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Friday Flicks

The third Friday of each month at 7pm, the community is invited to view and discuss documentaries examining timely issues important to social justice. No admission is charged. Refreshments are served.

Scroll down for a list of past and upcoming films.
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(Scroll down to see a list of our past films.)

Past Friday Flicks

November 16, 2012: United States of ALEC
Bill Moyers and Company helped produce a report on the most influential corporate-funded political force that many Americans have never heard about - ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. A national consortium of state politicians and powerful corporations, ALEC presents itself as a "nonpartisan public-private partnership", but in state houses around the country, hundreds of pieces of boilerplate ALEC legislation are proposed or enacted that would, among other things, dilute collective bargaining rights, make it harder for some Americans to vote, and limit corporate liability for harm caused to consumers.

October 19, 2012: The Invisible War 
Join us to learn about "one of the most under-reported stories in the country over the last couple of generations." Rape in the military is a serious problem, with severe psychological and economic costs. Note: the film is not intended to be an indictment of the military. But it does examine a serious problem which has affected thousands of service personnel. As the film's director stated, "The military is a very effective fighting force when it comes to dealing with the enemy without. It's really time for them to start dealing with this enemy within."

August 17,  2012: Mother Jones: America’s Most Dangerous Woman
Join us to see a film that Howard Zinn insists should be shown in schools all over America. “Mother Jones: America’s Most Dangerous Woman,” a prizewinning documentary, recalls the terrible conditions and labor oppression that motivated Mother Jones to travel the country, mobilizing thousands of workers to fight for justice. The film was created by Rosemary Feurer and Laura Vazquez of Northern Illinois University. Rosemary will help lead the discussion. This will also be an opportunity to find out about local labor struggles, including one at the Sensata plant in Freeport.

July 20, 2012: Where Do the Children Play?
Children represent 20% of the world’s population and 100% of its future. So how is life in the suburbs across America impacting children's mental and physical health and development? This Emmy-winning film is a must-see for parents, teachers, and grandparents!

June 15, 2012: PRICELE$$
The award-winning documentary PRICELE$$ takes a balanced look at how campaign money from deep-pocket special interests can influence both our electoral process and national policies regarding food and energy. This film is a must see for people who believe that democracy is a precious resource. In fact, it’s PRICELE$$.

May 18, 2012: Uncounted
A documentary about the disenfranchisement of voters since 1999. David Earnhardt’s documentary explores a variety of problems, including insufficient numbers of voting machines, machines which did not operate, inaccurate voter registration records, machines which “flipped” votes or recorded thousands of votes in precincts with fewer than a thousand registered voters, etc.

April 20, 2012: Green Fire
The focus of this film is the life story of Aldo Leopold, the foremost naturalist of the 20th century. His life work was a stellar example of learning by experience. Leopold originally encouraged hunting wolves so that elk could thrive. Once the wolf population was significantly reduced, he realized the increased elk population was destroying the balanced ecosystem that had existed.

March 16, 2012: Family Values: An American Tragedy and Lead with Love 
Family Values: An American Tragedy is a prize-winning film which tells the story of a family torn apart by political and religious extremism. The film's director, who is openly gay, examines her relationship with her  father. Lead with Love follows four families as they share honest reactions to hearing that their child is gay, including the intense emotions, fears, and questions that it raised. 

February 17, 2012: Patriocracy
This showing is sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Patriocracy is a non-partisan film which explores the extreme polarization in our politics. Americans are shouting at each other instead of communicating. The film features legislators, journalists, pundits and academics sharing  insights  As America enters the 2012 election season, more money than ever will be spent to sway voters by fear and emotion. Patriocracy shows voters how they can avoid being manipulated.

January 21, 2012: The Interrupters
NOTE: This film will be shown at the Randall 15 IMAX Theater in Geneva at 8:30 am on Saturday, January 21. Tickets must be reserved in advance through socialjusticechair@uusg.org. The film tells the story of individuals who try to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they themselves once employed. These “violence interrupters” (their job title) – who have credibility on the street because of their own personal histories – intervene in conflicts before the incidents explode into violence. Ricardo “Cobe” Williams who is featured in the film, will be present for a question and answer reception in the theater lobby immediately following the screening.

November 18, 2011: We Still Live Here: As Nutayunean
The prize-winning 2010 film We Still Live Here: As Nutayunean tells the amazing story of the return of the Wampanoag language, and with it the traditional culture. Their ancestors were the  “Indians” who helped the Pilgrims survive 4 centuries ago.This is the first time a language with no Native speakers has been revived in this country

October 21, 2011: The Devil Came on Horseback 
Former “Lost Boys” share Good and Bad News from Sudan. The Devil Came on Horseback traces how the Arab-run government of Sudan engaged in “ethnic cleansing” in Darfur. Malith Ariik and William Mou will join us to share their experiences and give us an update on how their region of the Sudan obtained governmental representation – at the same time as the President Al-Bashir has shifted his focus to South Kordofan.

September 16, 2011: Divided We Fall
Winner of more than a dozen international awards, this film documents stories in the Sikh, Muslim, & Arab communities in America in the years following 9/11. The film explores “who counts” as American.This Friday Flick is scheduled as part of this year’s International Day of Peace celebration in Geneva.

August 19, 2011: Fuel
The winner of the Sundance Film Festival Best Documentary Audience Award in 2008 traces oil use and abuse while examining alternative sources of energy

July 15, 2011: On the Edge
This film tells the stories of 7 women who lost their housing for a variety of reasons,   These compelling and  forthcoming experts on homelessness shine a bright, unmitigated light on systemic and personal causes of their struggles

June 17, 2011: Silent Screams
This film explores the social costs of America’s war in Afghanistan through the experiences and words of 

American peace activist, pacifist, author, and three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Kathy Kelly and others. Particular attention is paid to the aftermath of drone attacks.  Mary Dean, Kelly’s colleague who recently returned from a trip to war zones, will join us to share her experiences. Warning: This film is short, but it does show some graphic images of injuries to civilians who were hurt by drone-guided bombs.  

May 20, 2011: Gasland
The film examines concerns about safety while the largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history is sweeping across the United States. When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies, and contamination.

April 15, 2011: FLOW: For the Love of Water
The title is capitalized because it is an acronym for “For the Love of Water.” The documentary addresses the world's dwindling supply of fresh water and the privatization of that water in various locations around the world. It not only speaks to “the 3 Ps” (population, pollution, and politics), but also raises the problems created by the development of a world-wide water cartel. While viewing this production, one wonders if the title should be FLOM: For the Love of Money. The film features people in both non-industrialized and highly-industrialized nations who have become victims of corporations, governments, and the World Bank. The most common question asked by the interviewees is, "Can Anyone Really Own Water?" Please join us for this provocative film.

March 18, 2011: Inside Job
"Inside Job" has been called “a crime story like no other in history.”  Narrated by Matt Damon, the film has been nominated for numerous  awards (Academy awards, Cannes, New York film festival, etc.)  and has won recognition for its directing as well as its clear and insightful reporting of events leading up to the global economic meltdown of 2008.  Come see why critics have called it a “powerhouse” and a “masterpiece.”

February 18, 2011: 9500 Liberty
“9500 Liberty” shows how anti-immigration forces frightened lawmakers in Virginia into enacting a law requiring police to interrogate anyone suspected of being undocumented and how a community fought back using YouTube videos and virtual townhalls. Are we a nation of immigrants? The immigration debates are causing us to redefine our identity.

January 21, 2011: The Big Uneasy
Harry Shearer’s acclaimed film "The Big Uneasy" is about New Orleans post Katrina. The film depicts the inside story of a disaster that could have been prevented. Shearer speaks to the investigators who poked through the muck as the water receded and a whistle–blower from the Army Corps of Engineers, revealing that some of the same flawed methods responsible for the levee failure during Katrina are being used to rebuild the system expected to protect the new New Orleans from future peril.

November 20, 2010: Mugabe and the White African
Winner of countless awards and short-listed for the 2011 Academy awards, this movie is the only documentary feature film to have come out of Zimbabwe in recent years, where a total press ban still exists. The film is an intimate view of one family's extraordinary courage in the face of a relentless campaign of state-sanctioned terror.

October 15, 2010: Made in LA
"Made in L.A." is an Emmy award-winning documentary (70 min) which takes an intimate look at workers' rights as it traces the experiences of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops to produce clothing for Forever 21.

September 17, 2010: The 800 Mile Wall 
This film focuses on the construction of the border walls along the U.S.-Mexico border. The powerful DVD is an unflinching look at the US border strategy that many believe violates fundamental human rights. 

August 20, 2010: Peace is Every Step - Pt. 2
“Peace is Every Step” documents the life, personality, and message of Nobel peace prize nominee, Thich Nhat Hanh. This world leader, scholar, and poet is a Buddhist monk who survived the Vietnamese War.  A teacher with a powerful message, he tells deceptively simple stories to illustrate how he has lived nonviolently, finding peace within himself and sharing that peace with others.  NOTE: You do NOT need to have seen Part 1 to appreciate Part 2.

July 16, 2010: A Force More Powerful - Pt. 2
Stories of nonviolent resistance in Denmark, Poland, and Chile will be chronicled in the prize-winning DVD "A Force More Powerful."  Critically hailed as “passionately instructive,” the film richly documents six nonviolence resistance efforts which succeeded in the 20th century. NOTE: You do NOT need to have seen Part 1 to appreciate Part 2.

June 18, 2010: Mining Madness, Water Wars: The Great Lake in the Balance and Coal Country
On June 18th, two movies about mining will be shared. The first is "Mining Madness, Water Wars: The Great Lakes in the Balance." This prize-winning documentary describes how a company obtained permission to begin sulfide mining beneath a trout river stream which feeds into the Great Lakes. Next we will view "Coal Country," which tells the stories of activists concerned about mountain-top removal as well as the miners whose families depend on the coal companies.

May 21, 2010: A Force More Powerful
On May 21st, stories of nonviolent resistance will be chronicled in the prize-winning DVD "A Force More Powerful."  Critically hailed as “passionately instructive,” the film richly documents six nonviolence resistance efforts which succeeded in the 20th century.

March 19, 2010: Capitalism: A Love Story
Michael Moore looks at the price that Americans pay for “loving” capitalism. The movie tells the stories of ordinary citizens who have lost their jobs, their homes, and their savings. Moore exposes shocking practices of corporations which benefit from the deaths and financial difficulties of individuals.

February 19, 2010: The Oath
Selected for its world premier at  the Sundance Film Festival in January, 2010, this film was directed by Laura Poitras, niece of UUSG Members Gail & George Tattersfield. Filmed in Yemen, The Oath tells the story of two men whose fateful encounter in 1996 set them on a course of events that led them to Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden, 9/11, Guantanamo, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

January 15, 2010: Fresh
Selected for presentation at five national and international film festivals in 2009, the film takes an uplifting look at how people are making a difference in food production and choices. More inspiring than older flicks which focused on crowded feedlots and dismal slaughterhouses, Fresh challenges our eating habits while providing examples of ways in which we can make a difference.  

November 20, 2009: Peace is Every Step
“Peace is Every Step” documents the life, personality, and message of Nobel peace prize nominee, Thich Nhat Hanh. This world leader, scholar, and poet is a Buddhist monk who survived the Vietnamese War.  A teacher with a powerful message, he tells deceptively simple stories to illustrate how he has lived nonviolently, finding peace within himself and sharing that peace with others.  

October 16, 2009: Nonviolent Communication
International peacekeepers who have helped to resolve  conflicts in Sri Lanka and in Guatemala presented a film depicting their experiences. Representing the Nonviolent Peaceforce Organization, Rita Webb and Dr. Ann Frisch used techniques for nonviolent communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg. Also participating in the program will be Thom Thomas, who will show a film providing an overview of Rosenberg’s approach

September 18, 2009: Blue Gold: World Water Wars
Blue Gold: World Water Wars is a prize-winning documentary that examines our water crisis. Corporate giants, private investors, and corrupt governments vie for control of the dwindling fresh water supply, prompting protests, lawsuits, and revolutions from citizens fighting for the right to survive. The director, Sam Bozzo, wrote, “I made this film because while Global Warming is an issue of ‘how’ we live, the water crisis is an issue of ‘if’ we live.” In addition to depicting the horrors of the situation, Blue Gold also proposes ideas that will work to help the world avoid an epidemic.  

August 21, 2009: Rethink Afghanistan
Recently released film by acclaimed director Robert Greenwald (Iraq for Sale, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, etc.) Civilians continue to be killed by American and coalition forces as the war in Afghanistan stretches into its eighth year. The film focuses on objectives of the war, the potential for destabilizing Pakistan, and the costs in money, lives, and U.S. credibility.

July 17, 2009: Sicko
Michael Moore’s film has been hailed as a “brilliant diagnosis of the U.S. healthcare system ... dishing laughs and outrage in equal measure, this is the rare movie that could actually change our world.” The film will be followed by a discussion and action alert opportunities focusing on national healthcare reform.

June 19, 2009: Beyond Our Differences
Winner of many awards, The film has been called “a gigantic effort.” It features interviews with the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Ela Gandhi, and Van Jones, as well as leaders of Judaism, Islam, and major figures in politics, culture, arts, and science. Together, this diverse set of influential individuals create a unified message of hope that extends across the world’s religions.

May 15, 2009: This Palestinian Life
This Palestinian Life is a film by Philip Rizk, an Egyptian journalist and Wheaton College graduate. Rizk has created is a documentary about nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation, and the illegal Israeli annexation of Palestinian land. While some Palestinians return Israeli violence with further violence, the vast majority do not. The Arabic word for such everyday acts of nonviolent protest is “sumoud,“ meaning steadfastness and perseverance.

March 20, 2009: Promise of America
Promise of America director, Janet Fitch, will join us to screen this film about the Million Mom March in 2000. A generationally, racially, and ethnically diverse crowd of 820,000 came together from across the United States and the world to demonstrate against gun violence. Participants’ personal motivations to attend the event are explored, along with barriers which they overcame and their responses to the experience. A range of professionals examine the ethical, medical, and international ramifications of gun violence. The film concerns the effects of demonstrations as much as it examines issues regarding gun violence.

February 20, 2009: A Jihad for Love
A Jihad for Love is the world's first feature documentary to explore the complex global intersections between Islam and homosexuality. The film enters the many worlds of Islam by illuminating multiple stories as diverse as Islam itself. A Jihad for Love travels a wide geographic arc presenting lives from India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa and France. Always filming in secret and as a Muslim, the director made the film from within the faith, depicting Islam with the same respect that the film's characters show for it. This sensitive documentary tells the story of individuals torn between their faith and their sexuality. The title, incidentally, is not ironic, but instead embraces the true meaning of jihad, “struggle”. (http://www.firstrunfeatures.com/jihadforlove_press.html)

January 15, 2009: Afghan Stories
With fighting and casualties increasing in Afghanistan, the film gives a face to the struggle by introducing us to a member of the Afghan royal family who was tortured by the Taliban, a refugee couple, a father who is dedicated to peace and his soldier son, an aid worker, US soldiers, and Afghan warlords.

November 2008: American Harvest
Released on October 14, this award-winning film “points out the flaws and inconsistencies of the current U.S. policy on immigration”. "The documentary powerfully portrays the truth about agriculture and migrant labor in the United States at the present time. In a series of candid interviews with farmers and farmworkers from Florida to New York, the viewer learns the facts and dispels the myths connected with migrant farmworkers. The film portrays the migrant reality that can't be ignored and which is rarely seen by most people." (from the New York farm bureau website, www.nyfb.org)

October 2008: This Brave Nation
A recently-released film targeting people of all ages who want to know how they can make a difference in today’s world. “This Brave Nation” spotlights people who have impacted the world around them: Bonnie Raitt, Dolores Huerta, Tom Hayden, and Naomi Klein. What motivated them to get involved – to stop being observers and to take action against injustice? How have their voices been heard? Each of the activists has a unique story. Only one was born into a family of activists. The DVD explores how and why these individuals make decisions that changed the lives of countless people. 

September 2008: 18 in ‘08
A new film targeting teens voting for the first time was shown just a few weeks before the October 7 voter registration deadline. An independent and non-partisan film, 18 in ’08 explores the national issues at stake for youth in the 2008 election, how decisions made by officials elected this term will affect their generation for years to come, the role of the news media in engaging voters, and candidates who inspire youth to participate in the political process. The film features interviews with many of the most influential politicians of today, as well as popular culture figures, political activists, media commentators, and student leaders.

May 2008: Uncounted
A documentary about the disenfranchisement of voters since 1999. David Earnhardt’s documentary explores a variety of problems, including insufficient numbers of voting machines, machines which did not operate, inaccurate voter registration records, machines which “flipped” votes or recorded thousands of votes in precincts with fewer than a thousand registered voters, etc.

April 2008: Who Killed the Electric Car? 
It was among the fastest, most efficient production cars ever built. It ran on electricity, produced no emissions, and catapulted American technology to the forefront of the automotive industry. The lucky few who drove it never wanted to give it up. So why did General Motors crush its fleet of EV-1 electric vehicles in the Arizona desert? The film chronicles the life and mysterious death of the EV-1; examining the cultural and economic ripple effects caused by its conception and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business. (Chris Paine, on www.whokilledtheelectriccar.com/press)

March 2008: Blackwater Invades Illinois
One hundred miles west of Geneva, on 80 acres in Jo Daviess County, Blackwater USA is preparing to expand its private army training facilities. Some characterize Blackwater as a group which is hired to enforce the law while at the same time viewing itself as above the law. Come view a video which analyzes the role, funding, and accountability of this organization which is currently registering people for classes that are slated to begin in April. Information about Action Alerts regarding the outsourcing of security will be available. 

February 2008: What I’ve Learned about U.S. Foreign Policy
You may have heard of Iran-Contra and wondered how that came to be. Or perhaps you’ve seen Charlie Wilson’s War, not a documentary but based on some truth about U.S. involvement in a covert war in Afganistan. Have you heard of the School of the Americas? It is discussed too and so are someformer CIA operatives, military people, Bill Moyers,and much more. You may be surprised - even amazed - at what the government has done in your name.