Street Fight

Directed and produced by Marshall Curry
Audiences may wonder if the contentious 2002 Newark mayoral election really took place in an American city or in a distant land with a far different regime.  The race between incumbent Mayor Sharpe James and upstart city councilman Cory Booker was marked by intimidation and manhandling that invariably trampled on citizens’ democratic rights.  The film is a fascinating look at the battle between a seasoned old-school politician and an outsider who was variously accused of being “Jewish,” “gay” and “not black enough.”  35mm.  83 mins.  Academy Award nominee: Documentary Feature.