Patrice O'Neill Debuts Minnesota Neighbors Documentary
The new film documenting community and immigrant experiences premieres tonight at the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Documentary
Filmmaker Patrice O'Neill premieres her latest project, Minnesota Neighbors, at the Riverview Theater. The documentary explores interactions between local residents, immigrants, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during the winter of 2025-2026.
Why it matters
The project serves as an extension of O'Neill's long-term movement to document community resistance against the influence of external forces in local areas. It offers a visual record of how communities responded to immigration enforcement efforts.
The documentary premieres at 7 p.m. at the Riverview Theater, following O'Neill's previous work on the 1995 PBS documentary Not in Our Town.
The players
Patrice O'Neill
Patrice O'Neill is an acclaimed filmmaker known for documenting social movements and community responses to conflict.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws and border control.
The details
The film specifically examines the experiences of residents and immigrants who navigated interactions with federal enforcement agents in Minnesota. O'Neill conducted research into these local events to highlight community dynamics throughout the state.
Timeline
The 1995 documentary Not in Our Town was released.
The documented interactions occurred during the winter of 2025-2026.
The film premieres on October 15, 2026, at 7 p.m.
Industry Dynamics
Minnesota Neighbors serves as a continuation of the activist filmmaking movement established by the 1995 PBS documentary Not in Our Town. The project demonstrates a shift toward localized, long-term documentation of social tensions rather than singular event reporting.
Local residents can attend the screening of the documentary at the Riverview Theater at 7 p.m. The film provides viewers with an opportunity to engage directly with the documented experiences of their fellow community members.
The takeaway
O'Neill's work highlights the importance of archiving community responses to major federal policy shifts. Viewers are encouraged to consider the role of local advocacy in shaping the narrative of regional social change.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest releases in the Documentary section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MPR News.
