“DYSMOCRACY: THE FIGHT OVER FLUORIDE”, PREMIERES ON APPLE TV ON MARCH 28, 2025

NEW YORK (March 19, 2025) - “Dysmocracy: The Fight Over Fluoride”, a thought-provoking film directed by Jordan Melograna, makes its debut on Apple TV, Amazon, and Google Play on Friday, March 28, 2025. This film follows the people of Port Angeles, WA, as they split over a looming decision: Whether to fluoridate their public water. This episodic film weaves between the opposing perspectives of activists, medical professionals, journalists, elected leaders, and ordinary citizens who navigate a crisis that nearly dissolves their local government. But this story is about much more than fluoride: It’s about how we can live in a healthy democracy when we can’t agree on what’s true.

Since 2006, Port Angeles had fluoridated its public water despite dissent from some community

members. When the city’s fluoridation contract was up for renewal in 2016, opponents flooded

city council meetings, stalling other business and engaging in activist tactics that some found

shocking; others, necessary. Councilmembers felt bullied, activists ignored, and citizens

troubled as the discord grew so intense that the local newspaper editorialized, "The issue has

gone beyond fluoridation to the question of whether democracy works in Port Angeles." As the

film meticulously navigates this clash of ideologies, viewers confront their own biases and rethink what it means to find common ground in an age of polarization.

“We created this film to invite audiences into a political drama that will challenge their assumptions, but not tell them what to think. If we’re unwilling to engage other people honestly, we'll end up with dysmocracy - where we’re always pushing as hard as we can for a particular point of view no matter what, destroying our collective trust in the process.” said Jordan Melograna, Director, Block by Block Films. 

When showing this film at live events, audience surveys show that as many as 50% of viewers changed their minds about the issue: a striking figure, given our entrenched political views.

This documentary shows what eight years inside an explosive small-town fluoride battle taught about democracy. Visit www.dysmocracy.com

About filmmakers:

Block by Block Films produces documentaries that challenge audiences to think deeply about

social and political issues. Director Jordan Melograna is a documentary filmmaker focused on human rights and strengthening democracy. Co-Producer Christa Hillstrom is a journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine and other publications.

###

For media inquiries/interview requests:

Anna Velasco | Publicist | Banana PR hello@bananapr.com