Dir: Michael Galinsky & Suki Hawley
USA/2011/93mins
Web: Battle For Brooklyn
Print Source: m_galinsky@yahoo.com
Australian Premiere
4 stars - Daily News
4 stars - Time Out
Official Selection: HotDocs
Official Selection: Chicago Underground
Battle For Brooklyn focuses on the large-scale redevelopment planned for downtown Brooklyn. The plan – the largest in New York City history - is simple: build a sports arena and a new neighbourhood. Except for one problem - there’s already a neighbourhood there, complete with elderly residents, generations of families and local businesses. As we soon discover though it’s too bad for this vibrant community as their homes become subject to compulsory acquisition and are scheduled for demolition. Enter local resident Daniel Goldstein who decides to fight the development and joins forces with other local activists to stake a claim for their community, their homes and in some cases their jobs.
Filmed over nearly a decade of struggle, the activists are drawn into numerous community protests, media campaigns, confrontations on the steps of City Hall and endless legal battles.
Battle For Brooklyn is not just a classic David versus Goliath tale about property developers, big business and government, it also tells a story of a community coming together to defend themselves. By turns motivational and moving, inspirational and emotional, Battle For Brooklyn tells a common universal story of people struggling in the face of adversity.
As an aside, Michael and Suki came to us in our 2nd year with Half Cocked.it's an excellent title which we lovingly showed in 16mm of course.
View the Battle For Brooklyn trailer here.