Flag Wars
Encyclopedia
Flag Wars is a 2003
American documentary film
about the conflict between two communities during the gentrification
of a Columbus, Ohio
neighborhood. Filmed in a cinéma vérité
style, the film is an account of the tension between the two historically oppressed communities of African-Americans and gay
s in Columbus' Olde Towne East
neighborhood. The film was nominated for an Emmy Award
and won three awards, including a Peabody Award
.
homebuyers to their Columbus, Ohio
neighborhood. Filmed over four years, Flag Wars’ “as-it-is-happening” cinéma vérité
style captures the emotions and honesty of unguarded moments as tensions mount between neighbors.
The story begins with Nina, a lesbian
real estate agent
who lives and works in the neighborhood and is at the center of the changes taking place. The changes include having areas of the neighborhood designated a Historic District
(creating restrictive housing codes), an increase in code enforcement
complaints, and efforts to reduce low-income housing in the community. Code enforcement
is complaint driven and neighborhood resident Linda Mitchell believes the new residents moving in on her block are responsible for the code and zoning citations that have landed her in Judge Pfeiffer's Environmental Court. Linda suffers from cirrhosis
of the liver and lives on disability insurance
. She refuses to address the zoning violations and her limited resources prevent her from making repairs to her home. This puts her in jeopardy of arrest. Baba, a Yoruba
priest and plumber, is the founder of the community gallery in the neighborhood, which occupies the bottom two floors of his three-story house. The name and address sign that he hangs above his porch is now in violation of Historic Code because it is carved in an African-relief style. Baba is also prosecuted in court before Judge Pfeiffer and faces fines and possible arrest for refusing to remove his sign. Jim, a working-class gay
man, works two jobs to buy a boarded up Victorian house
in Olde Towne East
. He risks his financial future when he purchases and begins renovations on the house using credit cards.
and Laura Poitras won the 2003 CDS Filmmaker Award at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
, the 2003 SXSW Competition Award at the SXSW Film Festival, and the 2003 Peabody Award. It was also nominated for the 2004 Truer than Fiction Award at the Independent Spirit Awards
and a 2004 Emmy Award
.
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
American documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the conflict between two communities during the gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
of a Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
neighborhood. Filmed in a cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité is a style of documentary filmmaking, combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics.There are subtle yet...
style, the film is an account of the tension between the two historically oppressed communities of African-Americans and gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
s in Columbus' Olde Towne East
Olde Towne East
Olde Towne East is a neighborhood located in the historical Near East Side of Columbus, Ohio. It is one of Columbus' oldest neighborhoods. Nestled between Downtown, Bexley, Old Oaks Historic District and Driving Park...
neighborhood. The film was nominated for an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
and won three awards, including a Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
.
Plot
Flag Wars is a look inside the conflicts that surface when black working-class families are faced with an influx of white gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
homebuyers to their Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
neighborhood. Filmed over four years, Flag Wars’ “as-it-is-happening” cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité
Cinéma vérité is a style of documentary filmmaking, combining naturalistic techniques with stylized cinematic devices of editing and camerawork, staged set-ups, and the use of the camera to provoke subjects. It is also known for taking a provocative stance toward its topics.There are subtle yet...
style captures the emotions and honesty of unguarded moments as tensions mount between neighbors.
The story begins with Nina, a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
real estate agent
Real estate broker
A real estate broker, real estate agent or realtor is a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate/real property and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy...
who lives and works in the neighborhood and is at the center of the changes taking place. The changes include having areas of the neighborhood designated a Historic District
Historic district
A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....
(creating restrictive housing codes), an increase in code enforcement
Code Enforcement
Code enforcement, sometimes encompassing law enforcement, is the act of enforcing a set of rules, principles, or laws and insuring observance of a system of norms or customs. An authority usually enforces a civil code, a set of rules, or a body of laws and compel those subject to their authority...
complaints, and efforts to reduce low-income housing in the community. Code enforcement
Code Enforcement
Code enforcement, sometimes encompassing law enforcement, is the act of enforcing a set of rules, principles, or laws and insuring observance of a system of norms or customs. An authority usually enforces a civil code, a set of rules, or a body of laws and compel those subject to their authority...
is complaint driven and neighborhood resident Linda Mitchell believes the new residents moving in on her block are responsible for the code and zoning citations that have landed her in Judge Pfeiffer's Environmental Court. Linda suffers from cirrhosis
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
of the liver and lives on disability insurance
Disability insurance
Disability Insurance, often called DI or disability income insurance, is a form of insurance that insures the beneficiary's earned income against the risk that a disability will make working uncomfortable , painful , or impossible...
. She refuses to address the zoning violations and her limited resources prevent her from making repairs to her home. This puts her in jeopardy of arrest. Baba, a Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
priest and plumber, is the founder of the community gallery in the neighborhood, which occupies the bottom two floors of his three-story house. The name and address sign that he hangs above his porch is now in violation of Historic Code because it is carved in an African-relief style. Baba is also prosecuted in court before Judge Pfeiffer and faces fines and possible arrest for refusing to remove his sign. Jim, a working-class gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
man, works two jobs to buy a boarded up Victorian house
Victorian house
In the United Kingdom, and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria...
in Olde Towne East
Olde Towne East
Olde Towne East is a neighborhood located in the historical Near East Side of Columbus, Ohio. It is one of Columbus' oldest neighborhoods. Nestled between Downtown, Bexley, Old Oaks Historic District and Driving Park...
. He risks his financial future when he purchases and begins renovations on the house using credit cards.
Awards
Flag Wars and filmmakers Linda Goode BryantLinda Goode Bryant
Linda Goode Bryant is an American documentary filmmaker.Goode Bryant received her B.A. at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and a Masters Degree in Business from Columbia University in New York City. She co-produced and directed Flag Wars , a cinéma vérité Emmy Award-nominated documentary...
and Laura Poitras won the 2003 CDS Filmmaker Award at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is an annual international event dedicated to the theatrical exhibition of non-fiction cinema. Each spring Full Frame welcomes filmmakers and film lovers from around the world to historic downtown Durham, North Carolina for a four-day, morning to midnight...
, the 2003 SXSW Competition Award at the SXSW Film Festival, and the 2003 Peabody Award. It was also nominated for the 2004 Truer than Fiction Award at the Independent Spirit Awards
Independent Spirit Awards
The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
and a 2004 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
.
External links
- Flag Wars site for P.O.V.P.O.V.POV is a Public Broadcasting Service Public television series which features independent nonfiction films. POV is a cinema term for "point of view"....
on PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia.... - "Flag Wars" site at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...