A documentary film and performance about American life along the Mississippi.
A steamer built from scratch, all 3,730 kilometres of the Mississippi river and two European artists in the heart of the United States. In this documentary, Maxime Berthou and Mark Požlep are taking us along on the three-month journey along the mythical river they took in 2019. We see the people they met and the brutal nature of everyday life in the towns along the Mississippi. Communities ravaged by poverty, bad health caused by toxic industrial pollution, and racial inequality. But we also witness the strength of individuals trying to give meaning to their lives for others.
The film is supplemented by a live performance by American actor Davis Freeman. With the film, Požlep and Berthou propose their view of the Mississippi river and their portrait of the United States. Around a bottle of Moonshine, Freeman challenges their observations by reversing the gaze: "You came to expose us, now it's our turn to expose you!"
During SPRING Performance Arts Festival, Utrecht turns into a stage for surprising contemporary international performing arts. SPRING takes place from Thursday 12 till Saturday 21 May in different theatres in Utrecht.
