Chaos and Control: Exposing Systems That Thrive on Confusion

Academy Award–nominated filmmakers Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni (Cutting Through Rocks) and Andrew Jarecki (The Alabama Solution) examine how their documentaries confront abuses of state power and the erosion of trust in public institutions. From an Iranian village where Sara Shahverdi challenges patriarchal authority and faces institutional pushback to the deadly conditions inside Alabama’s prison system, exposed through footage recorded by incarcerated men, both films reveal systems that fail the people they claim to serve. The discussion explores resistance, accountability, and the role of documentary filmmaking in illuminating hidden injustices.