Kopple's 'Union Town' Doc Premieres At Camden Fest — SkimNews
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- Barbara Kopple premiered her documentary 'Union Town' at the Camden International Film Festival following its Venice debut earlier in September, marking her third major film on American labor after Oscar-winning 'Harlan County U.S.A.' (1976) and 'American Dream' (1991)
- 'Union Town' documents labor battles on three NYC fronts — UPS, Amazon, and 'deliveristas' working for apps like DoorDash — with Teamsters organizer Antonio Rosario shown teaching his sons about solidarity using a bundle of sticks
- Victor Hidalgo, a 24-year-old pharmacy delivery worker, was killed by an FDNY vehicle in 2024; his aunt asked Kopple to film his funeral so 'these things really happen' would not be forgotten
- DoorDash reached a nearly $17 million settlement in New York in 2025 after being accused of keeping tips meant for delivery workers, with customers misled into believing tips went directly to Dashers
- Union participation in America has dropped by about half in the past four decades, though Kopple emphasizes unions are 'still there' and 'if you don't have them, you don't have anything'
- Autlook is handling worldwide sales for the film, which Kopple said finished roughly two weeks before Venice, making U.S. distribution 'too soon to tell'
Why it matters: Kopple, a two-time Oscar winner, returns to labor documentary work at a moment when union participation has halved in four decades — and her film spotlights gig delivery workers facing the deadliest conditions of the three groups profiled. With Amazon workers pushing for union recognition and DoorDash already paying $17 million over stolen tips, the documentary lands as an organizing argument aimed squarely at public awareness and viewer tipping behavior.
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