Director Carl Kriss joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his upcoming documentary, Relighting the Flame, which focuses on the fall and comeback of the steel industry in Northeast Ohio. Kriss talked about the inspiration behind the film and some of the worker stories that stuck with him.
On Monday, February 26, Kriss will unveil the documentary at Capitol Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. The Chicago native found himself in Northeast Ohio after spending the early part of his career in Los Angeles. Here, he saw the impact on the families and businesses in the region after the closing of several manufacturing plants in the state.
To tell this story, Kriss needed to find workers to help him tell the story. It was Scott Paul, the President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, that provided assistance. Paul connected Kriss to several plants and stories around Cleveland, including the Cleveland Works factory, that Kriss could focus on for his documentary. The workers — many of whom are United Steelworkers — he spoke with were open and honest about what happened in the 90s that led to the factory's closing.
The USW workers interviewed were excited to update the narrative around the steel industry, providing Kriss with an inside look at the industry's evolution. He was in awe of the skills the workers developed to adapt to the changes in the industry and described some of the stories that stuck with him most. Kriss’s film showcases how these workers overcame the trials and adapted to the new steel industry to create a sense of hope around the return of the U.S. steel industry.
Listen to the show above for more information on the documentary. To get tickets to the premiere at Capitol Theatre, please visit RelightingTheFlameFilm.com.