Riotsville, USA

Synopsis

Fort Benning, Georgia, served as the backdrop for a military initiative in the late 1960s that created a mock urban environment to simulate civil unrest. Soldiers acted as rioters in controlled scenarios, including staged riots that involved setting parts of the set on fire. "Riotsville, U.S.A." uses archival footage to reveal the military's strategies in response to the political and racial tensions of the era. The film contrasts these simulations with the real struggles faced by communities during a time of significant social upheaval.