Chicago Media Project Presents the 3rd Annual "DOC10" Film Festival April 5-8, 2018 at the Davis Theater With The Chicago Premiere of Oscar-Winning Director Morgan Neville's Won't You Be My Neighbor?

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CHICAGO – February 22, 2018 - Chicago Media Project returns for a third year of highly curated and multi-faceted programming highlighting 10 of the best documentary films of the coming season followed by engaging post-screening Q&As, live performances and other special events.  The only festival of its kind in Chicago, DOC10 2018 takes place April 5-8, 2018 at the Davis Theater located at 4614 N. Lincoln Avenue. 

This year’s DOC10 opens with Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville’s WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?, a touching and insightful look at America’s favorite neighbor, Mister Fred Rogers. Called “comfort food for an uncertain era” by Variety, this rousing portrait takes us beyond the zip-up cardigans and land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination. 

Opening night festivities will also include a “Toast to Public Television” celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Mister Rogers Neighborhood and 30 years of P.O.V. – television’s longest running showcase for independent nonfiction film.

"We are thrilled to open DOC10 with Morgan Neville’s engaging portrait of Fred Rogers, and to celebrate all that Public Television has brought to mainstream audiences, including POV, PBS's long-standing showcase of independent documentary filmmaking,” says Paula Froehle, CEO and Co-Founder of DOC10 and its parent, Chicago Media Project. "We are truly in the golden age of documentary film, and POV has been an integral part of that development.”

Closing night of DOC10 will feature a special tribute to award-winning filmmaker Eugene Jarecki with the Chicago premiere of THE KING – a celebrity-filled musical road trip charting Elvis’s rise to stardom alongside an exploration of the American dream. 

“With films such as The Trials of Henry Kissinger, Why We Fight and The House I Live In, Eugene Jarecki has consistently proven himself to be a vital and bold filmmaker, unafraid to take on big issues with the skill of a master essayist,” says DOC10 curator Anthony Kaufman. “We cannot wait to talk with him about his work, American politics, and Elvis’ ‘Unchained Melody.’”

The Festival is also proud to present a "Special +1" screening of RBG - Betsy West and Julie Cohen's inspiring Sundance crowdpleaser about trailblazing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

Additionally, DOC10 will include the Chicago premieres of Kartemquin Films’ MINDING THE GAP, which follows three longtime friends over the course of several years in Rockford, IL ; BISBEE ’17, the latest work from boundary-breaking filmmaker Robert Greene (Kate Plays Christine); and two top award-winners from Sundance - ON HER SHOULDERS and CRIME + PUNISHMENT. 

A full list of films is below with all screenings taking place at the Davis Theater:

  • 306 HOLLYWOOD (Directors Elan and Jonathan Bogarin, U.S., 2018) followed by Q&A with Directors Elan and Jonathan Bogarin
  • BISBEE ’17 (Director Robert Greene, U.S., 2018) followed by Q&A with Director Robert Greene via Skype
  • CRIME + PUNISHMENT (Director Stephen Maing, U.S. 2018) followed by Q&A with Director Stephen Maing and Sgt. Edwin Raymond
  • DEVIL’S FREEDOM (Director Everardo Gonzalez, Mexico, 2017) Q&A TBA
  • LOVE MEANS ZERO (Director Jason Kohn, U.S., 2017) followed by Q&A with Director Jason Kohn
  • MINDING THE GAP (Director Bing Liu, U.S., 2018) followed by Q&A with Director Bing Liu
  • ON HER SHOULDERS (Director Alexandria Bombach, U.S. 2018) followed by Q&A with Director Alexandria Bombach
  • RBG (Directors Betsy West and Julie Cohen, U.S. 2018) Q&A TBA
  • THE KING (Director Eugene Jarecki, U.S./Germany/France, 2018) *Closing night tribute to Eugene Jarecki with Q&A and musical performance
  • THE OTHER SIDE OF EVERYTHING (Director Mila Turajlic, Serbia/France/Qatar, 2017) followed by Q&A with Director Mila Turajlic and Srbijanka Turajlic
  • WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? (Director Morgan Neville, U.S., 2018) followed by Q&A with producer Caryn Capotosto and other special guests

"The DOC10 Film Festival is always the first and often the only chance for Chicagoans to view these films on the big screen, providing an exclusive opportunity for local audiences to step out of their comfort zones, away from their devices and become part of the conversation together with fellow members of the community," adds Chicago Media Project and DOC10 Co-Founder Steve Cohen. 

The DOC10 weekend will also include a Pop-Up Lounge where guests are welcome to “continue the conversation” together with filmmakers and invited guests;  a celebratory “Pitch and Mimosas Brunch” during which 3 new documentary projects are able to present to the crowd; the presentation of Chicago Media Project’s 2018 Impact Grant Fund recipients and a panel discussion together with Mother Jones - Docs, Journalism and Truth in the Era of Fake News.  Chicago Media Project will also debut its “VR RV” – transporting guests to the intersection of experiential virtual reality technology and documentary storytelling and raising awareness of social issues in a unique way, the "VR RV" will be housed in a recreational vehicle parked in front of the Davis Theater throughout the festival weekend!

ABOUT CHICAGO MEDIA PROJECT - Chicago Media Project (CMP) is a member-based philanthropic community of documentary film lovers who believe in the power of media to bring about social change, providing grant-support and networking opportunities for documentaries and media making a real difference.  CMP Invest/Impact, comprised of a subset of CMP members, is a related but separate equity fund that finances documentary features with commercial appeal. A portion of returns are then donated to CMP’s Impact Grant Fund established by CMP I/I members who are committed to paying it forward via philanthropic grants to documentary filmmakers. Over the past 4 years, CMP and CMP I/I have raised over $3 million in support of social impact media, financed more than 60 documentary films including STEP, WHOSE STREETS?, VOYEUR, TROPHY and ICARUS; and founded the first and only documentary film festival of its kind in Chicago - DOC10

IMAGES AND PRESS MATERIALS CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOLLOWING DROPBOX LINK:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/879b5h7ivrrhsew/AAD_Tn4eC-EzR0TfE92qvECJa?dl=0

TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT DOC10.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS PLEASE CONTACT:          
LARA BOGENRIEF
lara@bogenriefPR.com 
773-396-8427

Paula Froehle