CITY OF TREES

A feature documentary about the struggle for good jobs and environmental justice in Washington DC.

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Directors: Brandon Kramer

Producer: Lance Kramer

Cinematographer: Ellie Walton, Brandon Kramer

Editor: Edwin Martinez

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World premiere: 2015 American Conservation Film Festival (Audience Award Winner)

Official Selection: Full Frame Documentary Film Festival

Official Selection: St Louis International Film Festival

Official Selection: Environmental Film Festival

Official Selection: Annapolis Film Festival

Official Selection: American Conservation Film Festival

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The film broadcast on PBS America ReFramed and is now available online.
iTunes | Google Play | Amazon | Vudu

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SELECTED PRESS

“City of Trees is honest. It is real. It explores the messy truths embedded in all fights for environmental and social justice. The film offers a window into the nuances, hopes and fears that play out whenever well-intentioned people try to make things better in struggling urban communities.” — Van Jones, CNN political commentator, NYTimes bestselling author

"Beautiful and engaging. City of Trees offers a great ‘new narrative’ to counter the conventional formula of the traditional success story and explores different dimensions of social and environmental justice.” — Thomas Walker, PhD Director of the Environmental Studies Program, Goucher College

"An expertly crafted, intimately rendered, verité documentary...the film closely examines how race and class difference functions, and the real tensions between wanting to change and improve the environment with the urgent need to secure good jobs for one’s family, safety and well-being.” — Giovanna Chesler, Director of Film & Video Studies Program, George Mason University

"A subtly powerful, insightful, and at times poignant social and environmental documentary. City of Trees so brilliantly succeeds not because it is an environmental film (though it clearly is) but rather because, as a terrific labor film, [City of Trees] uses an environmental program as a prism into the interconnected intricacies of work, race, class, urban space, male breadwinner gender roles and community politics." — Jason Kozlowski, Labor Historian and Labor Educator, West Virginia University Institute for Labor Studies and Research

"Focusing on the struggles of managing a non-profit organization while simultaneously seeking to implement a local park's beautification and the empowerment of its neighboring citizens, this handsomely shot story makes its viewers intimate observers of the emotional journeys experienced by both the project leaders and the hired staff who passionately grab at this opportunity to improve their lives." — Chris Haley, Director of the Study of the Legacy of Slavery in Maryland, Maryland State Archives

“This is a special film. Anyone interested in the complex challenges of "helping others" will find deep insights in this parable of human aspiration. Take advantage of this opportunity to see it on a big screen.” — Patricia Aufderheide, Professor, School of Communications, American University