UW Cinematheque: Frederick Wiseman - Documentary Pioneer

Inside the Metropolitan Hospital in East Harlem, Wiseman accesses the struggles of patients and their doctors, who face challenges from lacking resources to miscommunications that prevent them from providing proper care. While the procedures and treatments expected from a hospital appear in the film, the focus remains on the personal, often tense interactions that fill the building. As people try to overcome both medical problems and bureaucratic obstacles, Wiseman presents an institution that s