Hot Irons

1999 0h 50m EN

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In Detroit, hair styling isn't just a matter of personal grooming, it's a way of life, and Andrew Dosunmu's documentary Hot Irons offers an inside glimpse at Motor City hair salons that turn the tresses of their African-American clientele into remarkable works of art. Dosunmu takes his cameras to Detroit's annual "Hair Wars" competition, in which stylists compete to see who can create the wildest and most outrageous hairdo. Offering a stark contrast between the unique aesthetic of the stylists and the grinding poverty of inner city Detroit, which never fully recovered from the 1968 riots, Hot Irons shows how events like "Hair Wars" brings a sense of art and purpose to a community where both are often lacking.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Andrew Dosunmu

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 4

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 50-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 4

ERA

Did you know

27 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 4

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 4

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0211421 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Andrew Dosunmu directs. Runs lean at under 100 minutes.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 50-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
227 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4IMDB entry: tt0211421 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.