- A European filmmaker searches for the truth about her grandfather, the most famous Policy Kings of all times, who rose to the heights of financial and political prominence in Chicago in the 30s, despite discrimination.
- Gangster for some, hero for others, who was really Edward Jones? In the '30s and '40s, this descendant of slaves becomes one of the richest men in the US thanks to the Policy business, an illegal numbers game that ultimately became the modern State Lottery. But in these times of segregation, his success and unfailing support to the African American community are a problem. In conflict with both the mob and the Feds, he is forced into a life on the run.
Exploring the rise and fall of the most famous Policy King of all times, the filmmaker, Edward Jones' granddaughter, uncovers an unparalleled story, while showing the lasting repercussions of his untold story, both within her family, and for Chicago's South Side where he once embodied the American dream.
Love, success, violence, revenge, mafia, murder, betrayal, prison, kidnapping. . . Edward Jones' story holds all the best ingredients of gangster movies. Add segregation and you have a very explosive cocktail!
Director Statement : KING OF KINGS takes an in-depth look at the life and legacy of Edward Jones. As his granddaughter, I've had access to countless anecdotes and incredible documents retracing his personal journey in the midst of major historical events. Even though it took me years to do all the research and interviews, as well as find the funds to finance the film, as a filmmaker, I could not have asked for a better story.
Since I have been living most of my life in Europe, making this documentary was not only an amazing personal and professional experience, it also allowed me to plunge into the history of the United States. As Quincy Jones says in the film "It is so important to know and understand your history, because if you know where you come from, it helps you get where you're going."
Discovering for instance that African Americans were behind the State Lottery and seeing the incredible impact my grandfather had on Chicago were just some of the many eye-opening facts that I came across. Seeing the amazing enthusiastic audience response to the film each time it is being screened in festivals makes all this journey worth it. Policy Kings will not fall after all into oblivion.
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Top Gap
By what name was King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones (2022) officially released in Canada in English?
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