RIOTSVILLE, USA

Even way before Trump, the name United States of America had a hollow ring to it, as this film reminds us. At the end of the 60s, the US army constructed the ghost town that gives this film its title, to train special forces there for operations against demonstrating civilians. All while a commissioned study showed that the best action against civil unrest was to strengthen the social systems. Today we know that this conclusion went unheard. In her film, brilliantly edited from archival footage, Sierra Pettengill explores the history of the US police force‘s militarisation.