After the Factory Trailer:

The two featured cities in our upcoming documentary release, After the Factory, have been prominently placed in two recent “2012” lists worth noting.

First, Lodz was featured in the New York Times’ “45 Places to go in 2012” feature. It made it in at number 43, with a sub-headline reading “The Hollywood of Poland reclaims its industrial past.” Lodz gets touted as an up-and-comer via its innovative use of old factory shells for new developments– namely a studio being built by famed director David Lynch (who is head over heels for Lodz, by the way), and the Lodz Arts Center, a former textile factory itself that is now an arts incubator. Here’s a secret: The latter and its director are subjects in the film.

Second, Detroit was listed as one of “The Top 10 Emerging Sustainable Cities to Watch in 2012“, which was an interesting choice, especially given absence of the usual suspects: San Fran, Portland, etc. The article’s author Leon Kaye tells the world to nevermind the lack of light rail or our political instability– it’s the people that matter most. And further, it’s the people who are ultimately at the forefront of re-defining the urban and rural landscapes. The piece ends with a basic (and sort of bold with the use of “thrive”) statement: “Watch for urban farming, social enterprise and the creative arts to thrive.” We’ll take it.

So, here’s to the success of our cities, and to the film really. See the trailer above if you haven’t already and get your tickets for the premiere at the DIA’s Detroit Film Theatre on Thursday, February 2 at 7pm.