SCRAPPERS
Ben Kolak, Brian Ashby, and Courtney Prokopas, 90 min, video, 2010, USA

Set in Chicago's labyrinth of alleys, SCRAPPERS is a revealing portrait of Oscar and Otis, two metal scavengers searching for a living with brains, brawn, and battered pickup trucks. Shot in vérité style, the film focuses on work: finding metals, raising children, understanding the city. A close examination of the men’s daily lives raises questions about popular notions of poverty, race-relations, personal self-sufficiency, and urban sustainability. SCRAPPERS tackles the geography of a still-segregated city, the hidden lives of undocumented people, and the far-reaching effects of the 2008 financial collapse. The story is propelled by Chicago musician Frank Rosaly's percussive score.

Scrappers Trailer from scrap movie on Vimeo.