Western Divided
Premiered May 8, 2010 at Northwestern University
Synopsis
Driving down Western Avenue in Chicago is like driving through a case study on how segregation affects a major city. It is a wonderfully diverse cross section of ethnicities and nationalities but each is so isolated from one another that at times it seems almost like separate countries; countries differing greatly in median income, crime rates, and educational opportunities.
Western Divided is a documentary that is looking to explore these disparities through the eyes of the people who know it best: the shopkeepers, the students, the families. Every person on Western has a story and we aim to find the most interesting and illuminating ones in order to shed light on what the Chicago Tribune called “America’s most segregated big city.”
We want to portray Western Avenue as a living, breathing entity of culture and diversity, but also of division and inequity. It is our hope that, through the simple concept of looking at the neighborhoods and listening to the people, we will be able to find a unique perspective on this critical issue.
Director: Julian Zlatev
Producer: Chris Gonzalez
Photos during filming (Click for larger images)
