Mobile, Alabama, is home to the oldest Mardi Gras carnival in America. Director Margaret Brown takes us there with an insider’s perspective. She grew up in Mobile and her family has strong ties to the mystic societies that dominate the celebration. A southern story of privilege and segregation, this beautifully photographed verité film does more than take us inside a private party. It also creates space for dialogue. How do we reckon with our country’s past and confront our present racial isolation? The film does not seek to answer that question but instead, with artful observation, inspires us to look in the mirror.  PB