East LA Interchange

Historical events and government policies threaten an iconic neighborhood in <strong>EAST LA INTERCHANGE</strong>, an affecting, powerful examination of gentrification and the implications for shifting U.S. demographics.

The oldest neighborhood in East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights for decades was proudly multi-ethnic, where working-class families of Jewish, Latino, Russian, Japanese and African-American descent melded into a vibrant tapestry of shared ideals. This idyllic existence was shattered by Japanese interment camps in WWII, racially restrictive housing laws, and construction of North America's largest freeway system. Residents and activists reveal Boyle Heights' metamorphosis from a close-knit community of distinct groups, to a landscape of institutional and structural blockades. By humanizing a story of activists fighting suburban homogeneity, documentarian Betsy Kalin uses Boyle Heights as a microcosm for Americans everywhere, who are affected by discriminatory public practices and city planning run amok.

<strong>EAST LA INTERCHANGE</strong> is a cautionary tale of the promise and peril of American progress, a call for reform, and a celebration of a rich multi-ethnic legacy. Winner of the Best Feature Film Award at the New Urbanism Film Festival.