Credits
WRITTEN AND PRODUCED BY: Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson
PRODUCED BY: Mikaela Beardsley and Cary Woods
CO-PRODUCER: David Paul Kuhn
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Stephen McCarthy
EDITOR: Henry Moskowitz
MUSIC: Khari Mateen
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Cameo George
Hard hat riot (2025)
STREAMING ON PBS
Synopsis
On May 8, 1970, “the Hard Hat Riot” erupted in lower Manhattan. At midday, construction workers, including those building the World Trade Center, violently clashed with students demonstrating against the Vietnam War. It was soon clear that something larger was happening — the workmen, who came to be known as “hardhats,” were at the cutting edge of a new kind of class war. With the war in Vietnam raging on, it was the sons of the working class who were doing most of the fighting. Workmen saw the protesting students as privileged “draft dodgers” disparaging the country and those who fought for it. On the other side, many student activists saw the workers as pawns, unwilling to see the changes that America needed.
HARD HAT RIOT tells the story of a struggling metropolis, a flailing president, a divided people, and a bloody juncture when the nation violently diverged ― culminating in a new political and cultural landscape that radically redefined American politics and foreshadowed the future.
Critical Acclaim
“This is an absolutely terrific film. Fair-minded and tough-minded, which is a damn hard balance to reach, never mind sustain. It gets the history right (from my point of view) and evokes the time explicitly and extraordinarily. Superb drama and an invaluable, instructive social chronicle, the end of something and the beginning of something else that’s still, tragically, playing out.”
“...a documentary we need right now.”
“Stunning - brilliant - so well made. This is truly the story of how we got here. The film is a revelation - so important.”
“A balanced, context-rich look.”
“The film is a must-watch! The political parallels between 1970 and today are remarkable.”
“Terrific … the film footage is amazing!”
“Levin is to be applauded for what may be one of the best nonfiction films ever made about the uproarious 1960s and 1970s.”
“The parallels to what is happening today, as well as the insight into the redefinition of American politics, are fascinating.”
“An excellent new film.”
“Sparks urgent conversations about identity, division, and the enduring fault lines in American society.”
“Sorely needed in an era where polarization often erases nuance.”
“Hard Hat Riot asks some provocative questions about whose voices get heard.”
“Fascinating”
“Engaging storytelling and rich historical context, it is not to be missed.”
“A compelling portrait emerges of the US 55 years ago, where the seeds for much of the country’s current divisions and strife were planted.”
“An important and poignant look at a turning point in American politics .. feels incredibly timely right now.”
“Serves as a harrowing reminder of the lingering impact of this era”
“Engrossing”
“Don’t miss a moment of the powerful documentary that revisits one of the most defining clashes in American history.”
“A really great documentary”
“Finding the foundation for modern day tensions in America … effortlessly brings the present-day parallels to light.”