Fifty years ago the South Bronx was burning. Many Americans, looking at the crisis from the outside, felt that the best course of action to rid the city of urban blight was to “let it burn.” For the people who lived there and who had experienced decades of systemic racism leading up to the fires, the tragedy was twofold. Not only were their once proud melting-pot neighborhoods being violently destroyed, but the rest of the city (and the country) did not seem to care. And somehow, in the midst of this ongoing crisis, fire stations were closing. This expertly crafted documentary views the story through the eyes of people who lived in the South Bronx during the fires and who continue to live there and work to protect their community. Making excellent use of archival material, the film also provides background, as it traces the urban history of the area from redlining to the current threat of gentrification.  TBW

Filmmaker Q&A following screening