Before its Slamdance premiere later this month, the feature length doc The Bulldogs has released its first trailer for the film. The doc will bow at the festival later this month and follows the lives of residents in a small Ohio town in the aftermath of a devastating chemical train derailment in 2023, released its first trailer.
The film’s portrait of residents as they grapple with existential fears for the future of their town, and the media whirlwind swirls around them. Some of subjects include a retiree who leads a cardio-drumming workout class for geriatric women and has taken up podcasting to tell positive stories about East Palestine, and a local chiropractor-turned activist who decides to run for Congress. The story moves through high school football games and holiday variety shows, finding humor and tenderness in the ordinary moments that hold a town together.
The film is directed and produced by Ohio-based filmmakers, Noah Dixon & Ori Segev, with deep ties to the region and was shot over an extended period following the derailment, allowing the story to move beyond the immediate aftermath and into the emotional and psychological residue left behind.
The Slamdance Festival opens on Feb. 19 in Los Angeles and runs till March 6.
Watch the full trailer below: