about the film
Flint: The Poisoning of an American City traces the timeline of the city’s interaction with the Flint River – from the continued abuse and neglect of both city infrastructure and environmental regulations, to subsequent population decline, through to Michigan’s 2013 appointing of outside emergency managers. This poisonous mix of factors created a crisis which has gone on for five years, resulting in record high levels of lead in the drinking water of the city.
The film intersperses with area residents (including parents, social workers, educators, pastors, and experts on water and health) with testimony at congressional and other oversight committee hearings to demonstrate how 100,000 people have been poisoned by lead, an irreversible affliction. No timeline exists for the remediation of the situation.
Flint explores the critical question of how this could happen in America and how this event should serve as a warning for the rest of the country. A recent report found that 5,300 American cities were found to be in violation of federal lead rules, and research published in USA Today detected excessive lead in nearly 2,000 public water systems across all 50 states. This documentary educates and inspires action, seeking to radically change how we view and value water.
“Films like the one you are going to see tonight are so important because they won’t let people forget what is still happening in Flint. Films like this one keep Flint’s story alive and underscore that what happened in Flint isn’t an isolated tragedy... It’s happening all over our country to people who don’t have the influence and the political power to fight back. But we will fight back, and we will not stop until every single American’s right to clean drinking water is safe and secure.” - Former Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland)
“Flint: The Poisoning of an American City” is written & directed by David Barnhart. Produced by David Barnhart / Sabotage Film Group. Edited by Scott Lansing. Music / Soho Riot. Barnhart Films is committed to Story as a means to give voice to narratives that have not been heard and enable community engagement on relevant and timely issues. These films and stories are funded by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA). PDA recognizes the value and importance of story as a means to connect and cultivate wider circles of community engagement and action.
TRAILER
SCREENINGS
In light of the concern for the spread of COVID-19 we are not offering the film for in-person grassroots screenings at this time. Please consider attending OR hosting a virtual screening instead.
news
COURT TV | Exclusive on The Flint Water Crisis/Settlement
September 2020
Fanbolt | exclusive interview: “Flint: the poisoning of an american city”
January 2020
medium | “flint: the poisoning of an american city” review
“When trying to paint a clear picture of events, especially with something as important as the Flint water crisis, context is everything. We see the heartbreak in people’s eyes. There is nothing like a well-made documentary to educate people to the truth. Barnhart does precisely that.”
FILMTHREAT | “Flint: The poisoning of an american city” review
“The inescapable conclusion of the documentary is that the problems with Flint water are not unique, nor are they particularly technically difficult to solve, but rather the result of aggressive neglect caused by institutional racism. There’s a class problem here too. The poor in our country are becoming invisible.”
michigan public radio | Flint’s history and tragedy on display in new water crisis film
pond 5 blog | The making of the documentary ‘Flint: The poisoning of an american city’
presbyterian mission agency | ‘Flint’ film aims to tell truth of the water crisis with residents’ voices
Radio interview of Scott lansing of sabotage film group
KBMF Butte America Radio, June 19, 2019
Piper Carter Podcast Episode #54: “Flint: The Poisoning of an American City”
@PiperCarter and cohost Brittany visit the Charles H. Wright Museum to watch the film “Flint: The Poisoning of an American City.” Afterwards, they interviewed the dynamic panel that consisted of James Perkinson, Water Activist, Mike Harris, Philanthropist, Founder, Flint Development Center, Catrina Tillman, First Lady of First Trinity Church, Founder of SHE Ministries and Ambassador for The Water Box Project with Jaden Smith, Ovie Mughelli, Former NFL Fullback Atlanta Falcons, Environmentalist and Philanthropist, Peter Hammer, Director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights and Professor of Law, David Barnhart, Barnhart Films, director of the film, Detroit’s own Monica Lewis-Patrick, Human Rights Activist, President & CEO, We The People of Detroit.
About Water
When the biggest company in town poisons the water
MLive, June 11, 2019
They Grow the Nation’s food, but they can’t drink the water
New York Times, May 21, 2019
Report: Michigan has most pfas sites in nation
The Detroit News, May 6, 2019
11 cities with the worst tap water in the us
Business Insider, March 19, 2019
Groundwater contamination devastates new mexico dairy - and threatens public health
Las Cruces Sun News, February 22, 2019
Recognition
Frank Little Award for Self Sacrifice & Social Change. 2019 Covellite International Film Festival
Award of Excellence from the Impact DOCS Awards. 2020
The Susan A. K. Shaffer Humanitarian Award from the Beaufort International Film Festival. 2019