She was also a screenwriter of a music biopic about the life and times of Mahalia Jackson, The Queen of Soul, and about what a Mexican woman went through to illegally cross the border.
[3] Screen went beyond a weekly publication, and produced several national trade shows, a score of seminars and the first annual industry networking event.
Health issues compelled Ratny to relinquish her print publication in 2002, but she returned to chronicling the film industry through her ReelChicago.com website in 2004.
[5] Ratny received recognition awards from Lawyers for the Creative Arts and the Chicago Coalition, of which she was a founding member.
She was active in many local film organizations, and earlier taught courses at Columbia College Chicago.