North by Current

Angelo Madsen Minax's documentary "North by Current" is a deeply personal exploration of family, trauma, and justice, as he returns to his rural Michigan hometown to grapple with the aftermath of an infant's death and a brother-in-law's arrest for murder. With innovative filmmaking techniques that blend essay film, vérité cinema, and staged actions, Madsen plunges into a community ravaged by opioid addiction, economic hardship, and conservative fervor. This is not a case study or a crime investigation, but a nuanced portrait of a family bound together by their struggles and seeking to reimagine justice through empathy.