JOANNA RUDNICK
Writer/director, In the Family
Writer/director, In the Family
Joanna is Kartemquin’s Director of Development and has been working as a producer with the company since 2003. Currently, she is producing and directing In the Family, her personal story of testing positive for the hereditary “breast cancer” gene and an exploration into the psychological, social, legal and ethical challenges surrounding predictive genetic testing. Joanna is also producing Prisoner of Her Past, the story of Chicago Tribune journalist Howard Reich’s attempt to uncover his mother’s tragic Holocaust childhood in order to understand why she is reliving it, 60 years later. Before coming to Kartemquin, Joanna co-produced a film on war photographer Robert Capa for the American Masters series at WNET in New York. Robert Capa in Love and War was broadcast on PBS and the BBC, premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and was the presenting film for the 2003 Emmy award for Outstanding Nonfiction Series. Prior to her role on the Capa project, Joanna worked for American Masters for three years contributing to numerous films including Juilliard, Ella Fitzgerald: Something to Live For and Joe Papp: In Six Acts. Joanna also worked to help research and develop a 6-part series on the American novel, funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Joanna received a Master’s degree in Science and Environmental Journalism from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in English from Northwestern University. She has written for several publications including Audubon Magazine, The Artful Mind, The Berkshire Record and Humanities. Prior to her work in production, Joanna served as an Americorps volunteer, implementing project-based environmental curricula in the San Francisco Public School System. Joanna currently sits on the Illinois Humanities Council’s Steering Committee on Genetics, helping to create programming for “Future Perfect: Conversations on the Meaning of the Genetics Revolution” – a state-wide series exploring the new science of Genetics.
Screening Information: Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 -- festivities begin with a Pre-Show Cocktail Reception (sponsored by GUINNESS Draught) at Landmark's Century Centre Cinema (2828 North Clark) at 6 p.m. The Producers' Panel will be held in the theatre at 6:30 p.m.; this month's topic is "Opportunities for Independent Filmmakers in New Media." Writer/director Joanna Rudnick will be in attendance as In the Family screens promptly at 7:30 p.m. A post-screening reception will be held immediately following the film at Forno Diablo, 433 W. Diversey. For more information, please visit www.MidwestFilm.com.
ABOUT THE MIDWEST INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
The Midwest Independent Film Festival is the nation's only film festival solely dedicated to the Midwest filmmaker, presenting audiences with regionally produced independent cinema every first Tuesday of the month at Landmark's Century Centre Cinema, 2828 North Clark in Chicago.This year-round film festival sits proudly at the center of the independent film scene in Chicago and the Midwest and is dedicated to celebrating and strengthening that community. More information can be found on the Festival website: www.MidwestFilm.com.
This year’s festival sponsors include Resolution Digital Studios, O’Connor Casting, Fletcher Camera, Zacuto, Flashpoint Academy, Zipcar, Crunch Fitness, Zaroban Design, Left Brain Right Brain Productions, The Illinois and Chicago Film Offices, Kodak, The Peshtigo, DKP Image, Mimi Productions, TK Audio, Stock Yard Films and Orbit Media Studios.
Note: Interviews are available with In the Family writer/director Joanna Rudnick and/or a Midwest Independent Film Festival spokesperson by request.
# # #