A Sensory America

Four years have passed since November 3, 2020, the day when the world thought it could finally close the chapter on the Donald Trump era and his inflammatory rhetoric. Although 81 million Americans cast their vote for Joe Biden—a record for any presidential candidate!—we now know that the long-hoped-for return to normalcy never arrived.

Many voices now stress the near-existential importance of the results on November 5. While the gravity in these statements may seem understated, the reality remains clear to us all: regardless of who emerges victorious, divisions will persist. Worse still, they will likely deepen. With this pivotal election period upon us, we found it timely to gather four films that explore the realm of the “sensitive,” diverging from the well-trodden path of films focused on social divides, to offer a new perspective on a society we think we know by heart, revealing fresh nuances in its portrait.

The title, A Sensory America, reflects two interconnected and complementary interpretations. “Sensory” here captures both tenderness and fragility, but it can also be understood in a more material sense—palpable, and tangible. In short, we invite you not to overthink America; that terrain belongs to the press. Here, we invite you to feel it.

Jason Todd
Artistic Director