"Managed Retreat" is a short documentary portrait of three New York City neighborhoods that were purchased by the New York State government in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, to be demolished and returned to nature as part of the city’s first ‘managed retreat’ from rising sea levels. By the end of this century, New York City is expected to have up to 9.5 feet of sea level rise, radically reshaping its 520 miles of coastline, and impacting more than 100 coastal neighborhoods. This observational documentary follows the process of retreat over the course of one year in three waterfront communities on Staten Island, as homes are destroyed, streets are abandoned, and wild animals begin to return.

Join the Environmental Studies program in the documentary screening followed by a panel discussion with film director Nathan Kensinger, alumna Devin Borg, and faculty & Director of the Urban Systems Lab Timon McPhearson, moderated by Chair Elaine Savory.

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About the Director: Nathan Kensinger is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores hidden urban landscapes, forgotten waterways, environmental disasters, and coastal communities endangered by sea level rise and climate change. His work encompasses photography, film, public art installations, and writing, and has been exhibited by the Museum of the City of New York, the Brooklyn Museum, the Queens Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts. His films have screened at film festivals worldwide, including Slamdance, DOC NYC, Rooftop Films, and Black Maria. His work has been featured by The New Yorker, the New York Times, PBS NewsHour, Wired, and Nature Climate Change. His short documentary "Managed Retreat" is now screening at film festivals, art galleries, and colleges around the world, and his latest documentary "Urban Growth" is having its World Premiere at Doc NYC this November.