Catholic History in Chicago

Client: Chicago History Museum

Category: Museum, Video

We produced several videos for the Chicago History Museum’s Catholic Chicago exhibit.

Catholic Chicago explores the influence of Catholicism on the city’s ever-changing urban landscape. The exhibition highlights the area’s earliest Catholics; Chicago’s parochial school system; the church’s art and architecture; the city’s network of parishes and religious orders; Catholic activism; conflicts in the Church, and the evolving nature of religion in the city.

The video above, nicknamed “Plaid,” intercuts first-person reminiscences of former students across five decades with a flashy runway show of every Catholic School uniform used today in Chicago, modeled by students representing the vast diversity of Chicago’s Catholics.

The video below is the wide-screen opener for the exhibit. It showcases Catholics from all walks of Chicago life–neighborhoods, occupations, races, and cultures. Trillium crews spent weeks interviewing, shooting, and assembling images for this piece.

“They made us laugh and cry, and processed complex themes into accessible programs that are educational and beautiful. They are simultaneously rich and fun, and hard-hitting. Trillium’s film work is extraordinary primary content that will be accepted into the permanent collection of the Museum.”

Jill Grannan, Curator
Catholic Chicago
Chicago History Museum

Wide-screen opener for the museum exhibit