THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS PRESENTS: DEMOCRACY AT RISK
In collaboration with the Gene Siskel Film Center, the League of Women Voters of Chicago presents four cinematic explorations of democracy’s trials and tribulations.
Underscoring the League’s dedication to stimulating conversation, enhancing understanding about democratic institutions, and the crucial role of civic involvement, Democracy at Risk features four films that highlight historical and relevant issues shaping politics. Whether you're a seasoned activist or new to civic engagement, Democracy at Risk will deepen your appreciation for democracy's complexities and the vital work that goes into fostering informed and active participation in government.
Film Showings:
Monday, September 16, 6:00 pm: PUNCH 9 FOR HAROLD WASHINGTON
Wednesday, September 18, 6:00 pm: ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN
Friday, September 20, 6:00 pm: COSTA-GAVRAS’ “Z”
Saturday, September 21, 2:00 pm: A FACE IN THE CROWD
BONUS!
We will have limited edition buttons from Busy Beaver Button Co. available to all film series attendees. Don't miss the chance to get yours.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 6:00PM
PUNCH 9 FOR HAROLD WASHINGTON
2021, dir. Joe Winston
USA, 90 min.
In English / Format: Digital
Harold Washington’s 1983 election victory signaled a new era for Chicago. After surviving one of the dirtiest political campaigns in American history, Washington took office with a promise to improve public education, reform city government, and protect civil rights. Navigating the treacherous waters of Chicago's political landscape, Washington confronted formidable opponents and challenges, both within his own party and from external forces, before his untimely death less than a year into his second term. PUNCH 9 FOR HAROLD WASHINGTON, winner of the Chicago International Film Festival’s documentary Audience Choice Award, is a thrilling portrait of Chicago’s first African American mayor, the battles he fought, and the legacy he left.
INTRODUCING THE FILM: SPECIAL GUESTS JACKY GRIMSHAW & RAYMOND LAMBERT
Activist and public policy advocate Jacquelyne D. Grimshaw worked for the campaign of Chicago Mayor Harold Washington and, in 1984, she joined the Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. In 1986, Washington named her his top legislative aide. There she played a critical role in pushing forth the mayor's legislative agenda. After Washington's untimely death, Grimshaw went on to serve as deputy city treasurer for economic development.
Raymond Lambert has more than two decades of experience in the entertainment business. In 2017 he earned a Peabody Award serving as an Executive Producer on the documentary Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise; earned writer and producer credits for the Showtime Networks documentary PHUNNY BUSINESS: A Black Comedy and is currently serving as a Producer on Punch 9 For Harold Washington. He was named to the inaugural class of the Diverse Voices in Documentaries Fellowship, a partnership between the highly regarded Kartemquin Films, The Community Film Workshop, and The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Raymond earned his B.A in Marketing from Morehouse College and his MBA from the University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business.
Grimshaw and Lambert will introduce PUNCH 9 FOR HAROLD WASHINGTON on Monday evening, September 16 before film begins at 6:00 PM.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 6:00PM
ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
1976, dir. Alan J. Pakula
USA, 138 min.
In English and Spanish with English subtitles / Format: 35mm
Mere months before the 1972 Nixon/McGovern presidential election, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) is assigned to cover what appears to be a minor break-in at the Democratic Party National headquarters. He quickly learns there is far more to the story. Teaming up with fellow Post reporter Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman), the two men uncover one of the greatest political scandals in United States history. As gripping and revealing as when it was released nearly fifty years ago, Alan J. Pakula’s eight-time Academy Award-nominated ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN remains as one of the best movies ever made about journalism, justice, and American politics.
5:00 PM: MEET SPECIAL GUEST JILL WINE-BANKS
Please join us for a Wine Reception for special guest Jill Wine-Banks beginning at 5:00 PM in the lobby of the Siskel Film Center! Wine-Banks also introduces the film ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN at 6:00 PM. Bring your copies of The Watergate Girl for Jill to sign!
Jill Wine-Banks, a distinguished attorney and MSNBC Legal Analyst, is a prominent figure in political and legal discourse. A celebrated author, Wine-Banks’s memoir, The Watergate Girl, has been optioned for film adaptation. Wine-Banks began her law career as the first woman to serve as an organized crime prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Four years later, she was hand-picked to be one of the three Assistant Watergate Special Prosecutors in the obstruction of justice trial against President Nixon's top aides. Nixon was named an unindicted co-conspirator in that case, but the evidence presented led to Nixon’s resignation.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 6:00PM
Z
1969, dir. Costa-Gavras
France Algeria, 127 min.
In English and French and Russian with English subtitles / Format: Digital
Costa-Gavras’s urgent and pulse-pounding Z begins with a bold statement: “Any similarity to actual events or persons living or dead is not coincidental. It is INTENTIONAL.” Yves Montand (THE WAGES OF FEAR) stars as a left-leaning public figure whose murder during a political demonstration is covered up by the military and government officials. Loosely based on the 1963 assassination of activist Gregoris Lambrakis, Z pulses with energy and outrage, a political statement as much as it is a political thriller. Winner of the Academy Award for best International Film, Z is essential viewing for every voter, and, as Roger Ebert wrote, “Is a film of our time. It is about how even moral victories are corrupted. It will make you weep and will make you angry. It will tear your guts out.” Film courtesy KG Productions.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2:00PM
A FACE IN THE CROWD
1957, dir. Elia Kazan
USA, 126 min.
In English / Format: Digital
Disturbingly prescient and chillingly relevant, Elia Kazan’s A FACE IN THE CROWD chronicles the rise and fall of Larry Rhodes (Andy Griffith, in his debut role), who is plucked out of obscurity (and a drunk tank in Arkansas) and put on the radio by local entertainment producer Maria Jeffries (Patricia Neal). Rhodes quickly gains popularity for his charismatic “tell it like it is” perspective, and as his fame and ego inflate, capitalizes on his stardom to endorse a presidential candidate for personal gain. A FACE IN THE CROWD is a savage cautionary tale about the incestuous relationship between media and politics and the danger of celebrity. As Rhodes says himself, “I'm not just an entertainer. I'm an influence, a wielder of opinion, a force... a force!”