An award-winning feature documentary celebrating the life and work of pioneer social documentary photographer Lewis Wickes Hine, who documented immigration at Ellis Island, immigrant life on the Lower East Side, child labor throughout the United States, the construction of the Empire State Building, and the unsung working men and women who helped build America. Hine’s work helped establish child labor legislation and is today regarded as an imperishable part of our national heritage.


“The best film ever made on the life of a photographer”
— Stephen Perloff, The Photo Review

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Sundance, AMERICA & LEWIS HINE is a revealing portrait of the visionary photographer who recorded the human side of America's wrenching transformation into an industrial colossus.  His images-- of child laborers, immigrants and working men and women -- include some of the most powerful and famous photographs ever taken.

Narrated by Jason Robards, Maureen Stapleton and John Crowley, and with brilliant direction from Academy-Award nominated Nina Rosenblum, and co-produced and written by Dan Allentuck  this extraordinary film features hundreds of Hine's photographs, many never seen before. 

 A co-production of WNET, PBS, CPB and Channel 4/UK and was broadcast on Senderfreis, Berlin, Channel 4/UK and Arte.

Awards

• SPECIAL JURY PRIZE, Sundance Film Festival

• CINE Golden Eagle

• Clarion Award, W.I.C.I.

• DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, International Documentary Association

• THE CHRIS AWARD, Columbus Film Festival

• Winner of a medal from the city of Arles, Rencontres Internationales de la Photographie