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?
Directed by Deborah Stratman
faith
technology
illinois
force
woman director
parables
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.6 / 5
Cast
David Gatten
Himself
Crew
Deborah Stratman
Director
Deborah Stratman
Screenplay
Deborah Stratman
Editor
Deborah Stratman
Producer
Deborah Stratman
Sound Designer
Okkyung Lee
Music
Deborah Stratman
Cinematography
Popular Reviews
2 reviews
MopudPRO
8.0★ · 03/21/26
The ground we stand on was once someone’s story, erased so power could lay its foundation over their bones. Every ‘great civilization’ has a deleted history tab. Illinois just forgot to clear the cache
The ground we stand on was once someone’s story, erased so power could lay its foundation over their bones. Every ‘great civilization’ has a deleted history tab. Illinois just forgot to clear the cache
