he 1960s were a time of free love in the US, but also of the Vietnam War, the struggle against racial segregation and civil rights battles. Surprised by the scale of social unrest, President Johnson's administration began to prepare for a fundamental confrontation with the "troublemakers." For the needs of the army, they built a model town in the desert, where soldiers were to practice suppressing riots. Produced by Laura Poitras and the Field of Vision collective, Sierra Pettengill's film is edited exclusively from archival materials. The practice clashes of soldiers and dressed-up "demonstrators," watched by officers from makeshift stands, resemble a bizarre TV show. However, they perfectly reflect the nervous atmosphere of those times, heated by the propaganda efforts of the US authorities. 

Konrad Wirkowski 

WATCH DOCS nomination at the American Film Festival