A revealing documentary about one of the most ambitious and unconventional stage productions of the 20th century. In the early 1980s, groundbreaking theatre director Robert Wilson set out to create “the CIVIL warS: a tree is best measured when it is down”, a multi-national opera intended to premiere in its entirety during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Arts Festival. The film follows Wilson’s epic vision as he collaborates with an eclectic mix of international artists, composers—including Philip Glass, David Byrne, and Gavin Bryars—and performers from Japan, Germany, Italy, France, and the U.S. As Wilson constructs the opera in segments across the globe, the documentary director, Howard Brookner, captures the exhilaration, tension, and eventual unraveling of a dream that was ultimately never fully realized due to logistical and financial challenges.

“Robert Wilson & the CIVIL warS” was restored in 2025 by Pinball London from a 16mm print, a VHS tape, and the 16mm stereo optical sound. Funding provided by the Howard Brookner Legacy Project, the Howard Brookner Estate, Pinball London, and Janus Films – The Criterion Collection. Restoration supervised by Aaron Brookner, Paula Vaccaro, and Carlos Morales/EPost.