"My very first film was about a town that disappeared," says documentarian John Paget. It was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with cities and towns across the US that experienced slow-motion declines -- but managed to stage a comeback after an era of demise. From the closure of the iconic Route 66 to the roller-coaster history of Buffalo...

Can a story change the trajectory of your town? In his talk, John Paget reflects on decades of work creating films about cities and towns across America and reveals the surprising power of the civic story to build community, foster pride, and spark revitalization.