Directors/Producers: Ben Kolak, Kyra Mitchell

Description:

For four decades, Chicago has been a sanctuary city, limiting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. In 2025, facing unprecedented ICE operations and federal pressure, Chicago and its immigrant population was tested like never before. Local government officials navigating federal pressure, activists and organizers mobilizing communities, judges and lawyers defending constitutional principles, artists channeling resistance into creativity and everyday Chicagoans grappling with an increasingly hostile climate.

Biography:

Ben Kolak is a documentary cinematographer and director focused on social change, education and the arts. His first feature, Scrappers, made critic Roger Ebert’s list of the top documentaries for 2010 and his cinematography credits include the Netflix series Ugly Delicious, the PBS series Firsthand, The A.V. Club series Popcorn Politics and the New York Times Daily 360. In 2018 Ben became a licensed and insured UAV drone operator and has subsequently contributed aerial footage to many projects. Ben’s recent work as a director includes Stateville Calling, which aired on Illinois PBS affiliates and was nominated for a regional Emmy. In 2021-2022 Ben directed documentaries for Chicago’s PBS station WTTW and the US Department of Education about the impact of COVID and middle school math. Ben filmed From Rails to Trails about the politics and beauty of converting railroad tracks to bicycle trails. Ben was a founding partner of Scrappers Film Group LLC, which rebranded as Truth & Documentary. 

Kyra Mitchell is a producer driven by the power of storytelling to bring untold narratives to the forefront and foster deeper connections. Specializing in documentary-style content, she leads projects from concept to completion, ensuring that each story is told with authenticity, purpose and impact. With a background in social work, she approaches every project with empathy and a commitment to creating meaningful, community-rooted narratives that challenge perceptions and spark dialogue.

Contact Information:

e: ben@truthanddocumentary.org
w: truthanddocumentary.org