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Seg. 1: Kevin Willmott. Seg. 2: Robert Altman's 'Kansas City.' Seg. 3: Air Guitar Champion.

Segment 1: A talk with Kevin Willmott about his new film.

"BlacKkKlansman" just won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. It's based on the true story of a black cop who infiltrated the KKK in the 1970s. We catch up with the KU professor who collaborated on the film with Spike Lee.

Segment 2, beginning at 17:09: Looking back at the filming of "Kansas City."

When Robert Altman filmed "Kansas City" in his hometown in 1996, Union Station hadn't been renovated yet, and the 18th and Vine neighborhood wasn't getting much citywide attention. Did filming the movie here change how we see our own history?

"Kansas City" screening, 3:30 p.m. Sunday, June 10 at The Medallion Theatre at Plexpod Westport Commons, 300 E. 39th St., Kansas City, Missouri 64110. For more information, visit CinemaKC.com.

Segment 3, beginning at 42:32: How an air-guitar champion hones her skills.

She won last year's local and regional competitions, and she went on to take second place at the national championship. Meet CinAIRella as she gets ready to defend her title ... and hear how she's inspired by '80s hair metal.

  • Beth Melin, "CindAIRella"

Kansas City Air Guitar Championships, 8 p.m. Friday, June 8 at RecordBar, 1520 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Missouri 64108.

People don't make cameos in news stories; the human story is the story, with characters affected by news events, not defined by them. As a columnist and podcaster, I want to acknowledge what it feels like to live through this time in Kansas City, one vantage point at a time. Together, these weekly vignettes form a collage of daily life in Kansas City as it changes in some ways, and stubbornly resists change in others. You can follow me on Twitter @GinaKCUR or email me at gina@kcur.org.