Ines Sommer is a Chicago-based filmmaker, film programmer, and educator who has directed documentaries alongside essay films and experimental projects. She is drawn to stories about humans and nature, public rituals, rural life, politics and history.
Ines' recent directing credits include The Hills, about the steel industry's toxic legacy on Chicago's Southeast Side, and the award-winning Seasons of Change on Henry's Farm which follows organic farmer Henry Brockman as he struggles with the impact of climate change on his family farm in Central Illinois. Previous projects include the grassroots democracy documentary Count Me In, which was supported by the MacArthur Foundation and aired nationally on PBS, and the human rights documentary Beneath the Blindfold. Ines' company Sommer Filmworks LLC produces original documentaries alongside commissioned projects.
Ines' recent directing credits include The Hills, about the steel industry's toxic legacy on Chicago's Southeast Side, and the award-winning Seasons of Change on Henry's Farm which follows organic farmer Henry Brockman as he struggles with the impact of climate change on his family farm in Central Illinois. Previous projects include the grassroots democracy documentary Count Me In, which was supported by the MacArthur Foundation and aired nationally on PBS, and the human rights documentary Beneath the Blindfold. Ines' company Sommer Filmworks LLC produces original documentaries alongside commissioned projects.
Ines has served as cinematographer for numerous award-winning documentaries by Chicago-based Kartemquin Films, The Kindling Group, and many others. A partial list of camera credits can be found at Ines' IMDb listing.
Ines advocates for regional filmmakers and has long organized public programs, ranging from film series and festivals to the annual Doc Chicago mini-conference, which she founded in 2019.
After being featured several times, Ines is now included in New City magazine's "hall of fame" for its annual Film 50 list, which recognizes "50 individuals who shape Chicago's film scene." Ines teaches fulltime at Northwestern University, where she serves as the Director of the Pritzker Pucker Studio Lab, an innovative mental health and media arts initiative.
Ines advocates for regional filmmakers and has long organized public programs, ranging from film series and festivals to the annual Doc Chicago mini-conference, which she founded in 2019.
After being featured several times, Ines is now included in New City magazine's "hall of fame" for its annual Film 50 list, which recognizes "50 individuals who shape Chicago's film scene." Ines teaches fulltime at Northwestern University, where she serves as the Director of the Pritzker Pucker Studio Lab, an innovative mental health and media arts initiative.
