A City in the Forest

When the city of Atlanta announces plans to build the largest police training center in the US—destroying a vital urban forest in the process—a decentralized activist movement mobilizes to stop “Cop City”.

Forest defenders occupy the Weelaunee Forest, disrupting construction through direct action. Their resistance delays the progress of police militarization, but the celebration is cut short when police raid the camp and kill one of the activists, Tortuguita. Grief turns to defiance as protests spill into the streets, transforming a local land struggle into a national reckoning over policing, environmental justice, and democracy.

With rare access, A City in the Forest witnesses the power of collective organizing in an urgent and historic struggle.

Website: acityintheforest.com

Newsletter: https://acityintheforest.substack.com/

AWARDS:

Sheffield DocFest - Jury Special Mention Award for International First Feature Film (World Premiere, June 2026)

DokuFest - Jury Special Mention Award for Human Rights Dox Competition (Balkan Premiere, August 2026)

DMZ Docs - Jury Special Mention Award for International Competition (Asian Premiere, September 2026)

Nashville Film Festival - Jury Best Feature Documentary (TN Premiere, September 2026)

San Francisco Green Festival - Best Feature Audience Award (Bay Area Premiere, October 2026)

Tacoma Film Festival - Best Feature Audience Award (WA Premiere, October 2026)

Indie Memphis- Best Departure Feature Audience Award (November 2026)

UPCOMING SCREENINGS:

Nov 13 | Guelph Film Festival (Canada) 7pm EST

Nov 18+19 | DocNYC (NY) Nov 18 9:30pm EST + Nov 19 1:00pm EST

Nov 22 | Cucalorus (Wilmington, NC) - 1:00pmEST

PAST SCREENINGS:

New Orleans Community Screening (October 2026)

New Orleans Film Festival (LA Premiere, October 2026)

Seattle Community Screening (October 2026)

Chicago International Film Festival (IL Premiere, October 2026)

Hot Springs Film Festival (AR Premiere, October 2026)

Little Rock Community Screening (October 2026)

NewNext Film Fest (MD Premiere, October 2026)

A City in the Forest Festival (Atlanta Premiere, September 2026)

Lochiel Land Defense Camp (BiNational US-Mexico Premiere, September 2026)

Festival de Sevelin (Switzerland Premiere, Sept 2026)

Lemesos International Documentary Film Festival (Cyprus Premiere, August 2026)

SUPPORT FROM:

2024: Ford Foundation JustFilms Production Grant, Scottish Documentary Institute Edinburgh Pitch, Center for Independent Documentary Kopkind Seminar

2023: Southern Documentary Fund Production Grant, MountainFilm Commitment Grant, Yale Law School DocProject, Freedom of the Press Foundation