Double Oscar Winner Barbara Kopple Talks ‘Union Town’ and People Who Fight for ‘Dignity and Fairness’: ‘They Are My Heroes’

Barbara Kopple’s “Union Town” follows delivery and warehouse workers at UPS and Amazon, alongside app-based deliveristas, as they organise and push for better conditions. The two-time Oscar-winning director says she was drawn to their efforts to secure dignity and fairness, and sees the film as part of an important moment in labour history.

Kopple says the pandemic made many delivery workers feel disposable, and she hopes the documentary helps audiences understand their lives and build empathy. It also shows solidarity and victories, including DoorDash’s 2025 agreement to pay $17 million to settle claims over its use of customer tips in New York. After screenings at Venice and TIFF, the film is heading to the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival.