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

DokuFest - 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 - Best Feature Documentary (TN Premiere, September 2026)

UPCOMING SCREENINGS:

Oct 15 | Hot Springs (AR) - 12pm CDT

Oct 18+19 | Chicago International (IL) - 10/18 4:30pm CDT, 10/19 1pm CDT

Oct 21 | Seattle Community Screening (WA) - 6pm PST

Oct 22 | San Francisco Green Festival (CA) - 6pm PST

Oct 24 | Tacoma Film Festival (WA) - 1:45pm PST

Oct 25 | New Orleans (LA) - 8:30pm CDT

Nov 6 | Indie Memphis (TN) - 6:30pm CDT

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:

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