Podtalk: Director Patrick Creadon on ‘Hesburgh’ at Midwest Independent Film Festival on Sep. 4, 2018

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CHICAGO – For every grand name in history, there are behind-the-scenes performers who contribute to that history just as profoundly. One such person was “Father Ted” of Notre Dame, profiled in Patrick Creadon’s new documentary, “Hesburgh.”

Tuesday, September 4th, 2018 at the Midwest Independent Film Festival
Photo credit: O’Malley Creadon Productions/MidwestFilm.com

Father Theodore “Ted” Hesburgh was a legendary Catholic priest and president of Notre Dame from 1952 through 1987, during a period of monumental religious and social change. Hesburgh was in the middle of it, fighting for social justice, civil rights, free thought at his Catholic University and the growth of the school itself. Director Creadon tells the priest’s story in segments rather than a timeline, but at the heart of those stories is Hesburgh, a man who those grand names of history admired, and who followed up on the tenets of Christianity as a bridge builder in society. For more details on the documentary, and ticket info, click here.

Filmmaker Patrick Creadon of ‘Hesburgh’ Photo credit: O’Malley Creadon Productions

Patrick Creadon is a Notre Dame graduate (natch) and filmmaker veteran, wearing many production hats, but mostly known as a cinematographer and director. His debut doc was the acclaimed “Wordplay” (2006, about New York Times crossword editor Will Shortz), and his follow up was the prescient “I.O.U.S.A” (2008, about the impending financial meltdown). He has also tackled the subject of Notre Dame for the first time in one of the most famous “30 for 30” ESPN documentaries… “Catholics vs. Convicts” was a 2016 look-back at the 1988 showdown between the Fighting Irish and the Miami Hurricanes.

The Midwest Independent Film Festival is a year-round movie event in Chicago that takes place the first Tuesday of every month, at the Landmark Century Centre Cinema. The festival has been recognized by Chicago Magazine in their “Best of Chicago” issue, and has become one of the top places for local filmmakers, producers and actors to network in the city.

In PART ONE of the HollywoodChicago.com Podtalk with Patrick McDonald, filmmaker Patrick Creadon of “Hesburgh” speaks about his interaction with Father Ted Hesburgh’s life and legacy, and the Catholic Church around him.

In PART TWO, the director talks about his 2008 film “I.O.U.S.A,” working with voice actor Maurice LaMarche and the lessons of Father Ted.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com