Highland Park Strong

During a mass shooting at its annual 4th of July parade in 2022, a Chicago suburb found itself thrust into the headlines and transformed into a war zone. Within hours, an unassuming temporary memorial in the center of town helped bring the grieving community together and find purpose and healing.

  • Brett A. Schwartz
    Director
    Raised Up West Side, Insatiable: The Homaro Cantu Story, Mas Que La Playa
  • Brett A. Schwartz
    Producer
    Raised Up West Side, Insatiable: The Homaro Cantu Story, Mas Que La Playa
  • Jacqueline Von Edelberg
    Key Cast
    "Herself"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 8, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Brett A. Schwartz

Brett A. Schwartz is an Emmy®-nominated director/producer based in the Chicago area. Schwartz’s latest feature documentary RAISED UP WEST SIDE screened in more than 25 film festivals and won several awards. The film was released by Freestyle Digital Media in 2023 and is available via digital HD and DVD on many platforms including Amazon, AppleTV, Sling, and DirecTV. Schwartz’s feature documentary, INSATIABLE: THE HOMARO CANTU STORY premiered at SXSW in 2016 and screened in dozens of film festivals, both nationally and internationally, including The Seattle Int’l Film Festival, Napa Valley Film Festival, The Chicago Int’l Film Festival, Palm Springs Int’l Film Festival, and several others. The film is distributed by Virgil Films and has streamed on Hulu, Amazon, Apple TV, and additional services. A short film titled MÁS QUE LA PLAY: PUERTO VALLARTA was nominated for a Regional Emmy Award in 2018. Schwartz’s feature-length documentary, MASHED MEDIA (2010) aired on PBS and is distributed by Films for the Humanities & Sciences. A short film entitled SHIFTING TRADITIONS (2000) aired on PBS and was distributed by The University of California Center for Media and Independent Learning. In addition to his work as an independent director/producer, Schwartz produced documentaries that aired on several networks, including Bravo, MSNBC, HGTV, Court TV, CBS, and PBS. Schwartz received a Master’s in Documentary Film and Video Production from Stanford University in 1999 and lives in Highland Park, Illinois with his wife and their two children.

Add Director Biography