Public Hearing

In a small rural town in the U.S., the construction of a large shopping center and its environmental impact are subject to a public hearing where actors and non-actors star as the people involved in the debate. Filmed in 16 mm, with a great black and white photography, this James N. Kienitz Wilkins’ film fascinates us by the great shots of gestures, glances and expressions of the participants, while we hear the pros and cons of each side. Wilkins explores thus a new way of looking and listening, a film that chronicles and documents at the same time. (C. C.)