Flowers on a One-Way Street (1968)

In the summer of 1967, a hippie group called The Diggers - led by the cool and charismatic 23-year old David DePoe - wanted to turn the street where they resided, Yorkville Avenue in Toronto, into a car-free zone. Fed up with the noise and fumes from cars, DePoe staged a 3-day sit in where the Diggers peacefully occupied the street to petition the Toronto City Council to get what they wanted. To their surprise, the police were ordered to remove them by force by the city officials who wanted to keep the street open as a necessary traffic artery. After being released from jail, DePoe and his group were invited by the fiercely conservative and patronizing Allan Lamport, a member of the Board of Control and former Mayor of the city to a meeting at City Hall to present their case. The climactic battle unfolded there between Lamport and DePoe, who was representing the Canadian Youth Council.

Director: Robin Spry
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 57 min
Release Date:

Screenplay

Cinematography: Douglas Kiefer
Editing: Christopher Cordeaux
Production: ONF | NFB
Country: Canada
Language: English
Original Language: en

Keywords

road traffic, local politics, street protest

More Films by Director: Robin Spry
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Flowers on a One-Way Street about?
In the summer of 1967, a hippie group called The Diggers - led by the cool and charismatic 23-year old David DePoe - wanted to turn the street where they resided, Yorkville Avenue in Toronto, into a car-free zone. Fed up with the noise and fumes from cars, DePoe staged a 3-day sit in where the Diggers peacefully occupied the street to petition the Toronto City Council to get what they wanted. To their surprise, the police were ordered to remove them by force by the city officials who wanted to keep the street open as a necessary traffic artery. After being released from jail, DePoe and his group were invited by the fiercely conservative and patronizing Allan Lamport, a member of the Board of Control and former Mayor of the city to a meeting at City Hall to present their case. The climactic battle unfolded there between Lamport and DePoe, who was representing the Canadian Youth Council.
Who directed Flowers on a One-Way Street?
Flowers on a One-Way Street was directed by Robin Spry.
How long is Flowers on a One-Way Street?
Flowers on a One-Way Street has a runtime of 57m (57 minutes).
What genre is Flowers on a One-Way Street?
Flowers on a One-Way Street is a Documentary film.
Where was Flowers on a One-Way Street produced?
Flowers on a One-Way Street was produced in Canada.