Indie Lens Pop-Up and RiverRun Present “Razing Liberty Square” Urgent Documentary Focusing on a Community that has Become Ground Zero for Climate Gentrification

Indie Lens Pop-Up, presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS, and the RiverRun International Film Festival will host a free screening of Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Katja Esson’s “Razing Liberty Square” on Wednesday, January 24, at 6 p.m. at the Forsyth County Central Library at 660 West Fifth Street in Winston-Salem.

The evening also will feature a panel discussion with three special guests for a conversation about three prevalent issues facing communities nationwide—climate change, housing insecurity, and economic inequity. Guest panelists for the RiverRun program will be Jen Runkle of the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies; Dan Rose, Sociology Professor at Winston-Salem State University and of Housing Justice Now; and Max Cawley, Director of Climate Research and Engagement at The Museum of Life and Science in Durham.

Until recently, Liberty City, a neighborhood in Miami, was home to the oldest segregated public housing project in the United States, Liberty Square. Now, it is ground zero for a burgeoning trend: climate gentrification. As rising seas threaten Miami’s luxurious beachfront, wealthy property owners are pushing inland to higher ground, creating a speculators’ market in a neighborhood previously ignored by developers and policymakers alike. Located 12 feet above sea level, Liberty City becomes more attractive with each rising tide and as a result, the original Liberty Square is demolished, displacing residents, and erasing a decades-old community.

  • WHAT: FREE preview screening of “Razing Liberty Square” followed by a community discussion about climate and housing.

  • PRESENTERS: Indie Lens Pop-Up, RiverRun International Film Festival

  • WHEN: January 24, 6 p.m.

  • WHERE: Forsyth County Central Library

Indie Lens Pop-Up and RiverRun International Film Festival aim to spark enlightening conversations that shed light on social issues affecting communities around the United States. “Razing Liberty Square” will debut on January 29, 2024, at 10 p.m. ET on PBS and the PBS App (check local listings).
For more information, visit: pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/razing-liberty-square.
 
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a community series that brings people together for film screenings and conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup.

About INDEPENDENT LENS
INDEPENDENT LENS is an Emmy ® Award-winning PBS documentary series. With founding executive producer Lois Vossen, the series has been honored with 10 Academy Award nominations and features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. Stream anytime on the PBS App. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.

About RIVERRUN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
The RiverRun International Film Festival is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to the role of cinema as a conduit of powerful ideas and diverse viewpoints. Founded in 1998, RiverRun is a competitive event that annually showcases new films from both established and emerging filmmakers around the world. Each spring, RiverRun screens new narrative, documentary, short, student and animated films, offering both audience and jury prizes in competition categories. For more information, visit HERE.

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