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In the Game

In The Game follows the ups and downs of a girls’ soccer team to reveal the very real obstacles that low-income students confront in their quest for higher education.

In The Game is a Kartemquin documentary film directed by Peabody award-winner Maria Finitzo (Mapping Stem Cell Research: Terra Incognita, 5 Girls) that follows the ups and downs of a girls’ soccer team to reveal the very real obstacles that low-income students confront in their quest for higher education. Set in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood, Kelly High School on Chicago’s south side is an inner city public school struggling to provide the basics for their students, many of whom do not make it to college, either because they cannot compete academically or because their families do not have the financial resources to send them to college. The girls face an uneven playing field – or in the case of the girls at Kelly High School, no soccer field at all – little or no support, problems at home, uncertain futures, discrimination, and poverty, but remain undaunted thanks to their teammates and the dedicated mentoring of their coach.

The film is funded in part by the MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Illinois Humanities, and the Illinois Arts Council.

Filmmakers

Directors of Cinematography

Peter Gilbert
Dana Kupper
Ines Sommer

Original Music

Sam Kassirer

Associate Producers

Shuling Yong
Kristina Divjak Eschmeyer

Outreach Coordinator

Diane Moy Quon

Sound

John Mathie
Matt Vogel
Sharon Frye
Zak Piper
Fenell Doremus
Cody Wallace

Technical Director

Jim Morrissette

High Definition Finish

Nolo Digital Film

Digital Colorist

Elliot Rudmann

Online Edit

Boris Seagraves

Producer at Nolo Digital Film

Joe Flanagan

Sound Mix

Mark Bandy

Titles & Graphics

Dan Sharkey
Jenna Caravello

Additional Camera

Jim Morrissette
Keith Walker
Adam Singer
Ian Kibbe
Shuling Yong
Jeff Perlman

Additional Editor

Nora Gully

Post-Production Supervisor

Ryan Gleeson

Post-Production Manager

Hillary Bachelder
Matt Lauterbach

Assistant Editor

Eugene Kobayashi

Production Assistants

Mary Scherer
Rachel Rozycki
Rachel Dickson
William Thwaites

Transcription

Biliana Grozdanova

Kartemquin Director of Finance and Operations

Suzanne Niemoth

Kartemquin Director of Communications and Distribution

Tim Horsburgh

Kartemquin Director of Programs and Engagement

Beckie Stocchetti

Accounting Managers

Alex Stein
Marriah Kern

Kartemquin Staff

Eleanor Bryan
Alison Hanold
Nancy McDonald
Alanna Schmelter
Alex Skalamenos

Kartemquin Production Assistants

Bucher Almzain
Arpita Aneja
Hillary Bachelder
Brent Bandemer
Phillip Batta
Ryan Bedore
Chris Bentley
Andrea Blake
Ryan Buckley
Clancy Calkins
Ranjani Chakraborty
Melissa Coleman
Reid Compton
Alexandra Cox
Rubin Daniels Jr.
Brooklyn Demme
Rachel Dickson
Evan Dolan
Dain Evans
John Fecile
Nick Fraccaro
Kevin Fullam
Spenser Gabin
Brian Gersten
Rachel Glass
Ryan Gleeson
Hans Glick
Kazuko Golden
Martine Granby
David Granskog
Biliana Grozdanova
Elena Guobyte
Kevin Hammontree
Mary Horan
Morgan Johnson
Marriah Kern
Nushmia Khan
Tracy Ko
Eugene Kobayashi
Naomi Kothbauer
Patrick Lile
Lauren Makholm
Hley Martin
Thomas Mathew
Aniluz Mercedes
Rondell Merrill
Stacy Moon
Jessica Naudziunas
Gabrielle Ntsimi
Eileen O'Donnell
Orion Pahl
Jeff Perlman
Katie Prentiss
Joe Riina-Ferrie
Hannah Roodman
Rachel Rozycki
Rosa Gaia Saunders
Ben Schamisso
Matt Sezer
Ayesha Siddiqi
Philister Sidigu
Alex Skalomenos
Nehemiah Stark
Natalie Stone
Emily Strong
Stephanie Sunata
Daria Taylor
Will Thwaites
Stanzi Vaubel
Jonathan Vogel
Julian Walker
Cody Wallace
Cassie Wierenga
Justin Williams
Felix Ofosu Yeboah
Kristen Zelenka

Funders

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
National Endowment for the Arts
Illinois Arts Council
Illinois Humanities Council

Media

Awards and Distinctions

American FIlm Showcase

Official Selection

2016

Ashland Independent Film Festival

Official Selection

2016

Beloit International Film Festival

Official Selection

2016

Chicago Latino Film Festival

Official Selection

2016

Chicago Park District: Nights in the Park Summer Film Showcase

Official Selection

2016

Documentary Edge Festival (New Zealand)

Official Selection

2016

Mexico International Film Festival

Winner

Bronze Award for Documentary

2016

Minneapolist/St.Paul International Film Festival

Official Selection

2016

New Jersey Film Festival

Official Selection

Jury Honorable Mention

2016

Oaxaca Film Festival

Official Selection

2016

SXSW EDU Conference and Festival

Official Selection

2016

Tucker Center for Women and Girls' Sport Film Festival

Official Selection

2016

Women Deliver Arts and Cinema Film Festival (Copenhagen)

Official Selection

2016

Cinefest Global Houston

Official Selection

2015

Dallas VideoFest

Official Selection

2015

Gene Siskel Film Center

Distinction

Chicago Premiere

2015

Gig Harbor Film Festival

Official Selection

2015

Hollywood Film Festival

Official Selection

2015

Logan Film Festival

Official Selection

2015

Madrid International Film Festival

Nominee

Best Documentary; Best Cinematography; Best Editing; Best Producer; World Premiere

2015

One Book One Chicago

Official Selection

2015

Reel Voices Festival

Official Selection

2015

Seattle Latino Film Festival

Official Selection

2015

St.Louis International Film Festival

Official Selection

2015