An early screening of “Bucks County, USA” set to be hosted at Bucks County Community College on Tuesday night has been canceled.
The five-part docuseries, which examines the political divisions that shaped Bucks County in the years following the 2020 election
, was set to debut to the public Sept. 15 with a free pre-release screening and Q&A session moderated by PBS NewsHour senior correspondent Judy Woodruff.But on Monday, college officials announced on BCCC's website the school would no longer be hosting the event at the Newtown campus.
College officials said in a statement their decision to cancel the event was made after they “received information that raised concerns about our ability to provide a safe environment for campus visitors.”
“Bucks
County Community College was excited to host this free prescreening in concert with WHYY which at its core, is about education, civic life, and community engagement,” the statement said in part, later adding, “The safety of our visitors and campus community, however, is paramount.”
Robert May, who directed the docuseries with Barry Levinson, responded on Instagram saying they were “surprised and disappointed” by the college’s decision.
“After several months of planning the event with them, the powers that be at the college ignored our plea to speak with whoever made this decision, which feels most unusual,” he said in part. “We remain committed to the project’s goals and values and are in the process of securing a new location for the incredible people of Bucks County.”
As of Tuesday morning, no updates regarding a new location had been shared publicly.
“Bucks County, USA” is scheduled to premier Sept. 20 on PBS.
The series follows two then-14-year-old best friends, Evi and Vanessa, whose parents hold opposing political views.
Filmed over four years, it focused in part on the political battles that engulfed the Central Bucks School District, where disputes over COVID-19 pandemic-era school policies, book bannings and other culture war topics became flashpoints in the county’s broader political divide.
Through Evi and Vanessa’s friendship, the film explored how political conflicts playing out in their community affected families and relationships beyond contentious school board meetings.
May had not responded to a request for comment as of Tuesday morning.
Reporter Michele Haddon covers local news, small business, food and drink, economic revitalization, art and culture for The Intelligencer and Bucks County Courier Times at PhillyBurbs.com. Please consider supporting local journalism with a subscription.
This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: College cancels early screening of 'Bucks County, USA' docuseries
