Double Feature: “Beneath the Surface” and “Reimagining Safety” film screening and discussion

Celebrate Black History Month at the Chicago Justice Gallery with a series of free film screenings that correspond with themes from our current exhibition, "Echoes of Ferguson," including abolition, place-making, unrest, and liberation.

You're invited to join us for this special double feature screening of Beneath the Surface and Reimagining Safety at the Chicago Justice Gallery. Come for the films, stay to meet filmmaker Matthew Solomon, who will be in attendance, visiting from Los Angeles.

Beneath The Surface, a short film by cai thomas, documents the investigation by data scientist and journalist trina reynolds-tyler into gender based violence at the hands of the Chicago Police Department. More information about the project and its findings can be found by visiting the website of the Invisible Institute, an award-winning center for journalism based in Chicago, whose newsroom recently won an Emmy, a Peabody, a National Magazine Award, and three Pulitzer Prizes.

cai thomas is a documentary filmmaker and cinematographer based in Chicago, telling stories at the intersection of location, self determination and identity about Black youth and elders. She grew up in Miami's Liberty City neighborhood and is deeply interested in stories rooted in place. Her film Change The Name, which follows young activists organizing in Chicago's North Lawndale neighborhood, premiered at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival and was broadcast on BET. Her previous film, Queenie, about a Black lesbian elder in Brooklyn's Bed Stuy neighborhood, premiered at NewFest in 2020, winning the NY Short Grand Jury award and is currently streaming on the Criterion Channel. She’s currently developing a film about Black Lesbian family planning. cai is a proud NeXt Doc Fellow.

Reimagining Safety features 10 experts from a variety of perspectives who address the false premise that more police and prisons make us safer, while demonstrating the humane and practical alternatives that actually work in creating safe communities.

Matthew Solomon is the director of the award-winning documentary “Reimagining Safety,” host of the podcast “Conversations for the People,” a conflict resolution facilitator, and an adjunct professor at Antioch University, where he teaches intercultural conflict and community engagement. Matthew's work involves utilizing art and media to promote positive social change. “Reimagining Safety,” which was his master’s in public administration capstone project, has been screened at more than 70 community events across the country and is also available on multiple streaming services.

Space is limited, so RSVP today!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6: Special screening of Whose Streets? accompanied by discussion with director Sabaah Folayan at the Chicago Justice Gallery
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13: Double feature screening of Residue and Arkee at the Chicago Justice Gallery
TUESDAY MATINEE, FEBRUARY 18: Special performance, panel, and screening of One Million Experiments at Student Center East, tower room 605
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20: Screening of The Kinloch Doc at the Chicago Justice Gallery