Public Housing is Wiseman’s unflinching portrayal of life at the Ida B. Wells housing project in Chicago, a raw exposition of the daily conflicts between residents and the bureaucratic machinery to which they are continually subjected. With intimate detail and an abiding dedication to his subject, Wiseman unearths the hidden facets of institutions to find humanity and sites of unexpected beauty.
Direction
Wiseman's invisible presence—pure observation, zero manipulation.
Editing
Juxtaposition that speaks louder than any voiceover could.
Director
Frederick Wiseman
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Ida B. Wells Homes were demolished in 2011; Wiseman's film is now archaeological evidence of a vanished world.
Wiseman shot for 12 weeks but shows no dates—collapsing time to suggest these cycles are eternal.
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