Join us for a film screening of A Little Hope For Chicago, followed by a Q&A with the film’s producer, Dr Garrett EB Thompson!
This event is free and open to the general public.
Parental Advisory Warning: this film contains references to crime, gun violence, the prison system, and drug and alcohol use from a preventative point of view.
FILM SYNOPSIS: A LITTLE HOPE FOR CHICAGO
As we walk through the life of Kevin Nichols, we see a well-grounded kid from inner city Chicago become a young street hustler chasing fast money, learning hard lessons that come with that life, and maturing into a reformed man, father, and college graduate. This powerful true story serves as a snapshot of inner city Chicago and sheds light on how and why the youth of Chi-Town so often find themselves in dark places, looking for hope. Narrating his journey, Nichols delivers a 1-man show style stage performance, which chronicles the common realities of inner city Chicago including segregation, disinvestment, and poverty. He reminisces fondly on childhood memories of a family with a strong bond, going to church, good laughs, and even some embarrassing lessons learned. He also bears witness to the aggression of his childhood neighborhood, where street fights were viewed as entertainment and disputes between families, friends, and associates were common. As an inner city teen, Nichols perceived this way as the only means to survive; so he abandoned his established foundation of morals and principles to pursue the life of a hustler…and so this Chicago Tale begins.
BIOGGRAPHY: DR GARRETT EB THOMPSON, PRODUCER:
Dr. Garrett E.B. Thompson has worked as a Film and TV producer for 18+ years since graduating with an MFA in film & television production and a Ph.D. in Film Critical Studies (emphasis in African American Cinema and Hip Hop Culture) from the University of Southern California’s Cinematic Arts program. Thompson studied under the advisement of Dr. Todd “Notorious PhD” Boyd (author of Young, Black, Rich & Famous and The New H.N.I.C.).
Over Thompson’s professional producing career, he’s amassed a diverse resume of television shows, films, commercials, music videos, viral campaigns, and brand spotlights, for a client list including: CBS, HBO Max, Disney, Disney +, American Idol, Nickelodeon, Snapchat Studios, Spike TV, Paramount Network, MTV, NBC Universal, Coca-Cola, Cheerios, AT&T, Trojan, American Eagle, J.W. Marriott, DiGiorno Pizza, Hot Wheels, Gain, VPNhub, AD Week (NYC), Cadillac, & Fisker Automotive.
In 2023, Thompson began a Production Services Company, Turnkey Studios, which in a short time has provided producing services for Snapchat Studios, NYX Cosmetics, Nike, and the feature film Plainclothes starring Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) and Russel Tovey (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans). Along with a host of projects that Thompson is developing, he’s also produced the 20th Season of American Idol, the HBO Max Documentary, Beanie Mania, television shows, The World’s Best, Lip Sync Battle, Disney’s FAM JAM, and MTV’s SafeWord, and the feature film A Little Hope For Chicago, world premiering (June 2024) at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles, CA. Thompson also worked as a Segment Director on the UK Royal Television Society’s 2024 Best Arts Documentary Film, Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed The World.
Thompson has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at University of Southern California, teaching African American cinema.