"A counter-intuitively funny ensemble of people (not least the filmmaker) finding humor in a default hopeless place." - Vadim Rizov, Filmmaker Magazine
“A reminder that the American Dream is a fantasy, used to charm beyond the country’s borders” - Julia Escudero, Pop & Shot
Wednesday, July 9, 6:15 p.m. & Thursday, July 10, 6:15 p.m. | 200 miles north of Chicago is Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, the self-described “Waterpark Capital of the World.” Every year, students workers from Turkey, Romania, Jamaica, Thailand, and the Dominican Republic are issued temporary J-1 visas as part of the State Department’s Summer Work Travel program, and arrive to the Dells to work low-paying jobs as lifeguards, housekeepers, and servers, living in dormitories unseen behind the tourist attractions and hotels. In the profound and timely THE DELLS, Nellie Kluz deftly observes the clash between the fantasy of the American Dream and the reality faced by these students as they make ends meet, work long hours, and form friendships with their fellow “J-1ers.” Dialogue: Director Nellie Kluz in attendance.
Awards & Nominations
Nominee - Compétition Internationale Burning Lights, Visions du Réel International Film Festival Nyon
Nominee - Prix du Jury, Champs-Élysées Film Festival
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu