Draft:The Secret Cities of Mark Kistler

The Secret Cities of Mark Kistler is a 2023 American documentary film about the life and philosophy of Mark Kistler, the host and creator of "The Secret City", directed by Jason Corgan Brown.

Premise
The film presents the story of the artist behind the 1980s and 1990s television programs: The Secret City, The Draw Squad, and Imagination Station. Mark Kistler became a well-known personality on classic PBS alongside Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, Bob Ross, and Reading Rainbow. He helped shape instructional programming for children in the pre-YouTube world, teaching 3D drawing before CGI.

Appearances

 * Mark Kistler
 * Joel Gori
 * Tim Decker
 * Robert Neustadt
 * Dan Fraga
 * Douglas Devore
 * Cynthia Ehrnstein
 * Jack Moore

Release
The Secret Cities of Mark Kistler premiered at the 2023 San Diego Comic-con on July 20, 2023. The film's US theatrical release began in New York City on November 24, 2023. Streaming was launched with Apple on February 24th, 2024 in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The film was subsequently released on Prime Video, Google Play, and Tubi in various territories around the globe.

Reception
NPR published a story about the film on their flagship national news program All Things Considered on December 28th, 2023

NBC, CBS, and Fox broadcast coverage of the film across the United States in 2023 and 2024 on Fox 32 Chicago, Today in Nashville , CBS 8 Mornings , Fox 5 Headline News , and NBC Houston Life.

The film was selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration at the 2024 Oscars.

Rotten Tomatoes approved critic Avi Offer of New York Film Critics Online wrote that the film "is a fascinating, heartfelt and inspirational documentary biopic on American artist Mark Kistler."

The Rochester Beacon published a story about the film on January 26th, 2024 in relation to a screening run in the city of Rochester, New York.

Accolades
The film won Best Feature Documentary awards at the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con Film Festival on July 20, 2023, WorldFest-Houston International Film Fest on April 25, 2023, and the Golden State Film Festival on February 23, 2024.