Kartemquin Films has always been guided by the motto “Democracy through Documentary,” as author Patricia Aufderheide notes in her book Kartemquin Films: Documentaries on the Frontlines of Democracy.

For generations, the Chicago-based institution has been producing some of the most lauded and important nonfiction films, among them Hoop Dreams (1994), Minding the Gap (2018), Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (2016), The Interrupters (2011), the short Edith+Eddie (2018), the docuseries The New Americans (2003) and many more. What unifies these documentaries is their commitment to examining urgent and contentious social and political realities, consistent with Kartemquin Films’ stated purpose: “[T]o empower the creation of stories that foster a more engaged and just society — turning toward and grappling with the most critical issues of our time,” as it says on its website.

The nonprofit founded by Stan Karter, Jerry Temaner and Gordon Quinn (the name is an amalgam of the founders’ last names) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. In honor of that milestone, the latest edition of Deadline’s Doc Talk podcast explores the exceptional impact of Kartemquin Films, in conversation with Quinn and Aufderheide.

Quinn sheds light on some of KTQ’s most significant productions, especially Hoops Dreams, the seminal film directed by Steve James (also the director of Abacus, The Interrupters, Life Itself and other Kartemquin classics). Quinn tells Doc Talk how the success of Hoop Dreams ostensibly opened doors in Hollywood to KTQ — an “invitation” that came with something of a caveat.

Aufderheide and Quinn offer a penetrating analysis of the way Kartemquin Films departed from the Griersonian model of documentary filmmaking that predominated in much of the English-speaking world in the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s, and even beyond. And they share their perspective on the role of an institution like Kartemquin Films, dedicated to democratic values, at a time when the U.S. is facing what many (including Quinn) consider to be the greatest threat to government by and for the people in its 250-year history.

That’s on the new episode of Doc Talk hosted by Oscar winner John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, Shirley) and Matt Carey, Deadline’s senior documentary editor. The pod is a production of Deadline and Ridley’s Nō Studios.

Listen to the episode above or on major podcast platforms including Spotify, iHeart and Apple.

The Godzilla vs. Kong family is paying tribute to late franchise star Kaylee Hottle. 

Hottle died in a car crash on Tuesday. She was 18. Her father confirmed her death in American Sign Language in a Tuesday Facebook video. 

Hottle, a deaf actress, made her feature debut in 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong when she was 9 years old; she played a deaf, orphaned indigenous Iwi girl rescued on Skull Island by Kong. She returned for 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, where her character’s relationship with Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall), an anthropological linguist who works on government monster research, is at the forefront of the storyline. 

Hall shared a series of photos with Hottle in an Instagram post. She wrote, “Devastated to hear this news. My heart goes out to your family. You will be missed Kaylee.” 

Millie Bobby Brown, who starred in Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019 and Godzilla vs. Kong, shared a tribute on her Instagram Story. “I’m so devastated to hear this. You will be deeply missed Kaylee,” she wrote atop a photo of the actress on the latter film. 

New Empire actor Dan Stevens also took to his Instagram Story, where he shared a tribute photo of Hottle alongside a broken heart emoji. 

Legendary Pictures, the production company behind the Godzilla movies, said in a statement on X, “We are devastated by the tragic passing of Kaylee Hottle. Through her unforgettable portrayal of Jia, Kaylee brought extraordinary heart, humanity, and light to Godzilla, Kong, and the Monsterverse. She was a cherished member of our film family, and her kindness, warmth, and remarkable talent touched everyone fortunate enough to work alongside her. Our hearts are with her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her during this unimaginably difficult time.” 

CODA Oscar-winning actress Marlee Matlin wrote on Facebook, “I am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle. May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity.”

Read more tributes below.