What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?

What You Gonna Do When the World's on Fire?

Roberto Minervini

Focus USA, Italy, France 123 min Documentary

Synopsis

Roberto Minervini delves into the lives of several people from the black community in the southern United States during the outbreaks of police violence that swept the country in the summer of 2017. We meet a neighbour fighting against gentrification, or two teenagers with a strong social conscience. A fresh and combative kaleidoscope of contemporary North America shot in splendorous black and white,

Themes

North American CinemaDocumentalYouthPoliticsSocial Issues

Filmmaker

Roberto Minervini

He is an Italian-born film director, who lives and works in the U.S. He is widely considered to be one of the world’s most prominent auteurs of narrative documentaries, which combine dramatized and observational elements. After completing a Master of Arts in Media Studies at the New School in New York City, in 2007 he moved to Texas, where he directed three feature films, a Texas Trilogy that focused on rural communities in the American South. He then went on to direct two feature films set in Louisiana, shifting to the political realm of American society and touching on social injustice. In more recent years, he has begun to produce the work of other visionary filmmakers, including Payal Kapadia and Lisandro Alonso.

Filmography: The Damned (2024, D'A 2025), What You Gonna Do When The World's On Fire? (2018, D'A 2019, D'A 2025), The Other Side (2015, D'A 2016, D'A 2025), Stop the Pounding Heart (2013, D'A 2014, D'A 2025), Low Tide (2012), The Passage (2011), The Fireflies (short film, 2006, D'A 2025), Notes (short film, 2005), Come to Daddy (short film, 2005, D'A 2025), Voodoo Doll (short film, 2005, D'A 2025)

Roberto Minervini

Film information

Director: Roberto Minervini
With: Judy Hill, Dorothy Hill, Michael Nelson
Country: USA, Italy, France
Year: 2018
Length: 123 min
Language: English
Subtitles: Catalan
Edition: 2025

Awards and festivals

VENICE FILM FESTIVAL
Vivere da Sportivi Award
Fair Play Cinema Award
Special Mention of the Soundtrack Stars Award for Best Actress
UNICEF Award

MAR DEL PLATA FILM FESTIVAL
Best Direction
Best Actress
Best Editing

VIENNALE
Standard Readers' Jury Award

LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
Grierson Award for Best Documentary

Poster

What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?
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