A Generation Awakens. A City Transforms. A Movement Begins.

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Amid global unrest and social reckoning, 612: Darkness in the Land of Nice makes its powerful premiere—a documentary that captures the rise of the post-9/11 generation as they realize their power and spark a movement that reverberates around the world.

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Set in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, 612 tells the story of how students and young people at the local level ignited the largest single-issue protest in modern history following the murder of George Floyd. Their voices, actions, and courage marked the beginning of a global decade of youth-led change—one defined by purpose, justice, and the refusal to remain silent.

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Amid the shifting tides of American identity, demographic change, and growing calls for equity, 612 explores the tensions and triumphs of a community confronting the disparities embedded in its systems. It offers a unique and urgent perspective on how American ideals collide with lived realities—and how grassroots action can be the spark for national and global transformation.

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The documentary shines a spotlight on four groundbreaking initiatives born in Minnesota:

• The Rondo Land Bridge Project in St. Paul, reconnecting a historically Black community divided by infrastructure.
   

• V3 Sports in North Minneapolis, building opportunity through athletics, wellness, and education.
   

• The Page Education Foundation, founded by NFL Hall of Famer and Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page, empowering students of color through education and civic leadership.
   

• Black Men Teach, a nonprofit committed to increasing Black male representation in Minnesota classrooms by recruiting, preparing, placing, and retaining Black male elementary school teachers—improving student outcomes and reshaping the future of education.
   

612 is a testament to the power of local voices and unsung heroes—community leaders, students, educators, and advocates—whose everyday actions create extraordinary change. It captures the spirit of unity and the transformative potential of collective action in the pursuit of justice, equity, and a better future.

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This is not just a documentary. It’s a blueprint for change.

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Credits:

• Director/Writer/Producer: Diem Van Groth

• Producer: David M. Massey 

• Executive Producer: Sarah Brokaw 

• Executive Producer: Kokayi Ampah 

• Executive Producer: Clint Schaff

• Executive Producer: Diem Van Groth

• Interview Cinematographer: Tannie Tang

• Interview Cinematographer: Alejandro Miranda

• Protest Cinematographer/Photography: Diem Van Groth

• Interview Production Designer and Art Director: Jose Herrera

• Camera:  Tersharra Hill

• Editor: Jacob Steingroot

• Composer: Norbert Gobor

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Special Thanks:​​

• Fiscal Sponsorship: International Documentary Association (IDA)

• American Film Institute (AFI)

• Story Review: Samuel D. Pollard

• Meredith Lavitt 

• Russell Greene

• Toby Shimin

• Kristen Nutile 

• Mobolaji Olambiwonnu

• Inspiration and Guidance: The Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers – West

• Brandon & Lance Kramer, Meridian Hill Pictures 

• Assistant Editor: Lucia Fox-Shapiro

• Legal: Sheri Linzell, Linzell Law

• Legal Review: Lawnie Grant

• Clearing Services: Clearances640

• Accounting: Smith Mandel & Associates, LLP

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Incredible Contributors:

• Brokaw Family Foundation

• David Whitman

• Bert Cohen

• Jodi A. Niehoff

• Jennifer Ramberg

• Joanne Dornan

• Cookie Agnew

• Paula Curtin

• Nan Newton

• Tomme Tobias