Filmmaker Margaret Brown, herself a daughter of Mobile, Alabama, escorts us into the parallel hearts of the city’s two Mardi Gras carnivals to explore this hallowed tradition—and the forces that keep it organized along color lines.

The first Mardi Gras in America was celebrated in Alabama in 1703. In 2007, Mobile’s celebration is still racially segregated. This fascinating Sundance documentary—one of the most acclaimed of 2008—examines American race relations with wit, access, and sharp-eyed observation.