Hum 255

In the winter of 1968, a group of students at the University of Chicago occupied the administration building to protest against the firing of sociology professor Marlene Dixon, a Marxist-feminist. The sit-in ended after 13 days, and then 42 students were expelled and 81 suspended.

One year later a group of students invites two of them to discuss their experiences as part of a documentary workshop. Many of the skeptical younger students lack the time and enthusiasm for activism, but the two outspoken young women motivate them to be more fervent in expressing their ideas.

The 16mm footage shows them debating all sorts of burning issues, ranging from the state of higher education in the US to the women’s movement, the Black Panther Party, and the murder of Fred Hampton. The restless, often out-of-focus camerawork makes for a telling snapshot of political debate among young people in the late 1960s.