American Winter screening | Englert Theatre | March 30, 2 p.m.
Given the scope of the 2008-9 financial collapse and recession, it is safe to say that most of us know people who were adversely affected by this economic disaster in some way, perhaps profoundly so.
We may not, however, have witnessed many of the more private moments of suffering, emotional turmoil, physical deprivation, shame, and hopelessness that such victims endured and, sadly, continue to endure.
American Winter, a Kickstarter-backed documentary directed by Harry and Joe Gantz, seeks to fill that void and to personalize in an emotionally direct, and often heart-wrenching way the suffering and fear experienced by several middle-class Portland families as a result of the economic collapse. The film is being shown for free at the Englert Theatre as part of FilmScene’s spring series of collaborative screenings.
Working in collaboration with a Portland-based referral center for families in economic need, the filmmakers listened to calls from families seeking food, housing, or other assistance over the winter of 2010-11 and subsequently followed several of those families as they and their children tried to overcome the new, often desperate circumstance inflicted upon them by the financial collapse.
Much of the film is overtly political, suggesting that these personal catastrophes were the inevitable outcome of an economic system which has abandoned meaningful safety nets to protect even the middle class, and that we can look forward to more such suffering in the future of the political system does not change this approach.
Like the Gantz brothers’ other work, especially HBO’s Taxicab Confessions and their first feature documentary, Couples Arguing, American Winter is very personal, very human, and often nakedly emotional.
This Saturday, the filmmakers, along with co-producer Devon Terrill, will attend a special screening of American Winter at the Englert Theater. They will be answering questions about the film after the screening, as well. The event starts at 2:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
