Hospital (1973)

Available November 4th:
Screening and discussion between Frederick Wiseman, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady

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Join us Wednesday, November 4th for a screening of Frederick Wiseman’s Hospital, followed by a conversation between the director and Oscar nominees HEIDI EWING and RACHEL GRADY (Jesus Camp, 12th & Delaware, Detropia) as they place a spotlight on healthcare workers.  

One could measure the success of this landmark documentary by the two Emmys it won or its inclusion in the Library of Congress, but the real measure is the fact that 47 years after it was made, it still packs an emotional wallop. Filmed at a moment when American medicine was moving away from the local doctor with a neighborhood practice and toward an impersonal, large-scale bureaucracy, the film almost looks calm in comparison to today’s world of HMOs and Mega Health Systems. And yet, with its lens toward the E.R., it focuses on something more eternal: the intimate relationship between sick, scared people craving assurance and patient doctors trying to do their jobs. A film of incredible relevance amid the pandemic, Wiseman’s evenhandedness and eye for unforgettable scenes make Hospital as engrossing today as it was when it was made.

Unrated / 1 hr 24 mins.

Hospital is being presented as part of our Wednesdays With Wiseman series. To read more about the series, click here.

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