In 1970, a group of young Puerto Rican activists took over a decrepit hospital in New York City, launching a battle for their lives, their community, and healthcare for all.

Takeover explores the twelve historic hours on July 14, 1970, in which fifty members of the Young Lords Party stormed the dilapidated Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx, drove out their administrative staff, barricaded entrances and windows, and made their cries for decent healthcare known to the world. They raised the Puerto Rican flag atop the building, as well as a banner reading “The People’s Hospital” – a nom de guerre still used today. Through archival footage, seamless reenactments, and modern-day interviews, we follow the Young Lords’ resistance against institutions curated by wealth and white supremacy, and their fight for the most basic of human rights: the right to accessible, quality healthcare.

Takeover! endeavors to capture the imagination of a new generation of activists, and suggest actions that ordinary citizens can take to change the conversation — and the country. It is more vital than ever before that the bravery and behavior of the Young Lords be shown, celebrated, and built upon today.

FEATURING THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF

Hiram Maristany

PRODUCER

Tony Gerber

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Luis A. Miranda, Jr.
Lynn Nottage

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Just Films | Ford Foundation
Open Society Foundations
Miranda Family Fund
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture
IFP New True Stories Initiative