White Boy Rick Director Yann Demange on Capturing Detroit’s Decline With Fresh Eyes

Detroit, the most American of cities, home of Ford and Motown, had by 1984 been, in many ways, been abandoned by America. It took an outsider, Paris-born, London raised director Yann Demange, to see this American story with fresh eyes and bring it to the screen in White Boy Rick.

“I didn’t know the history of Detroit. I had just moved to America. I was blown away as I read about the history of the most prosperous city;