DOCUMENTARIES

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SEASONS OF CHANGE ON HENRY'S FARM
Sun-up to sun-down, this intimate portrait of a multi-generational, bi-racial farm family traces the changes on an organic farm in Central Illinois. Equipped with intimate knowledge of soil, plants, and weather, farmer Henry Brockman has to acknowledge that things can’t continue as before because climate change has arrived on his doorsteps.

Status: in post-production
Director/producer: Ines Sommer
Co-producer: Terra Brockman  
Editor: Melissa Sterne
www.seasonsofchangeonhenrysfarm.com/

COUNT ME IN
COUNT ME IN highlights an innovative experiment in direct democracy – called participatory budgeting – that empowers ordinary people to propose and vote directly for publicly funded projects in their neighborhoods. Supported by the MacArthur Foundation and presented by Chicago's premier PBS station WTTW-11, the documentary aired on PBS stations across the nation as well as the PBS WORLD channel in late 2016. COUNT ME IN offers an engaging way to start a dialogue about democracy, community development and direct citizen participation and is now available for screenings by community groups, agencies, non-profit groups, public libraries and for the educational market. Contact: countmeinmovie@gmail.com

Director/producer: Ines Sommer
Editor: Susanne Suffredin
 www.countmeinmovie.com

THE BIRTH OF A TEMPLE GARDEN
This short commissioned documentary shows the creative process behind the design of a new temple garden for the Midwest Buddhist Temple. The film interweaves acclaimed landscape designer Hoichi Kurisu's reflections on Japanese culture, nature and spirituality with observational footage of the landscaping work that included the placement of large boulders and transplanting of existing trees. 

Director/producer: Ines Sommer

WINDOW DRESSING
Chicago-based artist Diane Simpson shares the artistic process behind her installation Window Dressing at the Racine Art Museum, Wisconsin. The documentary was featured in Simpson's retrospective at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Director/editor: David E. Simpson
Producer/camera: Ines Sommer