03/09/2024
A great one-hour documentary about the Boom, Bust, and Rebirth of Mahoning Valley, Ohio, that we are privileged to distribute—especially topical with the upcoming U.S. Presidential election.
Mahoning Valley, Ohio, stands as a powerful symbol of America's struggle to rebuild and redefine itself. At the centre of national political battles, this region mirrors broader divides: JD Vance, the U.S. Senator from Ohio, is also Trump’s new Vice President. While Ohio is often described as a moderately red state, unaffiliated voters are in the majority. By and large, they are progressive, supporting abortion as a fundamental right, additional restrictions on guns, and measures to mitigate the impact of climate change. This stands in stark contrast to the U.S. flags and "Trump for Jobs" signs that adorn front gardens throughout the region.
So Our Story Begins: Mahoning Valley, Forgotten America? is a one-hour documentary that tells the story of the region's rise to become the world’s second-largest steel producer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It culminates on "Black Monday," 19 September 1977, when the steel industry’s collapse left over 5,000 workers unemployed overnight. Yet, Mahoning Valley now symbolises America’s quest for renewal.
French filmmakers Jean-François Debos and Jean-François Henane, alongside American documentarian and photographer AnnMarie B. Simon, draw inspiration from Alexis de Tocqueville in their meticulous examination of American society. Their focus is on the voices of the people—historians, blue-collar workers who witnessed firsthand the collapse of the steel industry and the community it sustained, as well as those who are now driving its reinvention, hoping for a better future.
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