Saved events

Star Spangled to Death (15*)

Open City Documentary Festival

,Cinema 2
A man smoking by a burning poster

Almost 7 hours long, Ken Jacobs' magnum opus is a social critique of the USA, as poignant and relevant today as in the 1950s. 

One of the American avant-garde's most prolific figures, Ken Jacobs (1933-2025) eagerly embraced digital filmmaking in the late 1990s. 

From the monumental Tom, Tom, the Piper's Son to his Nervous Magic Lantern performances and more recent digital and 3D explorations, Jacobs's work is an uncompromised declaration of love for cinema.

Jacobs was an integral part of New York's alternative film scene since the 1950s. With his wife Flo, he established the legendary Millennium Film Workshop, and with Larry Gottheim, he founded one of the USA's first cinema departments at SUNY Binghamton, teaching and influencing generations of artists.

This screening is an epilogue to the retrospective Seeing Through Film: Ken and Flo Jacobs at Open City Documentary Festival 2026, celebrating the work and lives of Ken and Flo Jacobs, who both passed away in 2025.

Tagged with: Cinema Open City Documentary Festival

There will be 10-minute breaks between Parts 1 and 2, and between Parts 3 and 4, and a 30-minute break halfway through the screening, between Parts 2 and 3. 

Please note that this event has been locally classified and we suggest it is suitable for those aged 15+.

Film information
  • Release year   2004
  • Country of origin   USA
  • Director   Ken Jacobs
  • Runtime   7hrs 20mins

You might also like

Cinema 2

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.