In the world of filmmaking, the absence of a golden statuette might seem like a setback, but for the creators of “Union,” it was merely the beginning of a new chapter in their film’s remarkable journey.
This documentary, which chronicles the historic efforts of Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island as they successfully launched the first-ever union campaign at the retail giant, faced an uphill battle not just in production, but in distribution—a struggle that eerily mirrored the very labor movement it sought to document.
When producer Samantha Curley and her team embedded themselves with the Amazon Labor Union in 2020, they weren’t chasing Oscar glory.
Their mission was to capture the raw, unfiltered reality of a labor struggle in real-time, long before its significance was recognized on a global scale.
Their foresight paid off as they documented the rise of Chris Smalls, the tenacious leader who would become a labor movement icon, gracing the White House and media outlets everywhere.
Despite winning the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change at Sundance in 2024, “Union” faced a surprising cold shoulder from distributors.
The film, which seemed poised for mainstream success, was met with rejection.
As Curley recalls, they received “hard no’s” rather than the more diplomatic “soft passes” typical in the industry.
This reluctance hinted at a deeper discomfort with the film’s content—its unabashed portrayal of worker power and labor organizing was perhaps too provocative for distributors wary of ruffling feathers.
Faced with this resistance, the filmmakers took a page from their own documentary and turned to grassroots organizing.
In partnership with over 250 labor organizations and affinity groups, they orchestrated a series of independent screenings across more than 20 cities.
These events, often held near Amazon warehouses, sold out and transformed “Union” into the highest-grossing film for participating theaters on those nights.
The filmmakers also innovated with online rentals, allowing viewers to donate so Amazon workers could watch for free, spreading the film’s message far and wide.
The documentary’s distribution story became a narrative unto itself—a testament to the power of collective action and grassroots mobilization.
Curley notes that the big distributors’ reluctance to pick up the film was never explicitly about Amazon, but rather about the broader implications of labor.
“Union” wasn’t just about a single victory; it symbolized a larger wave of organizing that was sweeping across industries, from Apple retail workers to Disney park characters, and beyond.
Curley and her team never saw “Union” as overtly political, despite its potent subject matter.
For them, it was a story about the audacious belief in the possibility of change, a theme that resonates deeply in today’s labor landscape.
The film offers a microcosm of the labor movement at large, illustrating both the triumphs and the challenges inherent in organizing, from the Staten Island victory to subsequent setbacks.
Though it fell short of an Oscar nomination, “Union” did make it onto the Best Documentary Feature shortlist, a feat that bolstered its visibility and validated the tireless efforts of its creators.
The film’s journey underscores an essential truth: the fight for worker rights is ongoing, and so is the conversation about the future of labor.
As the filmmakers contemplate their next steps, with plans for further distribution tied to significant dates like May Day and Labor Day, “Union” continues to forge its own path.
The film’s story is far from over, just as the workers’ struggle at Amazon is ongoing.
More than two years after unionizing, they are still pushing for a contract, their resolve undiminished.
In an era where the power of collective organizing faces both challenges and opportunities, “Union” serves as a compelling reminder of what can be achieved when a small group of individuals dares to believe in their ability to effect change.
As Curley succinctly puts it, organizing is both essential and daunting—a sentiment that echoes far beyond the confines of a single Amazon warehouse, into the hearts of workers everywhere.
