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Looking for Labor-Themed Films? Check This Out
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You probably won’t find many of these films on the shelves of your local video store. But there are now two new sources to track down labor films—from a four-minute short experimental film about undocumented immigrants who died while trapped inside a tractor trailer in Texas to blockbusters like “Norma Rae” and ”The Grapes of Wrath.”
Chris Garlock, founder and director of the DC Labor Filmfest, has teamed up with LabourStart to compile an online database of labor films. Check out the nearly 1,500 films (some may be available for screening) here.
There’s also a separate database of labor film festivals around the world. If you have suggestions for additions to either of these lists; are interested in screening a film; or organizing a labor film festival in your area, contact Chris at cgarlock@dclabor.org.
A new book by Tom Zaniello, Working Stiffs, Union Maids, Reds, and Riffraff: An Expanded Guide to Films About Labor, offers a 434-page guide to 350 labor films from around the world. Zaniello describes all the films in detail, tells you whether and where they’re available for rental or purchase.
Each entry includes critical commentary, production data, cast list, suggested related films and annotated references to books and websites for further reading.
Award-winning filmmaker Barbara Koppel says:
With close attention to detail, Tom Zaniello has created a long overdue guide to films that tell entertaining and heartfelt stories of working people—stories that are as vital today as ever before. It would take years to find all the information contained in this one book. [It is] a wonderful compilation of hidden treasures for audiences everywhere.
The book is available at most major online booksellers, including Powell’s Books and UCS Labor Books.
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6 Comments
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Where the hell are all our Union Brothers and Sisters with there comments?It cant be that there working!!!!
there is not too much to add to this blog entry kelly. There are really not that many films that I have seen made by Hollywood that portreys unions in a positive light.
Now: there are others that do, but they are far “smaller” films than those produced by Hollywood. Some are near impossible to get to watch as well.
I am definitely checking these out. And no, I am not working.:(
Good list of working class movies at this link:
http://www.rebelgraphics.org/workingclassmovies.html
In addition to the previously mentioned, most recently the film “Battle in Seattle” injected labor’s opposition to GATT/WTO, etc. Other movies of interest are: “Bound for Glory” This is the story of Woody Guthrie, played by David Carridine, made in 1976. Another move is “The Molly Maguires” Starring Sean Connery & Richard Harris, made in 1970.
I’ve seen several documenteries almost all on PBS, on labor history stuff. My particular favorites were always about miners. (ironic since I’m extremely closterphobic) Recently, I watched one on the miners in Butte MT for the now defunct Anaconda Mining Company. It portrayed their opposition to WWI. And how open pit mining was not only bad for the water in the city (which I already knew) but that it turned skilled miners into truck drivers and required far fewer workers. (I literally thought out loud “aha, now I get it”)
When I watch anything on the struggles people went through in the past, it puts into perspective what we can and should do. And what I will do when I get my s… together.