SYNOPSIS
Originally the birthplace of the middle class, Detroit is now on the brink of complete collapse. Loosing over 25% of it’s population and 50% of its manufacturing jobs over the past decade, Detroit is now in a state of emergency. Racial tension, globalization, lack of innovation, and corporate greed has led to a moment of truth for Detroit.
DETROPIA is a cinematic tapestry featuring the lives of several citizens trying to survive the D and make sense of what is happening to their city.
CRYSTAL STARR
The activist, video blogger, and poet
A 28 year old video blogger and aspiring poet, Crystal is the barista at Café 1515 where she holds a new monthly salon called Culturenomics. She and her family are from Southwest Detroit.
DETROIT’S POPULATION SHRANK BY MORE THAN 25% IN THE LAST DECADE FALLING FROM OVER 1.85 MILLION IN 1950 to 713,777 in 2010
Source: The New York Times
TOMMY STEPHENS
The Entrepreneur and Former Educator
Retired School Teacher and owner of the Raven Lounge, Stephens has lived in Detroit over 40 years. Open just two nights a week, the Raven Lounge is in the shadow of the Detroit Hamtramck assembly plant.
OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, U.S. MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS SLASHED 2.9 MILLION AMERICAN JOBS WHILE CREATING 2.4 MILLION JOBS OVERSEAS
Source: The Wall Street Journal
GEORGE MCGREGOR
The Union Leader of Local 22
George first came to Detroit in 1967 during the riots as part of the Army unit dispatched to restore calm to the city. After his service ended a year later, he began working up the ranks of the UAW eventually becoming the President of Local 22.
CHINA’S 113 MILLION INDUSTRIAL WORKFORCE EARNS AN AVERAGE OF $0.81 PER-HOUR. THE AVERAGE FOR MEXICO’S 10.7 MILLION INDUSTRIAL WORKERS IS $2.92 PER HOUR
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
STEVE & DOROTA COY
The Visual and Performance Artists
Both in their late 20’s, Steve and Dorota Coy are visual and performance artists who have lived in Detroit for a few years. Together they make up The Hygienic Dress League, an art project meant to send up capitalism and corporate America.
NEARLY HALF THE ADULT POPULATION OF DETROIT IS FUNCTIONALLY ILLITERATE WITH ONLY 11 PERCENT OF DETROIT’S ADULTS HAVING COLLEGE DEGREES
Source: The Windsor Star and The New York Times
THIS FILM IS DEDICATED TO THE MANY DETROITERS WHO WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE
Copyright © Loki Films 2017. All Rights Reserved.
