at six different American Corners, partnerships between the Public Affairs sections of the US Embassies and host institutions that provide access to current and reliable information from and about the US. Continued

In honor of our 50th Anniversary Year, we streamed every Kartemquin Film for free, week by week, all year. Our films were watched by viewers in 49 countries around the world. Here are the top eight films that viewers watched most: 8. Trick Bag (1974) A classic from Kartemquin's early years, Trick Bag features gang members, Vietnam vets and young factory workers from Chicago's neighborhoods sharing their personal experiences with racism: who gets hurt and who profits. The project grew out of Peter Kuttner's association with Rising Up Angry, a radical working-class organization, many of whose members are featured in the film. Continued