Give Us This Day
East Saint Louis in the state of Illinois is the murder capital of the United States. More murders are committed there than in Chicago, New York or in nearly any other country in the world. Over the course of one year, documentary filmmakers Jeff and Michael Zimbalist take a look at life in a place where people are constantly getting hurt. Despite this, the dream of joining the police force often results in loneliness and misunderstanding, and not everyone can afford to find a legal profession, especially when they have to feed their family. "This city is evil. It's so evil that I've also become evil," says one of the protagonists. Starting their film with a shot of abandoned corpses and conversations with residents and police officers who, before hitting the streets, pray for a safe return home after their shift, the Zimbalist brothers don't leave many illusions. Although the individuals in their film are not always able to achieve their goals, they ultimately prove that Yoda was wrong: sometimes it's important just to try.
Jeff Zimbalist
Born in Massachusetts in 1978, Jeff Zimbalist is an American director and producer. His first documentary, Favela Rising, was an award winner at the Tribeca festival, among others. The Two Escobars, directed together with his brother, Michael, won an audience award at the American Film Festival, and a few years later they also made Pelé: Birth of a Legend,starring Vincent D'Onofrio and Rodrigo Santoro. He has collaborated with such artists as Quincy Jones, Shakira, Mick Jagger, Javier Bardem and Aishwarya Rai.
Filmography
2005 Favela Rising
2010 Dwóch Escobarów / The Two Escobars
2013 Youngstown Boys
2018 Momentum Generation
2018 Niech nadejdzie ten dzień / Give Us This Day
Michael Zimbalist
Michael Zimbalist is a producer and director. He often collaborates with his brother, Jeff, with whom he founded, in 2004, the production company All Rise Films, which specializes in documentaries. Together, they made the award-winning film The Two Escobars; Youngstown Boys; Momentum Generation, about legendary American surfers; and Give Us This Day, about the difficult life in the murder capital of the United States. He has also worked with the World Bank and HBO.
Filmography
2010 Dwóch Escobarów / The Two Escobars
2013 Youngstown Boys
2016 Pelé: Birth of a Legend
2018 Momentum Generation
2018 Niech nadejdzie ten dzień / Give Us This Day
Cast & Crew
