Just Mercy is the true story of young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) and his history-making battles for justice in Alabama. Stevenson refuses to back down as he fights a legal system without mercy stacked against him and his clients at every turn. One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), a man whose clear innocence means nothing to the corrupt and compassionless forces Stevenson doggedly takes on.
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City, Living: Chicago Stories
Synopsis
Chicago-made short films create a patchwork of perspectives on life in the city.Featuring a profile of a busker (Red Line Lounge), an exploration of the city’s bricks (Sacred Brick Technology), a comedy about a souvenir salesman (BJs Mobile Gift Shop), a document of the reversal of the Chicago River (The Reversal), an examination of gun violence (4 Corners), a rumination on family and place (Under the Skyway), and a comedy about a dog sitter (Close Ties to Home Country).
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Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands
Synopsis
Best known for her 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, internationally celebrated singer Marian Anderson’s career was propelled by her immense talent, but also steered by limits imposed by racism and segregation. Director Rita Coburn adapts archival recordings of interviews and performances alongside intimate correspondence, brought to life by actors Regina Taylor and Harry Lennix, to center Anderson’s own voice. Balancing public triumphs with personal struggles, this powerful documentary tells the story of a pioneering artist and civil rights activist in her own words.
Screenings & Events
Post-Screening Discussion
In-person post-screening discussion with director Rita Coburn.
Post-screening discussion presented by: 
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With Drawn Arms
Synopsis
Tommie Smith is the track-and-field gold medalist who famously raised a gloved fist at the ’68 Olympic games to protest racial inequality in America. With Drawn Arms tells the story of that iconic moment and examines its lasting influence on the Civil Rights movement and the ongoing fight for racial equality. Featuring an intimate conversation with Smith himself in addition to interviews with Jesse Williams, Jemele Hill, Megan Rapinoe, and the late John Lewis, the film explores the historical intersections of protest, politics, race, and sports.
Media
Just Mercy
Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland
In 2015, Sandra Bland, a politically active black woman from Chicago, was arrested for a traffic violation in a small Texas town. Three days later, Sandra was found hanging from a noose in a jail cell. Combining Bland’s video blogs with extraordinary access to her family’s testimony and their legal team, Say Her Name is both an engrossing murder mystery and a disturbing account of systemic racism and neglect.
212 W Van Buren St., Suite 400
