TRAILERS

Official Trailer for Outstanding Doc 'Riotsville, U.S.A.' About America

by Alex Billington
August 16, 2022
Source: YouTube

"1967 had given the establishment proof that something was broken – and being born." Magnolia Pictures has finally unveiled an official trailer for this outstanding documentary film titled Riotsville, U.S.A., one of the best docs I've seen this entire year. This originally premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival in January, and I listed it as one of my favorite films of the fest. Welcome to Riotsville, a fictional town built by the US military. Using all archival footage, the film explores the militarization of the police and creates a counter-narrative to the nation's reaction to the uprisings of the late '60s. It is an eye-opening look at how America has used violence to suppress progress and liberal ideas ever since the radical 60s. And it's scary af. Featuring writing by Tobi Haslett, and narration by Charlene Modeste. At Sundance this year, I wrote about how it's, "another important this-should-be-shown-everywhere film telling the truth about America." I can't recommend this terrific film enough and I hope it's shown to every American in school from now on.

Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Sierra Pettengill's doc Riotsville, U.S.A., direct from YouTube:

Welcome to Riotsville, U.S.A. -- a major turning point in American history when the nation's rulers -- politicians, bureaucrats, police -- were faced with the mounting militancy of the late-1960s, and they did everything possible to win the war in the streets. Using training footage of Army-built model towns called “Riotsvilles” where military and police were trained to respond to civil disorder, in addition to nationally broadcast news media, director Sierra Pettengill connects the stagecraft of “law and order” to the real violence of state practice. Recovering an obscured history whose effects have shaped the present in ways both insidious and explosive, Riotsville, U.S.A. is a poetic and furious reflection on the rebellions of the 1960s–and the machine that worked to destroy them. Riotsville, U.S.A. is directed by acclaimed American doc filmmaker Sierra Pettengill, director of the docs The Reagan Show and Town Hall previously, plus a researcher / archivist on many other projects. It's produced by Sara Archambault and Jamila Wignot. This initially premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Magnolia Pics will debut Pettengill's Riotsville, U.S.A. in select US theaters + on VOD starting September 16th, 2022 coming soon. Who's in?

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