Middletown
Unconventional teacher Fred Isseks and his “Electronic English” class provide an eye-opening and life-altering opportunity to a group of high school students in 1991 Upstate New York. The kids expect to make fun student videos. Instead, they find themselves working on something much bigger: an inquiry into the illegal dumping of hazardous chemicals at the local landfill. That simple assignment soon mushrooms into a wild story involving public health, political corruption, and the Mafia. Armed only with camcorders, these inspired teenagers capture it all, titling their homework project Garbage, Gangsters, and Greed. Controversy ensues as they tenaciously follow leads, coax whistleblowers, and confront stonewalling officials into revealing a criminal pact between local government and organized crime. Thirty years later, award-winning directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine reunite Isseks with his students to recall this astonishing tale of youth empowerment, a time capsule of student investigative journalism before camera phones and social media invaded the scene.
Director/s
Jesse Moss
Jesse Moss
JESSE MOSS’ directing work includes Girls State(2024) and Boys State (winner, 2020 Sundance Grand Jury Prize), both with Amanda McBaine, War Game (2024, with Tony Gerber), The Overnighters (winner of the 2014 Sundance Special Jury Prize), The Mission (2023), and Mayor Pete (2021). He won Primetime Emmy® Awards for Girls State (directing) and Boys State (Outstanding Documentary). He has twice been nominated by the Directors Guild of America (DGA) for his work and twice shortlisted for the Academy Award for Feature Documentary.
Amanda McBaine
Amanda McBaine
AMANDA MCBAINE’s directing work includes Girls State(2024) and Boys State (winner, 2020 Sundance Grand Jury Prize), and The Mission (2023), with Jesse Moss. She produced The Overnighters, winner of the 2014 Sundance Special Jury Prize, Mayor Pete (2021) and The Bandit (2016). She won Primetime Emmy® Awards for Girls State (directing) and Boys State (Outstanding Documentary). She is a Directors Guild of America (DGA) nominee for Boys State and has been twice shortlisted for the Academy Award for Feature Documentary.
Expected Guests
JESSE MOSS: Director
AMANDA MCBAINE: Director
FRED ISSEKS: Protagonist
RACHEL RAIMIST: Protagonist