Iron Weed Film Club (DVD)

May 2008 – Number 30

• Call It Democracy - This bi-partisan discussion about America’s flawed electoral process urges us to undertake the reform needed to ensure that every vote truly counts. (85 minutes)

• Original Intent: The Battle for America - Following the Supreme Court’s dramatic shift to the right in recent years, this film warns of the “originalist” interpretations of the Constitution that may threaten our fundamental rights. (55minutes)

• The State of Things - Democracy is melting—literally! Watch as time-lapse photography captures the haunting, artful meltdown of an ice sculpture spelling out the word “DEMOCRACY.” (3 minutes)

April 2008 - Number 29 

• The Power of Community - After the Soviet Union collapsed and the U.S. tightened its embargo, Cubans suffered a ‘peak oil’ crisis. Their adaptation to this decline in petroleum offers a much-needed model for living sustainably on a finite earth. (53 minutes)
• Escape from Affluenza - Follow courageous life-style pioneers as they simplify their lives, connect to their communities, help the environment, and recover from our culture’s epidemic of over-consumption. (56 minutes)
• Radically Simple - Author, teacher and engineer Jim Merkel demonstrates his radically simple lifestyle, and without judgment, encourages us to take our own steps toward a satisfying and sustainable way of living. (35 minutes)

March 2008 - Number 28

• War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death - Based on the best-selling book of the same title, this chilling, fast-moving, impeccably researched film exposes the many strategies used by administrations, both Democratic and Republican, to promote their agendas for war from Vietnam to Iraq. How is a country persuaded to accept military aggression as the final answer to international disputes? Without carefully planned propaganda and the cooperation of a compliant media, a consensus for war would not be 'easy'. This searing analysis of the spin-doctor's trade encourages us to think critically about the techniques of persuasion that are used to promote and prolong the deadly option of war. (72 minutes)

• The Bases are Loaded - The truth about permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq is the most closely held secret in Washington according to former Senator Gary Hart. Will the U.S. ever leave Iraq? Official policy promises an eventual departure, but this shocking, well-documented film presents compelling evidence that hundreds of military bases in Iraq are being consolidated into a handful of seemingly permanent, lavishly appointed "mega-bases," while the administration equivocates about their extent and purpose. (43 minutes)

• Flight - Seen from the point of view of a beautiful white bird, this exquisitely animated short film condenses the history of aviation from humankind's innocent dream of flying through the nightmare of flight's darker consequences. The bird flies in peace - can we? (2 minutes)

February 2008 - Number 27

•  Mardi Gras: Made in China - Beads are the coin of the realm at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, where thousands of the ubiquitous baubles are worn, shared and tossed. But where do these trinket treasures come from? Who actually makes them? Director David Redmon follows the bead trail to the Tai Kuen factory in the Fuzhou province of China where young teenagers work long hours for low pay in prison-like compounds far from their homes. (73 minutes)
• No Logo: Brands, Globalization & Resistance - Based on the best-selling book “No Logo” by Canadian journalist and activist Naomi Klein, this incisive and engaging film essay explains the phenomenon of corporate 'branding', the brilliant and insidious advertising technique of selling, not products, but identities and lifestyles. Using hundreds of media examples, the film reveals how large brands like Nike, The Gap, Tommy Hilfiger and others have taken over our public space, reduced choice, replaced good jobs with temporary work in the U.S., and created a race to the bottom in wages for out-sourced labor in foreign countries. As mass-production and mass marketing have an increasing global impact, a dedicated grassroots resistance is arising that challenges the domination of corporations in our culture and around the world. (42 minutes)

• Matamoros: The Human Face of Globalization - Narrated by Edward James Olmos, this brief but revealing look at the small border town of Matamoros, Mexico exposes the alarming environmental and human toll of NAFTA, the "free trade" agreement of the Americas. Through NAFTA, U.S. companies are encouraged to build factories (maquiladoras) in border-towns like Matamoros, escaping tough pollution control laws, labor standards, and taxes that pay for social and environmental needs. The people of Matamoros, attracted by the promise of employment, suffer low wages, inadequate housing, poor sanitation and disease, revealing the true human face of globalization. (11 minutes)

January 2008 - Number 26

• Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore? - A classic political underdog story comes to life in this suspenseful, fast-paced, engrossing documentary. With an obvious nod to the famous 1939 Frank Capra movie, this film tells the captivating story of Jeff Smith, an unlikely and undaunted young candidate as he runs for the Congressional seat of retiring House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt in the 2004 Missouri Democratic primary. Despite having no previous experience, no money, no backing and no name recognition Smith mobilizes an army of nearly 500 volunteers, generating a youth-oriented grassroots insurgency that surprises friends and opponents alike. Watching his courage and amazing tenacity is a tonic for all of us, as we face yet another election year hungry for substance, and a system that works for everyone. (2006/ 82 minutes)

• Granny D Goes to Washington - Iron-willed and upbeat, 89 year-old Doris Haddock astonished the nation by walking across the entire continental United States determined to bring attention to the issue of campaign finance reform, and in her words "to defeat utterly those forces of greed and corruption that have come between us and our self-governance." This inspiring documentary short captures the spirit and impact of this remarkable woman as it follows her all the way to the Capitol in Washington D.C. (2007/ 27 minutes)

• Clean Elections: Changing the Face of America - Can a candidate who is not supported by big donors actually succeed in the American election process? This film gives a resounding yes to that crucial question, chronicling the success of publicly funded campaigns in several states. Narrated by Bill Moyers, this informative and encouraging film features candidates on the campaign trail, illuminating assessments by campaign finance reform experts, and lively testimonials by citizens on how voluntary public financing has changed politics. (2007/ 14 minutes)

December 2007 - Number 25

• The Future We Will Create: Inside the World of TED" - Every year in Monterey, California, an amazing gathering takes place. The legendary TED Conference (Technology, Entertainment, Design) bring together a diverse group of some of the world's most brilliant innovators and visionaries to share their ideas and their passions about creating a better world. Actress and co-director Daphne Zuniga is our host for a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into this world-renowned, invitation-only event, and her unique access to all aspects of the conference reveals why WIRED magazine calls TED "arguably the hottest gathering around!" This stimulating film inspires hope that the creative and compassionate human spirit will find solutions to the daunting problems of our times. (2007/ 74 minutes)

• Challenges: An Interview with Rick Smalley from "NOBELITY" - In this excerpt from the acclaimed documentary "Nobelity" another great mind inspires us with his visionary thinking. Nobel prize-winning chemist Richard E. Smalley discusses the enormous challenges facing humanity as world oil production peaks and crisis looms. What will be the new basis for energy prosperity on the planet? Smalley and his team are engaged in a promising search for the "terawatt" answer to that crucial question. (2006/ 5 minutes)

• Android 207 - Shot in the style of an early 50s science lab move, this humorous and surprisingly touching film follows the struggles of a human-like robot trapped in a maze with terrifying dangers around every corner. With a hauntingly appropriate sound track and employing exceptionally smooth stop animation, the film evokes our sympathy for the oddly adorable android as he learns to creatively solve the many challenges of his journey. (2006/ 10 minutes)

November  2007 - Number 24

• The Future of Food - As powerful multinational corporations seek to control the world's agricultural systems, they are transforming the fundamental nature of our food, our bodies, and ultimately the entire biological web of life. This hard-hitting film investigates the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered crops that have slipped into our food supply and onto our family tables. Filmmaker Garcia reveals the health implications and environmental risks of genetically modified foods and examines the web of government policies, corporate power and market forces that are changing what we eat. She gives eloquent voice to farmers who have been negatively impacted by this new technology and explores alternatives to industrial agriculture, proposing organic and sustainable farming as real solutions to the food crisis. (2004/ 88 minutes)

• Fridays at the Farm - Feeling disconnected from their food, filmmaker Hoffman and his family decide to join a community supported organic farm. As Hoffman photographs the growing process, he moves from passive observer to active participant in the planting and harvesting of vegetables. Featuring lush time-lapse and macro photography sequences, this personal essay is a filmmaker's meditation on his blossoming family and community, and an inspiring testament to the value of natural foods. (2006/ 19 minutes)

• The Happy Box! - Demonstrating that sustainable agriculture is economically viable for farmers and beneficial to both people and the environment, this brief film essay explores the emerging popularity of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and its promise for the future. (2006/ 13 minutes)

• The Planting Seeds - This delightful short film follows elementary students in the award winning school gardening program of the Santa Monica-Malibu School District in California as they eagerly tell their stories, showing us how they plant, tend, harvest, and yes, even eat, their fruits and veggies! The students learn where their food really comes from, and in the process develop a deeper connection to the natural world. (1999/ 8 minutes)

October 2007 - Number 23

• An Unreasonable Man - Ralph Nader is America's most famous and respected consumer advocate and possibly its most reviled presidential candidate. This unflinching film documents his life from the glory years of "Unsafe At Any Speed" and other triumphant consumer-safety campaigns, through his divisive decision to run for president in 2000 and again in 2004. Using fascinating archival footage and featuring interviews with Nader's family, friends, enemies, and Nader himself, the film fairly bristles with compelling arguments pro and con, creating a larger context from which to judge this controversial hero's true legacy. (2006/ 122 minutes)

• Robinson Crusader - Keith Robinson is struggling to maintain the sovereignty of his remote, privately-owned Hawaiian island of Ni'ihau and single-handedly laboring to preserve some of the world's rarest and most endangering plants. Though credited with significant botanical successes, he is threatening "scorched earth" tactics to destroy his years of research as a bitter showdown with the US government escalates. Is he a hero, or a stubborn colonialist? (2006/ 30 minutes)

• Paul Conrad: Drawing Fire - This enlightening documentary pays tribute to the extraordinary talent of Paul Conrad, a genius of editorial cartooning who has won three Pulitzer Prizes, a long list of journalism's most distinguished awards, and a presidential honor: the privilege of being included on Richard Nixon's enemies list. Brilliant, fearless, an extraordinary artist and journalist, Paul Conrad has served as the conscience of American media for five decades. (2006/ 53 minutes)

September 2007 - Number 22

• Favela Rising - Winner of 24 national and international film festival awards, including Film of the Year from the International Documentary Association, this vibrant, gritty, music-filled documentary tells the inspiring story of Anderson Sá, the heroic leader of a transformative social movement in the slums (favelas) of Brazil's Rio de Janeiro. Surrounded by violence, poverty, constant drug wars and police reprisals, Anderson and his friends founded Grupo Cultural AfroReggae, to offer through music and dance a creative, pride-filled, joyous alternative to the deadly drug life of the favelas. This astonishing true story, driven by its pulsing AfroReggae sound-track, celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the liberating power of art. (2005/ 80 minutes)

• Heavy Metal Drummer - This delightful short-story film follows a young Muslim teenager in Morocco and his passion for heavy metal music. His musical taste makes him a "freak" in his culture, and though he tamely plays drums in a small band with two friends, he longs to let his passion burst through. This is a charming look at the yarning for artistic freedom in a closed society.
  (2005/ 6 minutes)

• Let Them Bark - The work of artist Ragini Upadhyaya is described by an admirer as "at once universal, symbolic, and personal." This brief bio-doc introduces us to this inspirational artist from Kathmandu, Nepal and the hidden social commentary in her work, thankfully undetected by government censors. Ragini relates her art to difficulties faced by women in S.E. Asia, as well as the gradual awakening of her beloved country. (2006/ 10 minutes)

August 2007 - Number 21

• Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea - Once known as the California Riviera, the man-made Salton Sea is mistakenly considered by the media to be an ecological disaster. Narrated by John Waters, this radiant documentary film introduces us to the old resort town's history and its eclectic residents, from eccentrics hanging on to the glory days, to inner city families escaping hard conditions back home. But the Sea's epic tale will come to a head when this close-knit community must battle surrounding metropolises, threatening to appropriate water sources that keep this strange and wonderful landscape alive.
  (2006/ 73 minutes)

• Ghosts from Working Man’s Death - At the lip of the Kawah Ijen volcano in Indonesia, workers haul raw, orange sulfur in bamboo baskets up and over the treacherous terrain, paid for the weight of their loads. This lyrical film follows these men, among the strongest in the world, along the three mile journey, past awed tourists offering cigarettes for photographs, and back to their families and homes at the base of the mountain, gathering their reflections and their hopes along the way.
  (2006/ 24 minutes)

July 2007 - Number 20

• The Breast Cancer Diaries - For ten years, Ann Murray Paige covered the news. But when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 38, the only way she knew how to remain strong was to turn the camera on herself and document her battle. She challenges everything from "drive-through mastectomies", to how American society defines women by their breasts. Balancing work, motherhood, marriage and her illness, Ann's powerful diary speaks volumes for one in seven American women now diagnosed with breast cancer. (2006/ 82 minutes)

• Paul Conrad: Drawing Fire - This bio-doc delves deeply into the history and driving force behind political cartoonist Paul Conrad, a Pulitzer Prize winning satirist renowned for his fearless voice and pointed critique of our political leaders and policies since the 1960's.
  (2006/ 53 minutes)

• Convenient Truths: Winners of the Green Video Contest - These ten user-generated videos, winners of the Convenient Truths contest sponsored by TreeHugger and Seventh Generation, tell individual stories of activism for the environment in new and innovative ways. (2007/ 19 minutes)

June 2007 - Number 19

Topic: Gay and Lesbian Issues

• Small Town Gay Bar - While many gay, lesbian and transgendered people flee small towns to find acceptance in larger cities, some decide to stay. This is their story.  Produced by Kevin Smith and directed by Malcolm Ingram, Small Town Gay Bar is at once a history of oppression, a cry for peace, and an intricate portrait of two of these bars, Rumors and Crossroads, and the vibrant group of people who find a second home and a second family there. (2006/ 81 minutes/Gay and Lesbian Issues)

• Out in the Heartland - Over the past ten years, gay and lesbian families in Kentucky have made progress toward acceptance from their local communities, workplaces and their children's schools. But when an anti-marriage amendment is mounted in their home state, they’re forced to reevaluate their position and rise up against a doctrine of inequality. (2005/ 19 minutes)

• Clay Pride: Being Clay in America - Meet Steve, a young "clay" man who was born different than the rest of the people in his town. This poignant animated short follows his ups and downs as he comes out in a world that won't accept him for who he is. (2001/ 4 minutes)

May 2007 - Number 18

Topic: Terrorism/War

• The War Tapes - In this powerfully human documentary, three National Guardsmen, Specialist Michael Moriarty, Sgt. Steven Pink and Sgt. Zack Bazzi, chronicle their day-to-day lives in the Iraq war with miniDV cameras strapped to their Hummers and helmets. The story, as told through the eyes of the soldiers, transcends mere social commentary and digs deep in to the horror and empathy every soldier faces. (2006/ 97 minutes/ Terrorism/War)

• The Grass Grows Green - When a Marine recruiter discovers that one of his recruits has died in battle, he grapples with his relationship to his job and his community in this powerful narrative short. (2007/ 19 minutes)

• All That I Can Be - Student filmmakers follow a friend and colleague to document the difficult decision he makes to join the army in exchange for a college education. (2005/ 9 minutes)

April  2007 - Number 17

• Blue Vinyl - With humor, chutzpah and a piece of vinyl siding firmly in hand, Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Judith Helfand and co-director and award-winning cinematographer Daniel B. Gold set out in search of the truth about polyvinyl chloride (PVC), America's most popular plastic. From Long Island to Louisiana to Italy, they unearth the facts about PVC and its effects on human health and the environment. A detective story, an eco-activism doc, and a rollicking comedy, BLUE VINYL puts a human face on the dangers posed by PVC at every stage of its life cycle, from factory to incinerator. Consumer consciousness and the "precautionary principle" have never been this much fun.. (2002/ 98 minutes)

• Crude Impact - A powerful and timely exploration of the interconnection between human domination of the planet and the discovery and use of oil, CRUDE IMPACT exposes our deep-rooted dependency on the availability of fossil fuel energy and examines the dire implications of the pending threat of global peak oil.. (2006/ 30 minutes)

March 2007 - Number 16

• Rank - Through breathtaking cinematography, gritty action and starkly honest storytelling, Rank paints the portrait of three professional bull riding champions. Justin McBride, a third-generation bull rider, Mike Lee, a newcomer and born again Christian, and 34 year-old Brazilian champion Adriano Moraes tell the stories of their relationships to the sport, to the livestock, and the fatal risks they take daily to do what they love. The pull between human and beast, the balance with the natural world, and the theme of the American Western are fleshed out against the backdrop of the high intensity PBR World Finals.(2006/ 90 minutes)

• Deadly Passion: Tragedy in Katmai - Focusing on the local perspective of Timothy Treadwell's death by bear mauling in Alaska in 2003, Deadly Passion is the straight-story complement to Werner Herzog's psychological study Grizzly Man (2005). (2004/ 34 minutes)

• Interview with WANGARI MATTHAI from NOBELITY - Taken from the feature film Nobelity, Wangari Matthai (Nobel Peace Prize, 2004), talks about the healing power of persistence as shown by African women participants in the Green Belt Movement. (2006/ 8 minutes)

January 2007 - Number 14

Topics: Globalization, Human Rights, Economics

• Black Gold - Do you know where your latte comes from? Follow Ethiopian coffee co-op manager Tadesse Meskela as he travels the world seeking fair trade policies for his growers in the exploding international coffee market.  This mesmerizing documentary tells the dark back-story of coffee, from the raw bean to your to-go cup. (2006/ 78 minutes/ Globalization)

• Heroes from Working Man's Death - In this stunning film, crawl alongside miners deep in the illegal coal mines of Ukraine to learn first hand what it's like to do some of the most dangerous jobs in the world. (2006/ 30 minutes)

• Fair Trade: The Story - A short film highlighting the role of TransFair USA in the ever-growing Fair Trade movement as they advocate for fair wages and better working conditions for farmers and their families in developing nations. (2006/ 8 minutes/ Globalization)

• Interview with AMARTYA SEN from NOBELITY - Amartya Sen (Nobel Economics Prize, 1998), talks about the power of reason to solve our global problems of poverty and overpopulation.  This is the second a series of interviews from the feature film Nobelity.        (2006/ 8 minutes)

December 2006 - Number 13

Topics: Human rights, Women, Nonviolence

• Beyond the Call - Three middle-aged men, former soldiers and modern-day knights, travel the world delivering life-saving humanitarian aid to civilians and doctors in some of the most dangerous yet beautiful places on Earth.  As humanitarian renegades, this band of ordinary guys with extraordinary courage takes risks and bends rules in the name of making a difference. (2006/ 82 minutes)

• The Motherhood Manifesto - Women shouldn't be discriminated against simply because they are mothers...but they are!  This vibrant documentary gathers true stories from American mothers, ranging from maternity leave, to day care, to employment discrimination, to shed some light on the "crisis of care" in America.  (2006/ 59 minutes)

• Interview with JODY WILLIAMS from NOBELITY - Jody Williams (Nobel Peace Prize, 1997), founder of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, talks about the struggle and importance of taking action in the name of peace.  This is the first in a series of interviews we'll bring you with Nobel Prize winners from the feature film Nobelity. (2006/ 8 minutes)

November 2006 - Number 12 

• The Boys of Baraka - When twenty "at risk" 12-year-old boys attend an experimental boarding school in Kenya, East Africa, their goals, worldviews and hopes for the future area given a new path.  When they return to inner-city Baltimore, however, they find that their past lives have not made room for their new dreams.  This compelling documentary asks the most important question of all: Will these young people be able to bring positive change to their own lives and their communities? (2006/ 84 minutes)
• Ryan's Well - 7-year-old Ryan Hreljac is called to action when he comes to learn that his pen pal Jimmy's village in Uganda has no access to clean water.  What starts with asking his mother for $70 to help build a well turns into a community effort to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars toward clean water in Africa. When Ryan visits Jimmy in Uganda, he comes to understand that his life and the lives of those he's helped are changed forever.            (2001/ 25 minutes)

October 2006 - Number 11

Topics: Terrorism/War, Boycotts

• Sir! No Sir! - Risk, passion, rage.  These are the pillars of the GI antiwar movement that echo through this powerful documentary about the soldiers and veterans who worked to bring a message of peace to the public eye.  Through interviews and extraordinary use of archival footage from the Vietnam era, director David Zeiger weaves together the engrossing tale of this overlooked moment in time.  From mutiny and underground presses in the war zone to full-scale protests back home, this collective portrait of the GI movement illustrates a forgotten story of dissent and commitment to peace. (2005/ 17 minutes)
• Preacher with an Unknown God - "Stop shopping, children!" wails Rev. Billy, the "preacher" of a new religion-the Church of Stop Shopping. Rev. Billy spreads the word through Starbucks cash register exorcisms and Wal-Mart parking lot revivals on his "Stop Big Boxes" tour. Watch this subversive performance art group as they bring their anti-consumption message to hapless consumers in mini-malls across the suburban sprawl.            (2005 /17 minutes)
• Night Visions - The old axiom,  "war is hell," is particularly fitting when reflecting on the escalating violence of the Iraq War.  Night Visions is a powerful look at one American soldier's experience, processing his memories and emotions before, during, and after his service.  With an honest voice, this film expresses the conflicting feelings of one brave solder.  From Arts Engine's Media That Matters Film Festival 6. (2006/ 7 minutes)

September 2006 - Number 10

Topic: Democracy

• American Blackout - Does every vote count in America? Apparently not in the 21st century.  This 2006 Sundance Film Festival winner takes a disturbing look at the ways in which the African-American vote has been manipulated and disenfranchised in American elections.  From the outrageous maneuvers in Florida in 2000 to the Republican efforts to unseat controversial Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, it's all too clear our "by the people, for the people" democracy is in jeopardy. (2006/ 84 minutes/ Democracy)
• How Democrats and Progressives Can Win: Solutions from George Lakoff - According to U.C. Berkeley Professor of Linguistics, George Lakoff, the left needs to think more critically both about what their core messages are and how best to deliver them.  In this clear how-to-guide, Lakoff outlines how Democrats and Progressives need to look at the world and frame their messages in order to be heard in the ear of sound-bytes and catch phrases.  (2004/ 25 minutes)

August 2006 - Number 09

Topic: Ecology

• Genesis - Life is amazing-see for yourself. Genesis takes a mystical, beautiful look at life cycles on Planet Earth, from beginning to end and in between. Claude Nuridsanay and Marie Perennou, creators of Microcosmos, combine ingenious footage, a wise African narrator (Sotigui Koyate), an eclectic score, and all creatures great and small to create a special film that captivates kids and adults alike.         (2004/ 81 minutes/ Ecology)
• Live from Shiva's Dance Floor - From the acclaimed indie-pioneer director of Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Waking Life, and School of Rock, Live from Shiva's Dance Floor is a roving philosophical exploration of New York City told by the city's most famous "cruiser," Timothy "Speed" Levitch. (2003/ 21 minutes)

July 2006 - Number 08

• Shakespeare Behind Bars - For 20 inmates at Luther Luckett Correctional complex in Kentucky, preparing and performing Shakespeare plays once a year serves as a tool for self-examination and rehabilitation. Hank Rogerson and Jilann Spitzmiller's film examines a group of men who long to be seen as more than their crimes, as they grapple with themes of forgiveness and redemption in The Tempest. (2005/ 93 minutes)
• The Wildest Show in the South: The Angola Prison Rodeo - For one month a year, Louisiana prisoners with nothing to lose "cowboy-up" for a crowd of thousands and compete in one of the roughest, toughest rodeos around.                  (1999/ 30 minutes)
• In the Box - In this animated masterpiece a wooden figure struggles to break free from the confines of a box - a challenge more difficult than it seems.  Is escape possible?  Is the outside world as free as imagined? (1999/ 6 minutes/ animated)

June 2006 - Number 07

Topics: Terrorism/War, Nonviolence

• Private - A Palestinian family living between an Arab village and an Israeli settlement finds their house besieged by the Israeli army.  Rather than leave, the family stays confined to a few rooms, living as virtual prisoners in their own home.  From beginning to end, Private, an Italian film shot in Calabria, is as tense and suspenseful as any Hollywood thriller. Saverio Costanzo's gritty, urgent camera work gives the Palestinian-Israeli conflict a realistic, human face as the family and the soldiers co-exist uneasily, both sides questioning the point of their actions. (2004/ 90 minutes/ Terrorism/War)
• Seeds - With grace and maturity, teenagers from opposite sides of war-torn countries gather together at the Seeds of Peace International Camp for three life-changing weeks.  They get to know each other, listen to each other, and learn to respect each other in an attempt to build the one thing they all strive for: a future.  (2004/ 60 minutes) 
• West Bank Story - It's like West Side Story, except with hummus.  Lots of hummus. Ari Sandel's musical comedy looks at the lighter side of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. (2005/ 20 minutes/ Terrorism/War)

May 2006 - Number 06

• The Education of Shelby Knox - Lubbock, Texas has an abstinence-only sex education policy in its schools - and some of the highest teen pregnancy and STD infection rates in the nation.  Shelby Knox is a Lubbock high school student, a good Baptist girl - and the most outspoken advocate of sex education in town. The Education of Shelby Knox follows Shelby for three years as she grows into her own beliefs, which increasingly differ from those of her family, church, and community. (2005/ 76 minutes)
•  Jesus Henry Christ - Henry, a brilliant scholarship student at a strict Catholic school, gets sent to the tyrannical headmaster for his unconventional beliefs.  Dennis Lee's tight camera angles and wry humor convey religion's sometimes stifling atmosphere, and Henry inspires us all to believe - in something. (2003/ 18 minutes)
• Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness - What do frogs and Chinese drycleaners have to do with reproductive rights? Everything, according to filmmaker Tiffany Shlain. This fast-paced collage of music and images draws ironic comparisons between eroding reproductive rights in the US and unexpected themes, proving that everything is connected. (2003/ 14 minutes)

April 2006 - Number 05

Topic: Democracy

• Street Fight captures a bare-knuckle campaign battle in the streets and housing projects of Newark, New Jersey.  On one side, incumbent James's old-school political machine works to crush anyone who dares question his campaign. On the other, up-and-coming Booker faces vicious smear campaigns. Is it possible to stay clean in a street fight? It's a wild ride to see who wins and a great insight into how democracy, power, and race play out in urban American politics. (2005/ 82 minutes/ Democracy)
• No Umbrella: Election Day in the City - An unblinking look at 2004 election day failures in one of Ohio's poorest neighborhoods, No Umbrella chronicles the chaos of inner-city polling places in the most hotly contested state in the country. An official selection of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival (2006/ 26 minutes/ Democracy)  
• Battleground Minnesota - If Walter Mondale can learn to scratch hip-hop, young voters can get schooled in election politics. Activist Shakademic teaches our former Vice President and other Minnesota political notables to lay down some funky beats in the name of voter education.  From Media That Matters Film Festival. (2004/ 8 minutes/ Democracy)

March 2006 - Number 04

Topics: Democracy, Economics, Racism

• Salt of the Earth - In this blacklisted classic from 1953, Mexican miners and their wives at a New Mexico mine strike for social and economic justice. This independent film, surrounded by controversy in its day, is one of the most significant films of the 20^th century.  (1953/ 94 minutes/ Democracy)
• Hollywood Ten - Who were the Hollywood Ten? This 1950 documentary offers a closer look at the ten blacklisted film writers and directors who defied the government and the sentiments of their day by refusing to testify before Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s anti-Communist hearings. John Berry, who directed the documentary, was blacklisted himself upon its release. (1950/ 15 minutes/ Democracy)  
• The Luckiest Nut in the World - A lesson about the nutty economics of free trade taught by a singing peanut and his hard-shelled backup group. (2005 / 8 minutes/ animated).
• Something Other than Other - Filmmakers and new parents Jerry and Andrea talk about discrimination, their multiracial son and their dream of an identity for him beyond the "Other" checkbox. (2005/ 9 minutes)

February 2006 - Number 03

Topics: Human Rights, Terrorism/War

• Seoul Train is an emotionally wrenching look at an heroic Underground Railroad, an international band of activists who risk their own lives to lead North Korean refugees out of China and into countries that will give them asylum. The film spotlights a harrowing and potentially explosive human rights crisis where, in the absence of news coverage and international humanitarian aid, a small group works to make a big difference. (2004/ 85 minutes/  Human Rights)
• North Korea: A Day in the Life - Dutch filmmaker Pieter Fleury, with the fill permission and cooperation of the North Korean government, created this propaganda film that gives us a glimpse of a day in the life of one of the world's most enigmatic societies. (2004/ 50 minutes)
• Birthday Boy  - Little Manuk plays soldier in his village during the Korean War while his father fights on the front.  Coming home, he opens a package left on his doorstep that he things is his birthday present.  But its contents change his life.         (2004/ 9 minutes/ animated)

January 2006 - Number 02

Topics: Globalization, Democracy

• Power Trip is a humorous, heartbreaking look at the culture clash between corporate power suppliers and citizens as they feel their way through post-Soviet Georgia, where corruption, civil war, and chaos are everyday occurrences, but electricity might not be. (2004/ 85 minutes)
• Red Diaper Baby - This concert film of the acclaimed one-man show, recalls Josh Kornbluth's childhood as a "Red Diaper Baby," the child of American communists in 1970s New York City. (2004/ 90 minutes)

December 2005 - Number 01

Topics: Immigration, Terrorism/War

• Wetback:  The Undocumented Documentary tells the real story of immigration to the United States.  This film follows two friends traveling over land from Nicaragua, across multiple borders to the U.S. On the journey they face gangs, assailants, thieves, and a ride on the infamous “train of death”.  (2005/ 97 minutes/ Immigration)
• Terminal Bar -  "When one person's lying in the street, everybody's lying in the street."  That's the way the film's provocateur, bartender Sheldon Nadelman's, describes the state of the world.  This stunning film by Nadelman's son, Stefan, looks at a slice of New York City history through photos taken over twenty years in the city's roughest downtown bar. (2003/ 23 minutes)
• Where is Iraq? - Just after U.S. forces take control of Baghdad in 2003, filmmaker Baz Shamoun attempts to re-enter his homeland after decades of forced exile.  In Jordan, he meets other Iraqis stuck at the border: workers without jobs, truckers, cab drivers and anxious refugees.  This insightful short film reveals their conflicting perspectives on war, dictatorship, and hopes for a new Iraq.           (2004/ 19 minutes)