For the Left Hand is a documentary produced by Kartemquin Films about the inspiring pianist Norman Malone. At age 5, Norman discovered he was a natural at the piano. Tragically, when Norman turned 10, his father attacked him with a hammer to the head, leaving him paralyzed on his right side. Undaunted, Malone began a lifelong quest to reclaim his place at the piano, mastering the most difficult music ever written for left hand alone – and never telling anyone of his deepening virtuosity. Not until he was 78 did Malone reveal his story (to the Chicago Tribune), prompting belated invitations to perform across America. Nearly 70 years after his tragic attack, Malone launches a much-delayed, triumphant concert career.

About the Directors:

Gordon Quinn (DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER) is the Artistic and co-founder of Kartemquin Films, where over the past 50+ years he has helped hundreds of documentary filmmakers advance their projects forward and been a leading champion of the rights of all documentary filmmakers. He is the 2015 recipient of the International Documentary Association Career Achievement Award and was a key leader in creating the Documentary Filmmakers Statement of Best Practices in Fair Use. His credits as director and producer include films as diverse and essential as 63 Boycott (2017), Inquiring Nuns (1966), Golub (1988), and A Good Man (2011), and as executive producer include Academy-Award nominated films Minding the Gap (2018), Abacus: Small Enough to Jail (2016), Hoop Dreams (1994), and the Emmy Award-winning The Interrupters (2011), The Trials of Muhammad Ali (2013), The Homestretch (2014), and Life Itself (2014), and the acclaimed limited series The New Americans (2003) and Hard Earned (2015).

Leslie Simmer (DIRECTOR, EDITOR) is Kartemquin’s Director of Editing and Senior Editor on staff and has worked at Kartemquin for over 20 years in various capacities. She edited Steve James’ series America to Me, which aired on the Starz network in 2018. She also edited and co-wrote Raising Bertie (2016) which premiered at Full Frame, was broadcast on POV, and was named by Slate Magazine as one of the 15 best docs of 2017. Leslie has also edited and co-wrote the Emmy Award-winning film, The Homestretch (2015, Hot Docs and PBS’s Independent Lens); edited and co-wrote the Emmy-nominated documentary As Goes Janesville (Independent Lens 2012); edited Steve James’ ESPN film No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson; edited the Emmy-nominated In the Family (for which she received the Best Editing prize at the “Best of the Midwest Awards”), and co-edited with Steve James on the award-winning The War Tapes (Tribeca Film Festival). From 2001-2004 she wore dual hats on the seven-part PBS series The New Americans as both Series Story Editor and Post Production Supervisor.

For the Left Hand is Sponsored by Bryant, Lovlien & Jarvis

The Tower Theatre is Sponsored by Brooks Resources

Regal Old Mill is Sponsored by The Starview Foundation