The Film

An Unsettling Force is an intimate, on-the-ground portrait of the rebirth of the Poor People’s Campaign, a multiracial movement to end poverty and heal the nation’s deep divides. Filmed over six years, it weaves together the voices of grassroots organizers, faith leaders, and everyday people who refuse to accept the status quo, capturing their courage, heartbreak, and hope. From kitchen-table meetings to mass rallies, the film offers a rare inside look at how movements are built—and why they matter now more than ever.

“An Unsettling Force serves as an invaluable pedagogical tool, centering the voices of those leading the renewed Poor People's Campaign to provide intimate access to grassroots organizing. The film offers essential viewing for understanding contemporary social movements and ethical documentary practice.”

- Elizabeth Webb, Professor in Documentary Studies at Duke University and American Studies at UNC–Chapel Hill.

“Showing the film was a wonderful success! It is so beautiful, full of passion, clarity, and human dignity...My students LOVED it and so did I...Students were passionate, emotional, curious, making connections, asking questions.”

- Alicia Swords, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Sociology at Ithaca College