KC on Film

By CRYSTAL K. WIEBE

Some folks want the world to witness Kansas City’s downtown revitalization. For the past four and a half years, John Altman and Aimee Larrabee have been recording the evolution for a documentary with the sappy title Mending the Heart of an American City.

The filmmakers have some serious industry connections, including the fact that Altman’s cousin is, you guessed it, the late Robert Altman. So the project has already caught the attention of the L.A. Times and just may be broadcast nationally on some cable network. But the heart of the urban core ain’t fixed yet, and so neither is the film, which has an estimated budget of $500,000.

The Kansas City Area Development Council is helping to find funding for the movie. A spokeswoman there says filming should be complete by late 2008, although “the city never will be.” For now, there is just a hope-filled trailer at thinkdowntownkc.com. May the epic music and gritty constructions scenes inspire you.