Chicago Humanities Festival Celebrates Hoop Dreams Anniversary

Another impactful event recently took place in Chicago to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hoop Dreams, highlighting the film’s lasting influence. Often called “the great American documentary” by Roger Ebert, Hoop Dreams is widely regarded as one of the most critically acclaimed documentaries of all time. To mark the milestone, the Chicago Humanities Festival hosted a panel discussion focused on how the film has affected the lives of its key participants—Chicago natives Arthur Agee and William Gates—and the filmmakers, including DFP Professor of Practice Peter Gilbert.

Agee and Gates, alongside director/producer Steve James, director of photography/producer Peter Gilbert, and producer Frederick Marx, joined the Chicago Humanities Festival and Kartemquin Films for a reflective conversation. They discussed how the film changed their lives while also considering what has—and hasn’t—changed for young men and women pursuing their basketball dreams on Chicago’s courts.