Bisbee ‘17
A border town reckons with a haunting mass deportation a century later
2018 | Running Time: 119 minutes | Rating: NR
An old mining town on the Arizona-Mexico border finally reckons with its darkest day: the mass deportation of immigrant miners exactly 100 years ago. This unconventional and dream-like film about a forgotten American tragedy follows several members of Bisbee’s close-knit community as they prepare to commemorate the horrific action’s anniversary. During the infamous 1917 deportation, 1,200 striking miners were violently taken from their homes by an armed vigilante force, banished to the middle of the desert and abandoned to die. The hybrid film combines documentary and fiction filmmaking techniques as locals collaborate to stage recreations of their ugly past. BISBEE ‘17 premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Director: Robert Greene; Producers: Susan Bedusa, Douglas Tirola, Bennett Elliott
Sundance Film Festival 2018: Grand Jury Prize-Documentary (nomination)
CPH:DOX 2018: DOX: Award (nomination)
Cinema Eye Honors Awards 2019: Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography (nomination), Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Score (nomination), Outstanding Achievement in Direction (nomination), Outstanding Achievement in Production (nomination), Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking (nomination)
Gotham Awards 2018: Audience Award (nomination), Gotham Independent Film Award – Best Documentary (nomination)
International Documentary Association 2018: Creative Recognition Award – Best Musical
Athens International Film Festval 2018: Special Mention – Best Documentary, Golden Athena – Best Documentary (nomination)
Cleveland International Film Festival 2018: Greg Gund Memorial Standing up Award (nomination)
Doc Aviv 2018: Depth of Field Competition (nomination)
Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival 2018: Best Documentary (nomination)
London Film Festival 2018: Grierson Award – Documentary Film (nomination)
“Greene’s aesthetics prove not only arresting, but in sync with his larger depiction of a community wracked by dissonance and in search of unique ways to come to terms with its heritage.”
VARIETY