We Grown Now

In 1992 Chicago, 12-year-old best friends Malik and Eric discover the joys and hardships of growing up in the infamous Cabrini-Green public housing complex (now demolished). They idolize Michael Jordan, compete in jumping contests, and play hooky at the Art Institute. When a shooting in the community challenges everything, they must face the realities of growing up fast. Written and directed by Minhal Baig, the film is produced by Symbolic Exchange, the New York-based production company founded by Crandell Board Member James Schamus. Baig, who grew up in Rogers Park, says she wanted to make a movie that could both acknowledge the challenges of living in a place like Cabrini-Green while sharing what was beautiful and joyous about it. She won the Changemaker Award at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. The drama was also nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature.

Q&A with Producer James Schamus

Moderated by Mirissa Neff

James Schamus is an award-winning screenwriter (The Ice Storm), producer (Brokeback Mountain), and former CEO of Focus Features (Dallas Buyers Club, Lost in Translation, Milk, The Pianist). His feature directorial debut, an adaptation of Philip Roth’s Indignation, starring Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, and Tracy Letts, premiered at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals, and was released by Roadside Attractions. He created, executive produced, and was showrunner on the hit Mexican limited series for Netflix, Somos. Works from his New York-based production company, Symbolic Exchange, include Andrew Ahn’s Driveways, starring Hong Chau and the late Brian Dennehy; Rhys Ernst’s award-winning trans comedy Adam, starring Margaret Qualley; and Mike Ott’s McVeigh, starring Alfie Allen and Tracy Letts, which premiered this month at the Tribeca Film Festival. Symbolic is currently in production on Andrew Ahn’s reboot of Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet, starring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Joan Chen, Kelly Marie Tran, and Youn Yuh-jung. Schamus is currently collaborating with composer Huang Ruo on an opera for The Met, and is Consulting Producer on the next TV series from the Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things). Schamus is Professor of Professional Practice in Columbia University’s School of the Arts, where he teaches film history and theory. He joined the Crandell Theatre Board of Directors in January 2023 and served last year on the negotiating committee of the Writers Guild of America during their successful five-month strike.

Mirissa Neff is a Chatham-based documentary filmmaker, public broadcast producer and reporter. Her debut feature film, This Is National Wake, premiered at Sheffield DocFest and has garnered awards around the world. Her ethos as a filmmaker and journalist is to explore how culture and music illuminate our lives, and can help us surmount our deepest divides. She has worked as a producer and correspondent on numerous public television radio programs, and in early 2023, Neff founded Crandell Kid Flicks, the theater’s popular activity and film series for young children and families. She joined the Crandell Board of Directors in early 2024.