Chicago Filmmakers on the Chicago River (1998)

"Chicago Filmmakers on the Chicago River" is an independent documentary film that reviews the careers of movie makers indigenous to Chicago. The filmmakers are interviewed aboard an amusing variety of watercraft (speedboat, fireboat, tugboat, houseboat, fishing boat, rowboat, pontoon, canoe, etc.) while cruising along the branches of the Chicago River. In the program, the Chicago River comes to life as the filmmakers float along this famous waterway, which is often photographed, but rarely featured as a continuous backdrop in films. The audience learns about each artist's creative process as they navigate their boats and reflect on the various influences that guided their careers, and how they expose their hometown on the silver screen. "Chicago Filmmakers on the Chicago River" is the first documentary to bring together a wide variety of filmic talents from any one city.