Rust Belt symphonies

Rust Belt Symphonies examines the relationship between space, identity, and cinematic representation through a filmmaking practice rooted in the American Midwest. Focusing on the Rust Belt as a cultural and aesthetic framework, the project challenges dominant media narratives that often reduce the region to symbols of decline, instead emphasizing its complexity, resilience, and evolving identity. Through a combination of academic inquiry and creative practice, the thesis reflects on a series of film projects that explore labor, visibility, and everyday life in Midwestern spaces. These works investigate how cinematic techniques such as framing, sound, and movement shape audience perception and reveal the political and social dimensions embedded within environments.

The culminating thesis film, a narrative centered on a young Black woman navigating ambition and belonging in a Midwestern city, extends this exploration by presenting a perspective rarely depicted in contemporary cinema: Black life outside of urban cultural centers. Additionally, the thesis addresses the challenges and opportunities of independent filmmaking, emphasizing collaboration, adaptability, and resourcefulness as essential components of the creative process. It highlights the importance of working with emerging actors, fostering authentic performances, and building trust within low-resource production contexts. Ultimately, Rust Belt Symphonies argues for a reimagining of Midwestern representation in film, proposing a “Rust Belt aesthetic” that foregrounds place, labor, and lived experience as central narrative forces. In doing so, the project contributes to broader conversations about regional storytelling, identity, and the role of cinema in shaping cultural understanding.