SPOILED HEAT a litany

Video and stills of Braddock, PA accompanied by stories of the echoes of loss from the steel industry in southwestern Pennsylvania. By Jessica Fenlon. http://www.drawclose.com

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• animation
• art
• documentary
• short
• film
• experimental
• Fenlon
• Jessica
• Braddock
• Pittsburgh
• PA
• steel
• industry

[Josiebyzek]

Thank you, I think you captured us well.

[paintyvideo]

@Josiebyzek You're welcome.

[13jdemarco]

I was born and raised in Braddock in the late 1950's and 1960's. It is hard to conceive it was once THE top shopping and business district in the entire State. It's demise was swift and sudden and sad. I can't tell you how moved I was by this video. Comparing what I knew as a kid against the images i see here was overwhelming. And I oft wonder, does anyone care?

[paintyvideo]

People do care. There are interesting arguments afoot amongst residents of Braddock about the future, and a lot of work being done to draw attention to the place.

The art that its able to host is quite good. It will be interesting to observe the changes there.

[tonyloveslady]

where is the cupcake shop?

i like this town. artists always try to make it look creepy, and it does have a pleasant seediness to it, but it isn't all decay and poison ivy thicket.

but it's just a regular small town. it's not post apocalyptic like everybody thinks. it just is. everything is what you make it.

[paintyvideo]

The cupcake shop is in Pittsburgh.

The visuals here represent loss that is alluded to by many Pittsburghers of a certain generation ... an allusion sometimes lost on newcomers.

It is what it is.

[hasbeengilbert]

That was the very best micro-doc I have ever seen! Amazing. I learned of Fetterman tonite, on Bill Mahr's show. It also happens to be the day that our politicians have seen fit to bust what little is left of our economy. You are an extremely talented woman. America needs more info. Men like Fetterman, and Booker, can lead us back, if we can convince everyone not to vote against them selfs. Perhaps a piece on Mr. Murdoch? Great job, keep on fighting!

[fooschnikens]

Fuck Braddock, let's spend trillions of dollars on some more fucking wars! Come Republicans and Conservatives who's with me!

[daddy15234]

i enjoyed this video. i wish you would do something like this on youngstown, oh. It is by far the poorest of poor cities, in the poorest part of the rust belt.

more murders per capita than detroit, but there is something beautiful abou the city. pretty like abstract art is beautiful

[DARTHPAR]

I grew up in braddock from by birth in 1985 until I was 11 years old. I lived in a place there called Mapleview terrace. It was a nasty ass project run by the housing authority. Everyone lived on welfare, on drugs, and in despair there. I am now in Florida and 25. I am so happy to have gotten out of there.

[Civonos]

I live near Braddock in a town called Wilmerding. I haven't been through Braddock since like 2005 and this video made me go down there and look around. I wish it would rise from the decay at some point, but it never will. Braddock has North Versailles, Waterfront, and Edgewood Center around it, there can't be anything in Braddock that's not already in short distance from it. If something were to save Braddock, it would need a lot of money thrown at it.

[pinksockpuller]

I grew up in braddock. I haven't been there in over ten years, it looks just as depressing as ever.

[13jdemarco]

The most discouraging aspect is Braddock is most native residents feel they were let down by the very people and industries that profited the most by being there. They abandoned the town instead of working to revive it and creating new and different industry and opportunity for its residents.