By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Barbara Kopple
Year: 2026
Running time: 106
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt40792103/
Val says: “Barbara Kopple and her team take us into the beating heart of New York City’s delivery culture, the delivery workers who staff UPS, Amazon, and the many food delivery apps that New Yorkers depend on daily. It’s a sprawling yet nuanced look at the organizing, from the Teamsters to small groups at Amazon trying to unionize under the heavy boot of big tech, to a grassroots advocacy group in the city fighting for legislation to protect Deliveristas. Full of colorful characters who bring heartbreak, grit and despair to life, Union Town very effectively shows us how agonizing and necessary it is for everyone to band together against the big guys and stand up for our rights. I was really impressed at the diversity of perspectives Kopple was able to show in one film that attempted to cover three huge battles, each of which could have been their own film. It was a really successful effort that still manages to pack an emotional punch.
“An inspiring and depressing snapshot of the fight for better working conditions, Union Town challenges us to confront the true cost of our reliance on large tech corporations and pulls no punches. 4.5 cats.”