Guide Note

Chicago 10 is a partially animated documentary film about anti-war demonstrators at the 1968 Democratic Convention who were tried for conspiracy. The film is based on court transcripts and audio recordings as well as archive footage of Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and David Dellinger.

Fast Facts

1. Company: Participant Productions
2. Director/Screenwriter: Brett Morgen
3. Voices include: Nick Nolte, Hank Azaria, Jeffrey Wright, and Mark Ruffalo
4. Release date: February 29, 2008
5. Run time: 103 minutes
6. MPAA rating: R
7. Premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival

Who were the Chicago 10?

Originally called the Chicago Eight, the men were a group charged with inciting a riot in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The original eight were indicted by a grand jury on March 20, 1969. They included Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines, Lee Weiner, and Bobby Seale. Since Bobby Seale was not allowed a separate trial with his own attorney, he had words with the Judge which led him to being sentenced to four years in prison for contempt. From this point on the men were known as the Chicago Seven. By February 1970 the seven were found not guilty of conspiracy and while two were acquitted, the other five were sentenced to five years in jail for crossing state lines with the intent to riot. All the convictions were reversed on November 1972 on the grounds of a bias judge. In memory of the incident, the men continue to call themselves Chicago 10, for the eight men involved and the two attorneys that represented them.