Hospital

press release:

USA | 1969 | 35mm | 84 min.

Director: Frederick Wiseman

Inside the Metropolitan Hospital in East Harlem, Wiseman accesses the struggles of patients and their doctors, who face challenges from lacking resources to miscommunications that prevent them from providing proper care. While the procedures and treatments expected from a hospital appear in the film, the focus remains on the personal, often tense interactions that fill the building. As people try to overcome both medical problems and bureaucratic obstacles, Wiseman presents an institution that strains to fit the complexities of people’s real lives into the abstract regulations meant to aid them. New 35mm print preserved by the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center from original camera negatives in the Zipporah Films Collection.

Frederick Wiseman: Documentary Pioneer

Widely hailed as one of the greatest documentary filmmakers of all time, Frederick Wiseman has chronicled the institutions of modern society for fifty years. With a particular focus on American life, he has examined subjects ranging from public parks to mental care facilities (and almost everything in between). Using his signature observational style of filmmaking, Wiseman discovers the surprising interactions that populate these structures, from sensitive displays of compassion to absurd social rituals and even severe cruelty. Our sampling of Wiseman’s work takes us from one of his most acclaimed early efforts (High School) to his most recent (Ex Libris), all of which demonstrate his commitment to full, honest portrayals of the contemporary experience.

All Cinematheque screenings are free and open to the public.