Filmmaker Judith Helfand's searing investigation into the politics of “disaster” – by way of the deadly 1995 Chicago heat wave, in which 739 residents perished (mostly Black and living in the city’s poorest neighborhoods).
Casts Michelle Landis Dauber, Judith Helfand, John W. Heltzel, Colleen Scott
MOVIE COMMENTS
SIMILAR MOVIES
The 11th Hour
Bring Your Own Brigade
Extreme Life & Death: The Blair Witches of Shockumentaries, Part One
'85: The Greatest Team in Football History
Topsy-Turvy
L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later
Is Love Racist? The Dating Game
Disney: Through the Looking Glass
Hoop Dreams
Chicago 10
Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Pfleger
Trouble the Water
BARABARA
A Global Warning?
Chicago at the Crossroad
The Lost Sons
The Spider and the Fly
Tornado! Hurricane! Flood!: Wonders of the Weather
Accidental Climber
Chicago Bears: The Super Bowl Shuffle
SIMILAR MOVIES
The 11th Hour
IMDB 6.7 | Aug , 2007
A look at the state of the global environment including visionary and practical solutions for restoring the planet's ecosystems. Featuring ongoing dialogues of experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James WoolseBring Your Own Brigade
IMDB 9 | Aug , 2021
An investigation into our landscape's hidden fire stories and on-the-ground experiences of firefighters and residents struggling through deadly fires.Extreme Life & Death: The Blair Witches of Shockumentaries, Part One
IMDB 3.5 | Jul , 2000
A compilation of various accidents, disasters, executions, and other acts of mayhem and human feats caught on film.'85: The Greatest Team in Football History
IMDB 8.2 | Oct , 2016
Through never-been-seen-before footage and fascinating interviews with key members of the 1985 Chicago Bears -- Mike Ditka, Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, and others -- you will hear the inside story of their historic season.Topsy-Turvy
IMDB 10 | Jun , 2024
As Cyclone Remal approached, we arrived in Debpur village of Dhankhali Upazila, Bangladesh. What struck us immediately was the stark contrast between the official warnings of impending devastation and the villagers' apparent lack of preparedness. Over the following days, amidst the unfolding chaos, we documented the lives of individuals as they grappled with the imminent threat of destruction. The film captures the overbearing anxiety that grips entire communities in the face of an approaching cyclone. Through intimate encounters, and candid interviews, we witness firsthand the resilience and fear of those directly in Remal's path. Their voices echo the overwhelming power of nature and the human spirit in adversity.L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later
IMDB 7.5 | Apr , 2017
Documentary film exploring the lives of the people at the flashpoint of the LA riots, 25 years after the uprising made national headlines and highlighted the racial divide in America.Is Love Racist? The Dating Game
IMDB 0 | Jul , 2017
Emma Dabiri looks at racism in Britain via the world of modern dating, love apps, and a national survey suggesting that young Britons could be more segregated than ever.Disney: Through the Looking Glass
IMDB 10 | Jan , 2010
Tito del Amo, a passionate 72-year-old researcher, takes the final step to unravel the enigma about the alleged Spanish origin of the American cartoonist Walt Disney, making the same journey that his supposed mother made to give him up for adoption in Chicago. A journey that begins in Mojácar, Almería, Spain, and ends in New York. An exciting adventure, like Alicia's through the looking glass, to discover what is truth and what is not, with an unexpected result.Hoop Dreams
IMDB 7.6 | Sep , 1994
Every school day, African-American teenagers William Gates and Arthur Agee travel 90 minutes each way from inner-city Chicago to St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois, a predominately white suburban school well-known for the excellence of its basketball program. Gates and Agee dream of NBA stardom, and with the support of their close-knit families, they battle the social and physical obstacles that stand in their way. This acclaimed documentary was shot over the course of five years.Chicago 10
IMDB 5.8 | Feb , 2008
Archival footage, animation and music are used to look back at the eight anti-war protesters who were put on trial following the 1968 Democratic National Convention.Radical Disciple: The Story of Father Pfleger
IMDB 0 | Aug , 2009
The story of Catholic iconoclast Michael Pfleger who made it his mission to transform the drug ravaged south side Chicago community surrounding his parish. In so doing, Father Mike has run directly into conflict with the local Catholic hierarchy. The film explores issues of racism, the power of the media, and the tension between Pfleger's 'gospel of the streets' versus traditional Church theology.Trouble the Water
IMDB 6.9 | Jan , 2008
"Trouble the Water" takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen. The film opens the day before the storm makes landfall--just blocks away from the French Quarter but far from the New Orleans that most tourists knew. Kimberly Rivers Roberts, an aspiring rap artist, is turning her new video camera on herself and her Ninth Ward neighbors trapped in the city. Weaving an insider's view of Katrina with a mix of verité and in-your-face filmmaking, it is a redemptive tale of self-described street hustlers who become heroes--two unforgettable people who survive the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning.BARABARA
IMDB 0 | Jul , 2025
A bilingual documentary. Through a tapestry of interviews, BARABARA illuminates the cultural and economic significance of Swap- O- Rama, the "grandaddy" of flea markets in Chicago.A Global Warning?
IMDB 4 | Nov , 2007
Global warming in context. What the climate of the past tells us about the climate of the future.Chicago at the Crossroad
IMDB 4 | Jun , 2019
While gun violence was on the decline in most major US cities, why did it continue to increase in Chicago's segregated communities? What is known about the systems that created the problem, the laws that isolated it, and the policies that abandoned it? Using dramatic footage, including interviews with residents on the front lines over the last 15 years, this documentary opens a rare historical window into the systematic creation of poverty stricken communities plagued by gun violence.The Lost Sons
IMDB 6.3 | Mar , 2021
1960s Chicago, a baby is kidnapped from a hospital. Fifteen months later, a toddler is abandoned. Could he be the same baby? In a tale of breathtaking twists and turns, two mysteries begin to unravel and dark family secrets are revealed.The Spider and the Fly
IMDB 8 | Jul , 1938
Few amateur films with sound were produced in the 1930s and fewer remain extant. A charming artifact that demonstrates the expressive possibilities and technical limitations of amateur talkies, "The Spider and the Fly" includes a backyard Labor Day gathering, a trip to the Riverview Amusement Park, and a homemade Halloween parade of witches and ghouls.Tornado! Hurricane! Flood!: Wonders of the Weather
IMDB 0 | Nov , 1996
This video presents a look at the forces of nature in their most devastating mode: lightning storms, tornadoes, flash floods, tidal waves, and hurricanes. The film, made for The Discovery Channel, accompanies professional storm chasers as they ride into the eye of a category five hurricane to gather data and get a close-up view. There is footage of a tornado with 300-mile-per-hour winds, as well as 100-foot tidal waves hurtling towards shore at 500 miles per hour. The viewer witnesses a flash flood and hears an interview with a lightning strike survivor.Accidental Climber
IMDB 5 | Jul , 2019
Jim Geiger, a retired forest ranger and amateur mountaineer, attempts to become the oldest American and first great grandfather to summit Mt. Everest, aged 68. His transformation from a weekend hiker to attempting one of the most extreme and physically demanding feats known to man is driven by a desire to prove that age is just a number. What ensued, however, forever changed Jim's life.Chicago Bears: The Super Bowl Shuffle
IMDB 0 | Jan , 2005
In 1985, the Chicago Bears were headed for the Super Bowl for the first time in more than 20 years. Riding high on the success of the season, members of the Bears recorded "The Super Bowl Shuffle," which soon became celebrated anthem for Bears fans everywhere. This first-ever rap song and music video by a sports team even garnered a Grammy nomination. At Super Bowl XX, the Bears charged down the field once more with a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots. This 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition DVD is a must-have for both old and new fans who want to relive the glory of the 1985 season.