RESTORING HOPE IN AMERICA’S FORGOTTEN CITIES

a new documentary from filmmaker Christopher F. Rufo

WATCH THE TRAILER

America Lost is a feature documentary that explores life in three “forgotten American cities”—Youngstown, Ohio, Memphis, Tennessee, and Stockton, California.

The film reveals the dramatic decline of the American interior through a combination of emotional personal stories and thoughtful conservative commentary. Filmmaker Christopher F. Rufo spent five years gathering these intimate portraits of Americans on the edge, including an ex-steelworker scrapping abandoned homes to survive, a recently incarcerated father trying to rebuild his life, and a single mother dreaming of escaping her blighted urban neighborhood.

Ultimately, despite these grave challenges, the film offers a glimpse of hope for rebuilding America’s families and communities from the bottom up.

CONSERVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO POVERTY

The crisis of American poverty goes deeper than economics and public policy—it strikes at the very heart of family, community, and spiritual life. The solution is not just to restore the economies of our forgotten cities, but to rebuild our families and communities from the bottom up.

FAMILY

Family is the cornerstone of meaning, success, and human potential in America.

FAITH

The journey to a better life starts with a sense of belief, purpose, and human connection.

WORK

The only way to truly escape poverty is through stable, long-term employment.

COMMUNITY

Top-down solutions have failed—we must restore our communities from the bottom up.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Christopher F. Rufo is a documentary filmmaker, contributing editor at City Journal, and research fellow at Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth, Poverty, & Morality. His America Lost presentation weaves together insights from making the film, political analysis about our “lost American cities,” and strategies to restore poor American communities from the bottom up. He’s spoken to groups as large as 10,000 people, connecting with audiences and engaging them in thoughtful Q&A sessions after screening the film.

Please reach out to our team to book Christopher for your next conference, meeting, or special event.

PURCHASE THE FILM

Join hundreds of organizations that are changing the conversation on poverty with America Lost

Streaming Video
$2.99
  • For personal home-use only.
  • Immediate access to the film.
  • No public performance or academic license.
  • Also available on Amazon.

FAQ + CONTACT

DO I REALLY NEED TO PURCHASE THE SCREENING KIT TO SHOW THE FILM?
I'D LIKE TO SHOW THE FILM AT MULTIPLE CHAPTERS, BRANCHES, OR LOCATIONS OF MY ORGANIZATION. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
CONTACT US.
DO I REALLY NEED TO PURCHASE THE SCREENING KIT TO SHOW THE FILM?

Yes. If you’re showing the film anywhere outside your home, you must purchase the appropriate license. We review all purchases to confirm correct licensing—please don’t get caught cheating.

I'D LIKE TO SHOW THE FILM AT MULTIPLE CHAPTERS, BRANCHES, OR LOCATIONS OF MY ORGANIZATION. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

The Community Screening Kit and Educational DVD include a license for one location only. If you’d like to show the film at multiple locations, you must purchase a separate kit for each screening. If you would like to purchase multiple kits at a discounted rate, please contact our team directly at rufo [at] documentaryfoundation.org.

CONTACT US.

Email our team at mjk [at] christopherrufo.com.

WATCH THE AMERICA LOST DOCUMENTARY

Menu