Bisbee ’17

“In Bisbee ’17, Greene peels the layers of oblivion off history like so many layers of paint…[and] offers a passionately ambitious, patiently empathetic mapping of modern times.”—New Yorker

Award-winning director Robert Greene (Actress, Kate Plays Christine) ranks among the most innovative nonfiction filmmakers working today, and the release of Bisbee ’17 is simply one of the documentary events of the year. Set in the eccentric old mining outpost of Bisbee, Arizona, the film follows the town’s plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Bisbee Deportation, in which 1,200 immigrant workers and labor activists were violently taken from their homes, shipped to the desert on cattle cars, and left to die. This dark day in history still lingers when, in collaboration with the filmmakers, the town decides to stage a reenactment of the deportation. Greene’s shifts between performance and reality keep the film constantly engrossing and surprising. Needless to say, there are strong resonances with contemporary American issues. But did we mention Bisbee ’17 is also a musical? (118 mins., DCP) Bring your union card for ticket discount (in-person purchase only).

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Image: Bisbee ’17, image courtesy of the artist.