| FYC

SYNOPSIS

In the five-part documentary series CITY SO REAL, Oscar®-nominated documentarian Steve James (“America to Me,” “Hoop Dreams”) delivers a fascinating and complex portrait of Chicago, America’s third-largest metropolis and his longtime hometown. The series begins in the haze of mid-summer 2018, as Mayor Rahm Emanuel, embroiled in accusations of a cover-up related to the police shooting of an African American teenager, Laquan McDonald, shocks the city by announcing he won’t seek reelection.

An unprecedented 21 candidates emerge in a diverse and crowded field as they engage in a no-holds-barred battle for a chance to shape Chicago’s uncertain future. The series’ final episode picks up a year after the mayoral election in 2020, as the city simultaneously grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread social upheaval following the death of George Floyd. An already fractured city is further divided by the economic, political and social fallout, which plays out on the streets as police clash with protesters, bringing rise to a generational moment that promises to change the city forever.

In candid interviews with residents throughout the city, the series captures Chicago’s indomitable spirit as well as its seemingly insurmountable challenges. CITY SO REAL is a gritty and loving depiction of a quintessentially American city that is at once fiercely unique and a microcosm of the nation—and our world—as a whole.

AWARDS

2021 Spirit Awards Nominee - Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series

2020 International Documentary Association Awards Nominee - Best Multi-Part Documentary

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

NAMED ONE OF THE TOP TV SHOWS OF 2020 BY: 

The New York Times
The Los Angeles Times
Variety
The Hollywood Reporter
The New Yorker
AV Club
Playlist
TIME Magazine
Paste Magazine
Slate

“A beautiful tapestry of a series, an operatic cornucopia that makes something wonderful of our best and less best American selves.” 

Los Angeles Times

“The ambition of “City So Real” is remarkable, but it’s fulfilled through James’ deep fascination with humanity.” 

RogerEbert.com

“Steve James' five-part docuseries on Chicago's 2019 mayoral race is now the most prescient and meaningful docuseries about 2020 America.” 

IndieWire

“It’s a noble, heartfelt, and eye-opening look at the American city…” 

The Playlist

“As to be expected from Steve James, City So Real is a masterful examination of a people, a place, and a culture.” 

Film Inquiry

“Breathtaking” 

WALL STREET JOURNAL

“Pulsing with life” 

THE NEW YORK TIMES

“An insightful, exhilarating and absolutely vital portrait of a great American city” 

ROLLING STONE

“A Must-see”

TIME

“the most prescient and meaningful docuseries about 2020 America.”

INDIEWIRE

“Noble, heartfelt and eye-opening” 

PLAYLIST

“Monumental” 

AV CLUB

CATEGORIES

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series

Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program - Steve James

Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program - David E. Simpson, Steve James

Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Cam)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Cam)

Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Outstanding Music Supervision