\u201c\u2018Rusted\u2019\u201d is a historical portrait of Holyoke, a city frozen in time by the brutal process of deindustrialization,” Cornejo says on his project website, rustedfilm.com. \u201cThe story unfolds in a circular arc, reflecting a reality that feels inescapable. (It) explores a city once vibrant with life, now burdened by poverty, crime and neglect.\u201d <\/p>\n
Once known as the world\u2019s largest paper producer, Holyoke flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, powered by its canal system and immigrant labor. <\/p>\n
But by the 1970s and \u201980s, factory closures and job losses left the city struggling with poverty and population decline. On his website, Cornejo attributes many of the problems to \u201cthe rise of neoliberal policies and their assault on the working class.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cornejo hopes his documentary will preserve that history while sparking conversations about what recovery means today for communities like Holyoke.<\/p>\n
![\"Jamie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ZX6X2VOLUFALDIIIY3D35I63AI.jpg\")
Filmmaker and historian Jaime Cornejo is working on a documentary exploring Holyoke’s golden age and aims to capture the transition from thriving \u201cPaper City\u201d to decades of economic decline. (Douglas Hook \/ The Republican)Douglas Hook<\/p>\n
Cornejo said \u201cRusted\u201d will combine interviews with residents, historians and policy experts to show how national economic decisions and global market shifts changed Holyoke. <\/p>\n
The film also will feature archival photos, factory footage and personal stories to bring the city\u2019s industrial past to life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea is to have three or four very strong stories, plus an academic in history and or sociology,\u201d Cornejo said in an interview. <\/p>\n
The 20-to-30-minute movie will preserve the voices of people who lived through Holyoke\u2019s hardest years and to spark conversations about what recovery means for cities that lost their manufacturing base. <\/p>\n
Cornejo, who is producing \u201cRusted\u201d as part of his Hunter College master\u2019s program in integrated media arts, said more support could turn the project into a full oral history archive. <\/p>\n
He invited Holyoke residents to the Senior Center last week to talk about the film and for people to share memories of the city\u2019s industrial decline from the 1960s to the 1990s. He spoke with about 10 people, and three might be featured in the film.<\/p>\n
He also is looking for volunteers to help with research and outreach, as well as donors to cover production costs. Residents who want to share their stories or get involved can reach him at upcoming community sessions or online.<\/p>\n
Learn more about Cornejo or contact him at 63degreesmedia.com.<\/p>\n
![\"Jamie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/54PSHK6DBNA53HQ4ADEPZIO5GU.jpg\")
Filmmaker and historian Jaime Cornejo is working on a documentary exploring Holyoke’s golden age and aims to capture the transition from thriving \u201cPaper City\u201d to decades of economic decline. (Douglas Hook \/ The Republican)Douglas Hook<\/p>\n
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement<\/a> and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and\/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOLYOKE \u2015 A new documentary aims to capture Holyoke\u2019s transition from a thriving \u201cPaper City\u201d to decades of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":305219,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[1129,88,158335,94125,158336,145179,158337,206,158338,28783],"class_list":{"0":"post-305218","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-movies","8":"tag-documentary","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-filmaker","11":"tag-filmmaker","12":"tag-historian","13":"tag-holyoke","14":"tag-jamie-cornejo","15":"tag-movies","16":"tag-paper-city","17":"tag-the-republican"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=305218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/305219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=305218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=305218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=305218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}