The Illinois Parables

From dreamy aerial opening shots, we are sent on an expedition through the storied land of our fifth most populous state, Illinois, often called a miniature version of America. Deborah Stratman’s experimental documentary explores how physical landscapes and human politics can each re-interpret historical events. Eleven parables relay histories of settlement, removal, technological breakthrough, violence, messianism, and resistance. Who gets to write history—physical monuments, official news accounts, or personal spoken-word memories?

• Deborah StratmanDirector
• Deborah StratmanScreenplay

• C. Felton Jennings IIHimself
• Anna ToborgHerself
• Joshua FriemanHimself
• José OubrerieHimself
• Daniel VerdierHimself
• David GattenHimself