American Dream (1990)

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Synopsis
Depicting the effects of a mid-1980s strike by the employees of a Hormel meat-packing plant in Austin, Minnesota, Barbara Kopple's Academy Award-winning documentary American Dream observes both the daily struggles of the striking workers and the behind-the-scenes conflicts amongst the union leaders. Upset at a proposed pay cut, the local union chapter begins the strike against the advice of their parent organization, hiring an outside consultant who encourages the workers. This consultant's aggressive, no-compromise approach turns the conflict into national news but also alienates management. Soon, despite the efforts of a seasoned negotiator sent by the parent union, the company has locked out the workers and hired scabs, leading to a series of violent conflicts amongst members of the community. The workers' resolve progressively fades as the battle extends into months and years, and the financial hardships they and their families suffer leads some to doubt the value of their efforts. Kopple, who had previously covered an extended miner's strike in the acclaimed 1977 documentary Harlan County, USA, focuses on the personalities and emotions behind the strike, creating a highly charged portrait of labor that is sympathetic to the workers' distress without ignoring the strike's greater ambiguities. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Production Crew

Bill Susman	Associate Producer
Ernest Hood	Associate Producer
Gail Rosenschein	Associate Producer
Jonathan House	Associate Producer
Molly Ornati	Associate Producer
Hart Perry	Cinematographer
James Hayman	Cinematographer
Kevin Keating	Cinematographer
Mark Petersson	Cinematographer
Mathieu Roberts	Cinematographer
Peter Gilbert	Cinematographer
Michael Small	Composer (Music Score)
Esther Cassidy	Coordinator
Peter Miller	Coordinator
Barbara Kopple	Director
Cathy Caplan	Editor
Lawrence Silk	Editor
Tom Haneke	Editor
Arthur Cohn	Producer
Barbara Kopple	Producer
Barbara Kopple	Sound Recordist

Genre
Culture & Society

Awards
1990 - Audience Award: Documentary - Sundance Film Festival
1990 - Best Documentary - L.A. Film Critics Association
1990 - Best Documentary Feature - Academy
1990 - Best Documentary Feature - Academy
1990 - Filmmaker's Trophy: Documentary - Sundance Film Festival
1990 - Grand Jury Prize: Documentary - Sundance Film Festival
1990 - Audience Award - Documentary - Sundance Film Festival
1990 - Best Documentary Feature - Academy
1990 - Best Documentary Feature - Academy
1990 - Best Documentary - Los Angeles Film Critics Association
1990 - Best Documentary Feature - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie
1990 - Best Documentary Feature - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie
1990 - Grand Jury Prize - Documentary - Sundance Film Festival
1990 - Audience Award - Sundance Film Festival
1992 - Best Documentary - National Society of Film Critics

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