Harrowing. Emotionally driven. Relevant. A City In The Forest sees its world premiere in the International First Feature Competition at the Sheffield Documentary Festival – Sheffield DocFest on 11th June 2026. Directed by Lev Omelchenko and Nolan Huber, A City In The Forest documents the police vs. the community of Georgia, Atlanta, USA. Yearlong protests against the implementation of ‘Cop City’ or more formally known as The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center (APSTC) sees the locals fight for their environment.
But the government-backed new police training facility with plans to build an 85-acre facility in the middle of the Weelaunee Forest sees a large-scale project costing $118 million and creating irreparable damage to the land. Although unsurprisingly the development sparked major debate and controversy. Destroying green space and the place many communities call ‘home’ – the protesters came together to form ‘Stop the Cop City.’
The filmmakers describe the documentary as covering multiple relevant topics including ‘environmental racism, political corruption, police violence and the criminalisation of dissent.’ We witness the years of back-and-forth between police and protesters. From demonstrations to arrests and violent town clashes – the movement certainly made a noise. But the protesters didn’t give up.
Effecting Different Communities
A City In The Forest is rightfully intrusive. It provides an inside view from the protestor’s perspective. Omelchenko and Huber immerse themselves into the action. As an audience, we’re made to feel like we are part of the protest – as one of the people. The filmmakers cleverly film shots through different mediums. From police body cam footage and TV news footage to TikTok videos and filmed phone video recordings.
These various footage types give a wide range of perspectives from first-hand experiences to sharing across social media platforms to build awareness. Meanwhile, inventive resistance videos from protester accounts attempt to onboard new recruits. But the heartbreaking passing of the first climate activist, Manuel “Tortugita” Terán adds a new layer of resentment and divide between the community and the police as he sacrifices his life to protect the land.
You can’t keep the forest out of the city.
Quick edits cut from real footage of protests. With even some footage edited into black and white alongside fire, explosions, and police lights. The documentary cleverly plays with time through flashbacks and flashforwards. This shows its impact on not only the environment but the different communities the plan will affect. But there’s also the unseen aspects of deforestation. This mainly lies within the spirit of the forest which is something they can never get back once its been diminished.
This documentary explores different perspectives from various backgrounds with an indigenous community showcasing how deforestation would affect their livelihoods. Slow-panned overhead shots show the forest slowly diminishing. There’s a stark difference between before and after the project. The site is no longer a colourful green but now leaves behind dull, dusty, and arid land.
Sharp Editing Shows A Real-World View
A really clever shot, and perhaps the most striking of this documentary shows the saturated brightness of the forest which fades into an x-ray effect to show the sheer number of habitats ‘Cop City’ will disrupt. From spiders to worms and ants – this documentary gifts a voice to the voiceless. We view the tension first-hand between the police department and local communities. Its pacing works really well to accurately reflect the immediacy of the issue. Sharp editing and switching between different points of view gives a real-world perspective. A City In The Forest emboldens a fear which evolves into resistance.
Real-life footage shows government-lead deforestation happening in real-time. From hearing personal stories to seeing the aftermath of forest destruction tugs at our emotional capacities. It’s purely heart-wrenching to watch and it reels us in to make us feel like helpless bystanders. Although, we also have to consider that the documentary is solely from the side of the protesters. It doesn’t give a full account of both sides.
But this is where its purpose lies – to show the perspective of the marginalised communities. Gripping moments in the courthouse shows the emotion, trauma, and heartbreak that ‘Cop City’ has brought onto the community of Georgia. Although the outcome wasn’t completely what the people hoped for, they still made an impact through their movement, signatures, and significant protests over the years.
A City In The Forest provides a great insight into an important issue which the rest of the world outside the USA would otherwise not have known about. Although deforestation and community division is experienced worldwide. This holds onto something that global audiences can relate to – keeping us hooked on the real-world issues of today.
Rating: 3 ½ Stars
A City In The Forest sees its world premiere today in the International First Feature Competition at the Sheffield Documentary Festival – Sheffield DocFest. You can read more festival reviews including our coverage of SXSW London 2026 Screen Festival with Bloodsuckers and Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts.