Freep Film Festival: 23 Mile

USA/2023 — dir. Mitch McCabe | 75 min.

Part verité essay, part political diary, 23 Mile is an experimental nonfiction film that follows Michigan citizens during the difficult, tumultuous year that was 2020, where political events included a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the world went into COVID lockdown. McCabe's film shows the full scope of humanity, though, and makes viewers question their assumptions about race, class, social status, and geographical demographics.

Filmmaker Magazine called 23 Mile an "endlessly fascinating and elegantly crafted 78-minute video diary...which serves as a much-needed cinematic reminder that uncomplicated narratives that simply confirm our preconceived notions do a disservice to us all."

Tickets for all Freep Film Festival screenings hosted at Detroit Film Theatre are available in advance at freepfilmfestival.com.

Produced by the Detroit Free Press, the Freep Film Festival focuses on documentaries, especially those with connections to Detroit and Michigan. Screenings include in-depth discussions with directors, film subjects, and community members. Freep Film Festival also presents live events at venues throughout metro Detroit, with activities centered in the downtown core.