Nyack Filmmaker Investigates Media Manipulation in New Documentary

In a timely exploration of media manipulation, Rivertown Film will showcase four documentary films by acclaimed Nyack resident Greg Mitchell at the Nyack Center on Wednesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. The screening highlights themes central to Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky’s influential work “Manufacturing Consent,” which analyzes how mass media functions as a propaganda tool for corporate and state powers.

Mitchell’s documentaries, produced between 2022 and 2025, examine different facets of how governments and media organizations control narratives and suppress information contradicting official accounts.

“Atomic Cover-Up” reveals long-suppressed footage documenting the human suffering following the U.S. nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. The film provides a raw visual record that was deliberately kept from public view for decades.

In “The First Attack Ads,” Mitchell chronicles a pivotal moment in political media manipulation when MGM producer Irving Thalberg commissioned the creation of what are considered the first screen “attack ads.” These were designed to undermine author and socialist Upton Sinclair after he won the Democratic primary for California governor in 1934.

“Memorial Day Massacre: Workers Die, Film Buried” investigates the 1937 tragedy when police killed ten striking Republic Steel workers in Chicago. Despite the presence of newsreel cameras, footage of the massacre mysteriously disappeared from public circulation.

The fourth film, “The Atomic Bowl: Football at Ground Zero – and Nuclear Peril Today,” examines the U.S. military’s decision to stage an all-star football game at the site of the Nagasaki bombing just months after the nuclear attack, despite lingering radiation. Mitchell draws connections between this historical event and contemporary nuclear concerns.

The screening comes at a particularly relevant moment in media history. Recent years have seen increased scrutiny of media consolidation and questions about journalistic independence when major outlets require government approval for corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Mitchell brings substantial expertise to these subjects. He formerly served as editor of several influential publications, including Editor & Publisher, Nuclear Times, and Crawdaddy, and has contributed to dozens of leading media outlets. His thirteen books have established him as an authoritative voice on media criticism.

The evening will include a post-screening discussion led by ArtsRock director and WQXR host Elliott Forrest, providing audiences an opportunity to engage with the filmmaker about the documentaries’ themes and their contemporary relevance.

Rivertown Film, the event’s organizer, has been a cultural cornerstone in Nyack since its founding in 2001. The non-profit organization is dedicated to celebrating and promoting film as an art form through screenings and educational initiatives.

The screening represents a collaboration between several community organizations. Rivertown Film receives support from the New York State Council on the Arts and Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration. Corporate sponsorship comes from Elena Schloss of Happy Dwellings with Julia B. Fee, Sotheby’s International Realty. ArtsRock and Big Red Books serve as community partners for the event.

Doors will open at 7:30 p.m. at the Nyack Center, located at 58 Depew Avenue. Tickets are priced at $13 for general admission, with discounted rates of $11 for students and seniors, and $9 for Rivertown Film members.

The event offers the Nyack community and visitors a rare opportunity to engage with thought-provoking documentary work that challenges audiences to consider how media narratives are shaped and controlled—a subject that remains as relevant today as when Herman and Chomsky first published their analysis.