The Great Experiment

Opens Friday, October 16, 2026

Special Events

  • Fri Oct 16 : 

    Q&A w/ Steve Maing, mod. by Laura Poitras at 7:00 show

SHOWTIMES AT IFC CENTER

Fri, Oct 16: Q&A with co-director Steve Maing, moderated by filmmaker Laura Poitras (Citizenfour) after 7:00 show!

 

Sat, Oct 17: Q&A with co-director Steve Maing after 7:00 show!

 

What holds a people together when the story they tell about themselves begins to fracture? THE GREAT EXPERIMENT is an epic poem in documentary form – a mirror held to an American nation at war with its own reflection, asking not who is right, but whether the experiment itself can survive.

 

Filmed in striking black and white across the US over four consequential years, from 2017 to 2021, the film considers the results of what George Washington once called “our last great experiment” in democracy.

 

Previously screening as part of DOC NYC Selects: Summer 2026

 

  • Country USA
  • Year 2026
  • Running Time 100 minutes
  • Format DCP
  • Director Stephen Maing, Eric Metzgar
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil, Closed Captioning

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.