Mahoning Valley

Description :  Nearly fifty years ago, the Mahoning Valley in Ohio experienced one of the starkest examples of America’s boom and bust. Once the world’s second-largest steel producer, the region was brought to its knees on 19 September 1977 — “Black Monday” — when more than 5,000 workers lost their jobs in a single day. The collapse of the steel industry reshaped the community, leaving scars that still define the political and social landscape of what is now JD Vance’s home state and the stronghold of Trump’s America. This one-hour French documentary looks beyond the political rumble to give voice to the people themselves. Local activists, entrepreneurs, historians, and ordinary witnesses tell a story that spans both past and future — from the loss of an industry to the hopeful reinvention of a community. Filmmakers Jean-François Debos and Jean-François Henane capture not just the hardship, but the resilience, documenting how Mahoning Valley continues to reinvent itself through the determination of its citizens. Featuring: H. William Lawson – Executive Director, Mahoning Valley Historical Society, City of Youngstown; Sean Posey – Historian, City of Campbell; Timothy Sokoloff – President, Iron Soup Historical Preservation Company, City of Campbell; Sean Posey – Historian, City of Campbell; Frank Marr – Retired / Black Monday survivor, City of Struthers; Derrick McDowell – Creator, Youngstown Flea, City of Youngstown; Joseph Pavlansky – Historian, City of Campbell; Catherine Cercone Miller – Mayor, City of Struthers; Christine Kusky – Waitress, Taverne 26, City of Campbell; J. Richard Rowlands – Founder, J&L Narrow Gauge Railroad, City of Youngstown; Tim Roddy – Chief of Police, City of Struthers; Matt Martin – Executive Director, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, City of Warren; Shawn Carvin – Executive Director, Ohio Land Bank Association, City of Warren; James Dicenso – Downtown Development Group, City of Warren; Bryan Tedesco – Mayor, City of Campbell.