One Nation Under

This film is so beautiful--Lyrical and haunting and vivid and unsettling. Thematically it is very sensitive and attentive. It would be too easy to cross the line and preach and protest and co-opt other people's anguish. Higgins doesn't. Not even for a moment. Yet the film--with it's startling mix of spectacular steady cam work on the streets of downtown NYC and outrageous archival footage about a boy named George who is elected class president-- provokes you and challenges you. She navigates through images and questions and manages to shape a complete idea with a clear arc and an emotional payoff. The film is really haunting. I can't tell you how much the images have stayed with me.

Don't overlook this first time director's remarkable film.