A portrait of ordinary life in a New England port town, “Belfast, Maine conveys a deeply emotional sense of place, season, and time of day. In contrasting the breathtaking landscape with the troubled lives of many of those living there, it reminds us that...the simple pleasures available to all are among life's deepest consolations” (Stephen Holden, New York Times). “Belfast, Maine is extraordinary in two ways. First, it is an immensely rich and immeasurably valuable microcosm of American life at the end of the twentieth century. Second, and most unexpected, it is a microcosm of Wiseman's art....It reminds us, movingly, of the persistent strength and beauty of the natural world, which is made to serve the economy; and it pays tribute to the courage and good will of people who go out, day after day, to ease what suffering they can. A fitting summary of Fred Wiseman's work, and of his life as well” (Stuart Klawans, The Nation).