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United States Peter Kuttner is a veteran filmmaker and activist, known for his socially-conscious documentaries and extensive work as a camera assistant on major Hollywood productions, showcasing a deep engagement with both independent cinema and commercial filmmaking.
Peter Kuttner has been associated with Kartemquin Films since 1968, officially joining in 1972. He has contributed to and directed numerous documentaries that address social issues, and his relationship with the collective continues to this day.
Peter Kuttner serves as the Director of Special Projects at the Community TV Network. He has worked with CTVN for over 50 years, and still instructs students there, leading to award-winning productions like 'Welcome to the Peace House' (2017).
Peter Kuttner is a union member of IATSE, reflecting his long-standing professional involvement in the film and television industry.
Peter Kuttner is a board member of South Side Projections, an organization dedicated to presenting films and fostering discussions relevant to the South Side of Chicago.
Kuttner was employed as a director at Chicago's public television station WTTW, where he directed television shows including the arts series 'Facets' during his early career.
Peter Kuttner’s career in film spans over five decades, marked by his dedication to both socially conscious documentary filmmaking and significant contributions to commercial productions. His early work began in the mid-1960s after graduating from Northwestern University in 1965. There, he directed “Cause Without a Rebel” (1965), a short documentary exploring student political complacency. Following this, he engaged with the War On Poverty Pre-College Film Workshop program, collaborating with Dillard University students on films like “Tackle is a Girl’s Best Friend” (1965) and “Mary Had a Little Lamb” (1965). In 1966, Kuttner joined Chicago Television Station WTTW (later PBS) as a director, where he gained exposure to Cinéma Vérité and created shows such as the arts series “Facets.”
In 1967, Kuttner’s commitment to political activism led him to New York, where he connected with Newsreel, a documentary film group. He subsequently established the Chicago chapter of Newsreel, recruiting 15 members and fostering collaborations with local film collectives like Kartemquin Films. During this period, he produced “April 27” (1986), documenting the 1968 Democratic National Convention protests. A founding member of the New Left activist group Rise Up Angry, Kuttner took a hiatus from filmmaking to focus on community service, organizing citywide free clinics and writing film reviews. His return to filmmaking in 1972 saw him officially join Kartemquin Films, where he was instrumental in restoring “Trick Bag,” a project previously damaged in a fire, which later earned the Chicago International Film Festival’s Merit Award.
Kuttner’s filmography at Kartemquin includes “Hum 255,” “Now We Live on Clifton” (1974), and “The Chicago Maternity Center Story” (1976). A notable achievement is “The End of the Nightstick” (1994), a collaboration with Chicago Torture Justice, which documented police brutality and torture allegations against Jon Burge. This film received a Silver Hugo from the Chicago International Film Festival. Concurrently, Kuttner built an extensive career as a camera assistant on numerous commercial films shot in Chicago, contributing to major productions such as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986), “The Dark Knight” (2008), “Source Code” (2011), “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (2011), “Man of Steel” (2013), and the TV series “Shameless.”
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