Detropia 2012
Previous FilmsDetroit’s story has encapsulated the iconic narrative of America over the last century — the Great Migration of African Americans escaping Jim Crow; the rise of manufacturing and the middle class; the love affair with automobiles; the flowering of the American dream; and now…the collapse of the economy and the fading American mythos. With its vivid, painterly palette and haunting score, DETROPIA sculpts a dreamlike collage of a grand city teetering on the brink of dissolution. These soulful pragmatists and stalwart philosophers strive to make ends meet and make sense of it all, refusing to abandon hope or resistance. Their grit and pluck embody the spirit of the Motor City as it struggles to survive postindustrial America and begins to envision a radically different future.
The Filmmakers
Heidi Ewing, Director
Originally from Detroit, Ewing is the co-director of DETROPIA (2012, Sundance and Emmy winner), a searing exploration of the rise and fall of her hometown. Her newest film NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU was the opening night selection at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. She is also the co-director of Oscar nominated JESUS CAMP (Magnolia/A&E Indie), THE BOYS OF BARAKA (PBS, ThinkFilm, Emmy nominee) and 12TH & DELAWARE (HBO, Peabody winner). Ewing is currently at work on THE ARRIVALS, about two successful Mexican immigrants searching for a path to legalization. Ewing is the co-owner of New York’s Loki Films.
Rachel Grady, Director
Rachel Grady is the co-director of the Academy Award nominated documentary JESUS CAMP, which chronicles the Evangelical movement through the eyes of children. Grady also co-directed THE BOYS OF BARAKA, which won a NAACP Image Award. Grady won a Peabody Award for 12TH & DELAWARE, and recently co-directed DETROPIA, an arresting exploration of Detroit City. The film won an Emmy and an Editing Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Her newest film NORMAN LEAR: JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF YOU was the opening night selection at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Grady is the co-owner of New York’s Loki Films.