The phrase “the great experiment” is associated with George Washington’s description of the founding of the United States, reflecting the untested ideals of a democratic nation. Those ideals are still being tested, as directors Stephen Maing and Eric Daniel Metzgar show in their powerful feature, The Great Experiment, which documents a turbulent four-year period in American history, 2017–2021. From the early days of Donald Trump’s first term to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, dissent brewed and at times erupted across the political spectrum. Filming in black and white, Maing and Metzgar underscore the juxtaposition of opposing views and forces—in a particularly jarring, almost surreal, sequence, a group mourns the 17 students and staff killed in the Parkland school shooting while members of a Pennsylvania church bless their AR-15 rifles. The film presents an arresting panorama of communities and conflicts, drawing parallels to the current state of U.S. domestic affairs six years on. The great experiment continues. BD

Q&A following screening