Independent Lens

Detropia

Detroit was the birthplace of the middle-class; a great city that came with the guarantee of the American dream. Today, the Motor City is suffering from a bad case of post-industrialism. Hit with the deadly combination of myopic executives, corrupt politicians, severe racial tensions and a lack of innovation, Detroit now stands as a shell of its former self. And according to an increasingly loud chorus in the media, Detroit is "dead." But look a little closer and find that Detroit just may be the ultimate incubator for fresh ideas -- a Petri dish of creativity borne out of frustration and unwillingness to give up. With quintessential American pluck and grit, this city just may rise from the ashes thanks to a dynamic cluster of innovators, entrepreneurs and proud, self-proclaimed "hustlers."