Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

“This device cures heartbreak.” - skateboard graffiti, Minding the Gap When Bing Liu picked up a camera as a boy it was to capture the thrills and stunts of his skateboarding friends as they flew through the empty streets and parks of Rockford, Illinois. In his resulting debut film, Minding the Gap, Liu weaves 12 years of interviews and videos–the boys exhilarating highs and epic fails–into a coming-of-age portrait of three young men and the struggling place they call home. Winner of over 25 awards including the 2018 Sundance Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking, Minding the Gap explores the bond between boys as they reckon with the hardships and violence that have shaped their lives as they attempt to break the cycle. On August 7th, join New America NYC at betaworks Studios for a preview screening of Minding the Gap followed by a conversation about the shifting landscape of opportunity in the U.S and what lasting effects it may have on our understanding of work, race, class, and masculinity. PARTICIPANTS Bing Liu @MindingGapFilm Director, Minding the Gap Molly Martin @mollygmartin Director, New America Indianapolis Mike Kamber @followbdc Founder and Executive Director, Bronx Documentary Center Jimmie Briggs @briggsjimmie Journalist and activist, gender-based violence Minding the Gap: A Social Cinema Screening Tuesday, August 7, 2018 6:00 PM Doors Open 6:30 PM Screening 8:00 PM Conversation Betaworks Studios, 29 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014 Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Follow the conversation online using #MindingtheGap and following @NewAmericaNYC. Support New America We are dedicated to renewing America by continuing the quest to realize our nation's highest ideals, honestly confronting the challenges caused by rapid technological and social change, and seizing the opportunities those changes create.