In 1991, a group of teenagers in upstate New York set out to create a student film based on the corrupt dumping in their small town and to expose the indifference of those around them, as well as the corruption of local politicians. Teenage Wasteland is the combined hours of candid footage filmed by the students at the encouragement of their English teacher. The documentary comes to Netflix streaming on September 4, 2026.
Here’s the official synopsis:
1991. Upstate New York. A group of teenage misfits, inspired by a renegade English teacher, embark on a student film project and uncover a vast conspiracy that is poisoning the ground beneath their feet. Banding together to confront the indifferent adults, corrupt politicians, and a violent criminal organization threatening their small town, they produce an investigative documentary that causes shockwaves in their community. TEENAGE WASTELAND is a coming-of-age story based on exclusive access to hundreds of hours of candid, humorous, and nostalgic video outtakes, and the cooperation of Fred Isseks and his intrepid students as they reckon—thirty years later—with a defining event in their lives and a remarkable story of civic courage.
