Let the Little Light Shine

Friday, August 26 - Wednesday, August 31, 2022

When city planners impose unwanted changes, one person can easily feel helpless – but a group of people with a common cause just might find enough collective strength to fight the power. LET THE LITTLE LIGHT SHINE tells the story of the parents, students, administrators and students of Chicago’s National Teachers Academy, a high-performing public elementary school in an African-American neighborhood, who join forces in an effort to do just that. When the powers that be announce plans to phase out NTA’s current K-8 curriculum and transform it into a high school drawing students from other schools, the community senses gentrification at work and gets organized. Kevin Shaw’s riveting documentary captures the struggle to save NTA through all its highs and lows – introducing us to charismatic young leaders taking a stand to protect their academic futures.

“Shaw’s film provides an indelible reminder of cinema’s enduring power as a communal experience.” – Rogerebert.com

• Running Time 86 minutes
• Format DCP
• Distributor Argot Pictures
• Director Kevin Shaw
• Accessibility Assistive Listening, Closed Captioning, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.