Special Event with IBEW Local 3 Electricians at their auditorium in Queens. 

Films from the Frontlines - Apprentice Electricians Citizen Film Showcase

Student electricians at Empire State College screen short videos about their working lives that they've learned to film and edit themselves. (5-10 min each)

Then:

The Cost of Construction - A documentary uncovering a national scandal, where the race for profits trumped the safety of American workers while the country’s top safety agency barely took notice, failing to enforce their own regulations and keep workers alive. 

The Cost of Construction investigates the string of controversial deaths in Las Vegas, Nevada during the construction of MGM's CityCenter, the most expensive private construction project in US history.  The story unfolds to reveal a nationwide pattern of ineffective regulations, lax oversight, and dangerous negligence at the highest corporate and government levels, exposing a national safety system in which an average of 12 workers die every day.  Ultimately, this is a documentary about America ... where the ideals of business and labor collide. (2016, 90 min)

FREE EVENT - Register on Eventbrite here!

Resilience At the Roots - This short documentary follows a community in El Salvador who, after fleeing government repression and spending a decade in exile, returned to their country to rebuild their lives in the coastal lowland areas surrounding the Bay of Jiquilisco. But their challenges were not over: in 1998 Hurricane Mitch hit, and other severe storms followed, washing away homes, destroying crops, and burying the community in rising waters. They recognized that these storms were linked to climate change and loss of protective mangrove forests, and so began to organize. Today, the movement they started has succeeded in creating a network of vibrant, democratic communities that protect and restore their natural resources and ecosystems, and has grown into one of the most successful global organizing models working for climate justice. (2017, 14 min, El Salvador)

Berta Didn’t Die, She Multiplied! - In Honduras, the most dangerous country in the world to be a land defender, Berta Cáceres’ death has not silenced the many campesinxs fighting for justice, Indigenous Sovereignty, and the planet. Instead her murder inspired an international movement whose powerful chants have spread across the globe: “Berta Didn’t Die, She Multiplied!” From 2010 to 2017, 124 environmental leaders were assassinated for defending the environment and Indigenous rights in Honduras. This is the story of those who will not surrender. This poignant and heart wrenching account of the legacy of Berta Cáceres—fearless world renowned Indigenous leader—exposes the brutality of the fight to privatize mother earth. But even through death, Berta could not be silenced. Berta’s struggle is universal and her murder ignited an international movement for justice that resounds around the world. (2017, 10 min, Honduras)
 

Knife Skills - What does it take to build a world-class French restaurant? What if the staff is almost entirely men and women just out of prison? What if most have never cooked or served before, and have barely two months to learn their trade?

Knife Skills follows the hectic launch of Edwins restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio. In this improbable setting, with its mouthwatering dishes and its arcane French vocabulary, we discover the challenges of men and women finding their way after their release. We come to know three trainees intimately, as well as the restaurant’s founder, who is also dogged by his past.  They all have something to prove, and all struggle to launch new lives — an endeavor as pressured and perilous as the ambitious restaurant launch of which they are a part.  (2017, 40 min)

A Silent Transformation - A film about the transformative power of the co-operative model.  The co-operative movement was built by people who took on the responsibility for their collective well-being in the face of government neglect, economic exclusion and cultural discrimination. As the modern economy increasingly denies vast sectors of the population basic amenities for decent life, this co-operative spirit is as critical as ever.  However, over the years the co-op sector has become insular and poorly understood.

A Silent Transformation sets out to explore the innovative self-help efforts of diverse communities across the Province of Ontario, which by addressing their needs collectively are helping to regain the radical vision of co-operation. In these communities are the seeds of economic democracy, global solidarity, and a new popular movement to transform society!

Will it grow and flourish?  (2017, 70 min, Canada)

FREE EVENT - Register on Eventbrite here!

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.  DATE/TIME TO BE ANNOUNCED.

We mourn the loss of Eleanor Tilson.

Elly was a warm and loving mother and grandmother, a trusted friend to so many and a major light in the labor movement.  As the long-time Director for the Local 1199 SEIU Health and Pension Fund she helped to initiate and protect benefits for hundreds of thousands of low wage workers and their dependents for many years.  Her generous spirit will be missed, and not forgotten.

6PM - 1199 SEIU Conference Center
330 West 42nd Street

Family and friends will share their memories of Eleanor.  Some of her colleagues and associates from 1199 will speak in remembrance of her efforts to bring affordable quality healthcare to all 1199 members.

Light food and refreshments will be served.

All are welcome to come by!

The 7th Annual Workers Unite Film Festival and The Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies of Empire State College salute the creative and brave apprentices from the UA Plumbers Local 1 NYC on writing and filming their own movies, telling the stories of the true heroes and celebrities of this country - our unionized brothers and sisters, who get up every morning to do the hard work that keeps this country going.

Student films will be shown at our Films From the Frontlines program on May 22nd at Empire State College at 4PM (20+ first person short films, approximately 4-5 minutes each).

Thanks for your willingness to try something new! Thanks for your enthusiasm and thanks to UA Plumbers Local 1 NYC Training Center and to The Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies at Empire State College for the opportunity to create this program.

These students are both studying and working in the field everyday, while continuing their intensive 5 year program to receive the designation and license to be a Master Plumber. They are also studying to receive their Associates college degrees as well. They have been willing to make the leap into personal filmmaking in order to give each of us the view of what it means to be working hard every day, training for a more secure future and facing the ups and downs of being a unionized worker in the construction trades during this fluctuating economic recovery. Many of these hardworking apprentices travel long distances to and from physically demanding work each day and yet took the time to take part in this project. We are very grateful for their partnership and willingness to tell their stories, giving an unbiased voice to the often unseen heroes who build our office towers and luxury buildings, make our infrastructure run smoothly and simply want to enjoy a peaceful and secure life in this city that they serve. It's time their voices were heard.

"Plumbers protect the health of the nation and the highly skilled members of Local 1 are no different. We specialize in both commercial and residential work, and also in medical gas certification and back-flow testing. We work on everything from the stadiums to your residential home and small business. Our contractors are available 24-hours a day for all your plumbing needs." - UA Local 1 Plumbers NYC website

FREE EVENT - Register on Eventbrite here!

The 7th Annual Workers Unite Film Festival and The Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies of Empire State College salute the creative and brave apprentices from IBEW Local 3 for writing and filming their own movies, telling the stories of the true heroes and celebrities of this country - our unionized brothers and sisters, who get up every morning to do the hard work that keeps this country going.

Student films will be shown during our Films from the Frontlines program at Empire State College at 4PM (20+ first person short films, approximately 4-5 minutes each).

Thanks for your enthusiasm and thanks to the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies at Empire State College for the opportunity to create this program.

These students are both studying and working in the field everyday.  They have been willing to make the leap into personal filmmaking in order to give each of us the view of what it means to be working hard every day, training for a more secure future and facing the ups and downs of being a unionized worker in the construction trades during this fluctuating economic recovery. Many of these hardworking apprentices travel long distances to and from physically demanding work each day and yet took the time to take part in this project, an event that will give an unbiased voice to often unseen heroes.

PLUS: TWU Films from the Frontlines

TWU Power of Organizing: Jet Blue Inflight - Inflight members of jetBlue speak out on some important issues in the workplace that a TWU union contract will help resolve. (2018, 6 min)

TWU Political Takeback - (2018, 2 min)

TWU Policy, Politics, Power: Janus 101 - (2018, 2 min)

TWU Do’s & Don’t’s of Lobbying - (2018, 3 min)

FREE EVENT - Register on Eventbrite here!

Music & Film Night #2

SPECIAL EVENT - “Live Music Weekend”

7PM

Bands include:

• Jocelyn Mackenzie

• Field Guides

• Due Diligence

• The Side Project

Select short films from the festival's best, including:

The Color of Cannes - The world-renowned Cannes Film Festival seems to run a caste system with regards to admission to screenings for various press and others.  (2018, 9 min)

Tenants In Warsaw Organize Against High Heating Costs - Over 70 percent of public tenements in Warsaw have no central heating. So around 50,000 families must use the most expensive method of heating: electricity. Unable to afford the cost of rent, the cost of heating and the cost of basic necessities like food, many tenants must choose among these and take out loans.  In November 2017, the Warsaw Tenants’ Association (WSL) initiated a campaign against the high costs of heating. The most eager response came from women tenants in the South Praga district of the city. Many of these women are single mothers who struggle to make ends meet while working at home and for wages in low-paid jobs.  (2018, 5 min, Poland)

Pajpaku - A description of the contradictions of the human being, some like those of the traditional Pajpakus that sell herbs, trinkets, etc. with a loquacious cleverness, but usually harmless. When that charlatanism becomes entangled in political, religious and economic power, it is a greater deception. (2018, 5 min, Bolivia)

I Was A Docker, I Was A Seamstress - An experimental short documenting the labor history of downtown Manhattan. The locations of strikes, boycotts, union headquarters, and residences of key labor figures are juxtaposed with the daily life of contemporary New Yorkers. (2016, 15 min)

Come have a drink or a bite at this new venue in Williamsburg, Crystal Lake Brooklyn, and enjoy songs from indie talent.

Get tickets on Eventbrite here!

Music & Film Night #1

SPECIAL EVENT - “Live Music Weekend”

7PM

Bands include:

• Color Collage - Shane Conerty brings his unique blend of rock, pop, and soulful guitar work to a series of unforgettable original songs.  Not to be missed!

• The City and Horses

• Spritzer

• Caged Animals

Films:  Gabby Antonio Smashes the Imperialist, White Supremacist, Capitalist Patriarchy! - A comedy web series about the trials and tribulation of a young woman of color who struggles to do good in the whitest city in America - Portland, Oregon. She wants to change the world, but it’s not quite happening - yet. It’s funny, non-preachy, and sparks important conversations about racism, cultural appropriation, gentrification, and all the ups and down of nonprofit life. (2018, 18 min)

Select short films from the festival's best, including:

Tenants In Warsaw Organize Against High Heating Costs - Over 70 percent of public tenements in Warsaw have no central heating. So around 50,000 families must use the most expensive method of heating: electricity. Unable to afford the cost of rent, the cost of heating and the cost of basic necessities like food, many tenants must choose among these and take out loans.  In November 2017, the Warsaw Tenants’ Association (WSL) initiated a campaign against the high costs of heating. The most eager response came from women tenants in the South Praga district of the city. Many of these women are single mothers who struggle to make ends meet while working at home and for wages in low-paid jobs.  (2018, 5 min, Poland)

Pajpaku - A description of the contradictions of the human being, some like those of the traditional Pajpakus that sell herbs, trinkets, etc. with a loquacious cleverness, but usually harmless. When that charlatanism becomes entangled in political, religious and economic power, it is a greater deception. (2018, 5 min, Bolivia)

I Was A Docker, I Was A Seamstress - An experimental short documenting the labor history of downtown Manhattan. The locations of strikes, boycotts, union headquarters, and residences of key labor figures are juxtaposed with the daily life of contemporary New Yorkers. (2016, 15 min)

Come have a drink or a bite at this new venue in Williamsburg, Crystal Lake Brooklyn, and enjoy songs from indie talent.

Get tickets on Eventbrite here!

7PM - Poetry and Spoken Word Performances - Hosted by Brooklyn's own Vanessa Jimenez Gabb, WUFF7 is proud to present these talented poets and writers, several from the Workers Writers Project.

Plus - Announcement of Working Lives Screenplay Contest Winners!

Artists include:

Marwa Helal is a poet and journalist. Her work appears in Apogee, Hyperallergic, the Offing, Poets & Writers and elsewhere. She is the author of I AM MADE TO LEAVE I AM MADE TO RETURN (No, Dear/Small Anchor Press, 2017) and Invasive species (Nightboat Books, 2019). Helal is the winner of BOMB Magazine’s Biennial 2016 Poetry Contest and has been awarded fellowships from Poets House, Brooklyn Poets, and Cave Canem. She has presented her work at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Studio Museum in Harlem and Brooklyn Museum. Born in Al Mansurah, Egypt, Helal currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Melissa DeGezelle works as an adjunct professor at several schools in Philly. Her paid work includes being a labor doula, patient advocate (counselor) at an abortion clinic, and an instructor of patient-centered sexual health exams. Her unpaid work ranges from union activism to single mothering.

Vanessa Jimenez Gabb (Host) is the author of Images for Radical Politics (Rescue Press, 2016). She received her MFA in Poetry from CUNY Brooklyn College. Recent poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The Brooklyn Rail and The Poetry Project Newsletter. Currently she teaches at Newark Academy and for Brooklyn Poets. She is from and lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Karl "OYE" Iglesias is a Poet Mentor at Urban Word NYC originally from Milwaukee, WI but has made a home in Brooklyn, NY. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin., he recently performed in and facilitated The BARS Workshop at The Public Theater in New York, where writers/performers develop new verse for the stage. His poetry has been featured at festivals such as Summerfest, Freakfest, Brave New Voices, Collegiate Union Poetry Slam Invitational, Hip Hop Theater Festival of NYC (currently Hi-Arts NYC) and the Contacting the World Theatre Festival in Manchester, England. His work can be read on Apogee, Words Dance Publishing and The Acentos Review. Hip Hop. @OYE414

Ryan Eckes is a poet from Philadelphia. His latest book, General Motors (Split Lip Press, 2018), is about labor and the influence of public and private transportation on city life. Other books include Valu-Plus and Old News (Furniture Press 2014, 2011). His poetry can be found in Tripwire, Slow Poetry in America Newsletter, Entropy and elsewhere. He has worked as an adjunct professor at numerous colleges and in recent years as a labor organizer in education. He won a Pew Fellowship in 2016.  

Lorraine Garnett is a Nanny in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Her first Tanka was published in the Tanka Workers Collective chapbook. She recently read from this and other work at the PEN World Voice Festivals, Berl's Poetry Shop, aswell as, Ken Siegelman's Brooklyn Poetry Outreach, and the Black Radicalism Conference. Lorraine lives in Brooklyn with her college teenagers, Laurence and Paris.

Davidson Garrett Davidson Garrett trained for the theater at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts and is a graduate of The Center for Worker Education of The City College of New York. He is a member of SAG/AFTRA and Actors Equity and has worked in television, film, and theater since 1973.  His poetry has been published in many literary journals and he is the author of the poetry collection, King Lear of the Taxi, along with three chapbooks, To Tell the Truth I Wanted to be Kitty Carlisle, Southern Low Protestant Departure: A Funeral Poem, and What Happened to the Man Who Taught Me Beowulf and Other Poems. Since 2013, he has been a member of the PEN Worker Writers School under the leadership of the social/activist poet, Mark Nowak. Davidson has been a New York City yellow taxi driver for 40 years to help subsidize his artistic pursuits.

8:15PM
We Have Our Ways - A brilliant new narrative short film by WUFF favorite, Dawn Jones Redstone, about a seriously dystopian future that is frightening because the possibilities seem suddenly all too real. Not to be missed. (2018, 15 min)

Creative Feds - Civil servants by day. Artists by night and weekend. Go beyond the stereotype of the "faceless bureaucrat" by meeting two federal workers who are as dedicated to public service as they are to their music. (2017, 15 min)

The Acting Class - When Tom Stocks, a young man from Bolton has to turn down a chance to study at the East 15 drama school because he cannot afford the fees, he sets up a campaign to highlight socio-economic exclusion in the arts. Tom is not alone. Actors from working class backgrounds are struggling to get in and get on in an industry stacked against them. Established actors worry about where the next generation of talent from modest backgrounds is going to come from. Christopher Eccleston, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Maxine Peake and Samuel West are among those who feature in this film talking about the barriers to success. And this is an issue not just for those who see their dreams thwarted because they do not have the ‘bank of mom and dad’ to back them. Who gets to be on our stages and screens matters to all of us. Whose stories get told, what images we have of ourselves, who we think ‘we’ are, helps shape our identities. And that is political. (2017, 78 min, U.K.)

Get tickets on Eventbrite here!

Berta Didn't Die, She Multiplied! -  In Honduras, the most dangerous country in the world to be a land defender, Berta Cáceres’ death has not silenced the many campesinxs fighting for justice, Indigenous Sovereignty, and the planet. Instead her murder inspired an international movement whose powerful chants have spread across the globe: “Berta Didn’t Die, She Multiplied!” From 2010 to 2017, 124 environmental leaders were assassinated for defending the environment and Indigenous rights in Honduras. This is the story of those who will not surrender. This poignant and heart wrenching account of the legacy of Berta Cáceres—fearless world renowned Indigenous leader—exposes the brutality of the fight to privatize mother earth. But even through death, Berta could not be silenced. Berta’s struggle is universal and her murder ignited an international movement for justice that resounds around the world.   (2017, 10 min, Honduras)

Creative Feds - Civil servants by day. Artists by night and weekend. Go beyond the stereotype of the "faceless bureaucrat" by meeting two federal workers who are as dedicated to public service as they are to their music. (2017, 5 min)

Lulu Land - Edie Falco explains how fake Democrats, a.k.a. the IDC, are handing New York State to the Republicans and what you can do about it in this stunning video. (2018, 3 min)

The 39th - Amidst political scandal and fiscal crisis, 26-year-old activist Will Guzzardi believes that he can mobilize a movement to upend Illinois’ dysfunctional political system. But he chose to run against the daughter of one of the best connected politicians in Chicago — and the establishment is not going to let her go down without a fight. THE 39TH follows Guzzardi as he grows up, from activist to politician, and learns what it really takes for an outsider to win — and govern — within a political machine.  

On Chicago’s northwest side, the 39th District was represented by incumbent Toni Berrios for 12 years — running unopposed for nearly a decade. Guzzardi first ran for Berrios' seat in 2012. With minimal cash and zero name recognition, he lost by just 125 votes — and in 2014, he wanted a rematch. Will’s platform aimed to push his own Illinois Democratic party further to the left — with ideas like taking on corporate welfare, supporting public schools over charters, and passing a graduated income tax. But no one could have expected how far the Berrios campaign and Illinois' establishment would go to hold on to power. (2015, 31 min)

Detroit 48202: Conversations Along A Postal Route - A feature documentary that examines the rise, demise, and contested resurgence of Detroit through the lens of African-American mail carrier, Wendell Watkins, and the community of committed residents he faithfully served for thirty years.  We take a journey with Wendell along his route, which winds through the center of what was, once upon a time, a vital and thriving city.  We listen in on his conversations with his customers - the resilient Detroiters who share stories of resistance: pushing back against racial segregation in housing; challenging industrial and political disinvestment; and living on reduced pensions as a result of the municipal bankruptcy.  Our characters also share stories of hope and propose creative ways to re-imagine an inclusive, productive, equitable and re-invigorated city.  

We also meet legendary labor organizer, General Baker, Historian Thomas Sugrue, and Urban Planner June Manning Thomas, who provide a thread of analysis and historical context.  (2018, 60 min preview version)

FREE EVENT - Register on Eventbrite here!

Belonging: The Truth Behind the Headlines - An investigative feature documentary film about where power lies in the U.K.  Re-looking at events around 3 industrial disputes, 3 governments and over 3 decades we show the impact of government and corporate power on democracy and human rights in the U.K.  In this film there are many reveals - not least a secret government plan to destroy community and collectivism. The documents we have found prove what has long been suspected by many but not proven - until now.

Through heart rendering personal stories from those at the center of these industrial disputes, we show the impact of the actions of those in power on individuals and communities - but also question what lies ahead. Power: "who has it, and what do they do with it” is as relevant today as it ever was. (2017, 89 min, U.K.)

FREE EVENT - Register on Eventbrite here!

Complicit - Shot below the radar, COMPLICIT follows the journey of Chinese factory migrant worker-turned-activist Yi Yeting, who takes his fight against the global electronic industry from his hospital bed to the international stage. While battling his own work-induced leukemia, Yi Yeting teaches himself labor law in order to prepare a legal challenge against his former employers. But the struggle to defend the lives of millions of Chinese people from becoming terminally ill due to working conditions necessitates confrontation with some of the world’s largest brands including Apple and Samsung. (2017, 89 min, China)

Free Event - Register on Eventbrite here!

The Cost of Construction - A documentary uncovering a national scandal, where the race for profits trumped the safety of American workers while the country’s top safety agency barely took notice, failing to enforce their own regulations and keep workers alive. 

The Cost of Construction investigates the string of controversial deaths in Las Vegas, Nevada during the construction of MGM's CityCenter, the most expensive private construction project in US history.  The story unfolds to reveal a nationwide pattern of ineffective regulations, lax oversight, and dangerous negligence at the highest corporate and government levels, exposing a national safety system in which an average of 12 workers die every day.  Ultimately, this is a documentary about America ... where the ideals of business and labor collide. (2016, 90 min)

FREE EVENT - Register on Eventbrite here!

PRIVATE EVENT - BY INVITATION ONLY

Dear Walmart - (Work In Progress) Walmart is now the largest private-sector employer in the world. In the United States, it is the largest employer of women, the largest employer of African Americans, and the largest employer of Latinos.

Due to its size and market clout, Walmart dictates prices and standards to vendors and suppliers and effectively sets the terms and conditions of employment for millions of workers around the globe, whether it employs them directly or indirectly. These standards are almost universally low, typically near or below poverty-level wages for many U.S. employees, and less than $100/month in countries such as Bangladesh, where millions work in a garment industry that produces clothing sold in Walmart stores.

At the same time, economic inequality is increasing around the world and is nearing record levels in the United States. Walmart is at the very center of this dynamic. Six members of the Walton family – six individuals who are heirs to the Walton family fortune – now control more wealth than the bottom 40 percent of U.S. income earners. Walmart’s low wages and poor benefits compel many of its employees to seek public assistance, including Medicaid and food stamps. A 2013 U.S. Congressional study estimated that each Walmart superstore costs U.S. taxpayers nearly $1 million in public subsidies for its employees.

This is all part of the broader context for this film. But it is not the focus of this documentary. Such statistics and trends do not convey the reality of workers in the stores, nor do they communicate what they are doing to change these trends. In community after community, Walmart workers are standing up, mobilizing, and working together to improve conditions in their stores. That process – the very act of standing up and speaking out and organizing for change – has profound and transformational effects upon these workers, their workplaces and their families.

And that is the story this film will tell.  (2018, 90 min)

Private Event by Invite Only - Registration on Eventbrite

Do you have an important story to tell to the world about economic justice, workers' rights or their fight to organize? Have the equipment and the passion but just not sure where to start? For the fourth year, Workers Unite Film Festival is providing a space for emerging filmmakers to learn information on everything from finding your story to financing, distribution, and networking with progressive groups for material and outreach. We are thrilled to have back John Trigonis from Indiegogo to explain the nuances of setting up your crowdfunding site so you have money to make your film. Christina Raia from Seed and Spark, the other cool crowd-funding and brand building filmmakers website, has also agreed to join us for an hour of fundraising and social media tips and tools. Invaluable to the new filmmaker. Andrew Tilson, Executive Director of The Workers Unite Film Festival, will act as host for the event.

We are also thrilled to have the participation of several established documentary filmmakers who will screen clips from their most recent projects and answer your questions, give their advice and listen to your ideas about how to proceed and get your film finished and screened.

Director, Victorious De Costa (a longtime WUFF favorite) sharing his new documentary about the seminal musician, "Digging For Weldon Irvine," Kathleen Foster, Director of the powerful, 'Profiled," about the deadly nature of racial profiling by police.  Plus Muta Ali, Writer-Director of "Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee" will speak about his latest project "Storm Over Brooklyn" @stormoverbrooklyn, about Yusef Hawkins and Crown Heights, coming in 2019.  Also joining us will be Melissa Cox, part of the The Civic Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH) team. COPINH is an Indigenous Lenca organization made up of 200 Lenca communities in the western Honduran states of Intibuca, Lempira, La Paz, and Santa Barbara. Their new film, ’Berta didn't Die, She Multiplied!’, is about the globally recognized and honored climate change organizer, Berta Caceres, who was assasinated in Honduras just over two years ago. Each new activist filmmaker will have the chance to closely interact with these doc filmmakers who've been through the process and found success, as well as ask many questions from all our guests.

Get tickets on Eventbrite here!

Dinner and refreshments will be served and are included in the fee.

A Salute to an American Icon! 

The Workers Unite Film Festival, in association with the Castillo Theatre, is proud to present "Call Mr. Robeson", a one-man play and musical retrospective based on the life of actor, singer, and progressive activist, Paul Robeson.

TICKETS available at the Castillo Theatre website.

Paul Robeson is a great and famous actor, singer and civil rights campaigner. When over the years he gets progressively too radical and outspoken for the establishment’s liking, he is branded a traitor to his country, harassed, and denied opportunities to perform or travel.

Just as physical, emotional and mental stress threaten to push him over the fine line between genius and madness, he is summoned to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, to give the most difficult and important performance of his career.

This roller-coaster journey through Robeson’s remarkable and eventful life highlights how his pioneering and heroic (but largely forgotten) political activism led many to describe him as the forerunner of the civil rights movement.

It features much fiery oratory and some of his famous songs, including a dramatic rendition of Ol’ Man River.

Written, performed, and produced by Tayo Aluko.  Directed by Olusola Oyeleye

The Guardian - Call Mr Robeson Review

A Salute to an American Icon! 

The Workers Unite Film Festival, in association with the Castillo Theatre, is proud to present "Call Mr. Robeson", a one-man play and musical retrospective based on the life of actor, singer, and progressive activist, Paul Robeson.

TICKETS available at the Castillo Theatre website.

Paul Robeson is a great and famous actor, singer and civil rights campaigner. When over the years he gets progressively too radical and outspoken for the establishment’s liking, he is branded a traitor to his country, harassed, and denied opportunities to perform or travel.

Just as physical, emotional and mental stress threaten to push him over the fine line between genius and madness, he is summoned to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, to give the most difficult and important performance of his career.

This roller-coaster journey through Robeson’s remarkable and eventful life highlights how his pioneering and heroic (but largely forgotten) political activism led many to describe him as the forerunner of the civil rights movement.

It features much fiery oratory and some of his famous songs, including a dramatic rendition of Ol’ Man River.

Written, performed, and produced by Tayo Aluko.  Directed by Olusola Oyeleye

The Guardian - Call Mr Robeson Review

A Salute to an American Icon! 

The Workers Unite Film Festival, in association with the Castillo Theatre, is proud to present "Call Mr. Robeson", a one-man play and musical retrospective based on the life of actor, singer, and progressive activist, Paul Robeson.

TICKETS available at the Castillo Theatre website.

Paul Robeson is a great and famous actor, singer and civil rights campaigner. When over the years he gets progressively too radical and outspoken for the establishment’s liking, he is branded a traitor to his country, harassed, and denied opportunities to perform or travel.

Just as physical, emotional and mental stress threaten to push him over the fine line between genius and madness, he is summoned to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee, to give the most difficult and important performance of his career.

This roller-coaster journey through Robeson’s remarkable and eventful life highlights how his pioneering and heroic (but largely forgotten) political activism led many to describe him as the forerunner of the civil rights movement.

It features much fiery oratory and some of his famous songs, including a dramatic rendition of Ol’ Man River.

Written, performed, and produced by Tayo Aluko.  Directed by Olusola Oyeleye

The Guardian - Call Mr Robeson Review

Lulu Land - Edie Falco explains how fake Democrats, a.k.a. the IDC, are handing New York State to the Republicans and what you can do about it in this stunning video. (2018, 3 min)

The 39th - Amidst political scandal and fiscal crisis, 26-year-old activist Will Guzzardi believes that he can mobilize a movement to upend Illinois' dysfunctional political system.  But he chose to run against the daughter of one of the best connected politicians in Chicago - and he establishment is not going to let her go down without a fight.  The 39th follows Guzzardi as he grows up, from activist to politician, and learns what it really takes for an outsider to win - and govern - within a political machine.  (2015, 31 min)

Dirty Laundry - Why did a 90-year old grandmother and housewife, from a small suburban town in Illinois, die from a rare form of cancer that has only one cause: exposure to asbestos dust?  Her grandsons, cousins Conor Lewis and Zack Johnson, set out on a cross country bike ride with a camera crew and a mission: to gather information on the death sentence disease known as mesothelioma, their grandmother’s cause of death. From California to New York, they interview surviving family members, doctors, activists and members of communities still living with active, toxic asbestos sites. The documentary reveals the stark reality of corporate dissembling and apparent disregard for lives lost, and lives still being placed at risk, from the continued manufacture and use of asbestos, the creation of open asbestos waste sites, and the reckless excavation of contaminated ground. The film is engaging from the opening scene, with a uniquely personal but focused approach to the interviews and commentary, involving the viewer intellectually and emotionally. You cannot avoid being affected by this film. (2018, 75 min)

Get tickets on Eventbrite here!

Digging for Weldon Irvine - Digging For Weldon Irvine is a feature-length documentary about the life and influence of heralded writer, arranger, composer and pianist Weldon Irvine, Jr. (2018, 2 min, Trailer)

Howard Zinn, A People's History Of the United States - With the tremendous success of his book, A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn radically changed the way Americans see themselves. His friend Noam Chomsky says that Zinn literally transformed a generation’s conscience. Zinn talks about those who have no voice in the official History: Slaves, Indians, deserters, textile workers, union men. On two occasions in Paris and Boston we were lucky enough to meet and film him. Towards the end of his life, Howard Zinn said, ‘‘I want to be remembered as someone who enabled people to experience hope and power something they never did before.’’

Zinn draws us into a story that encompasses the era from the Crash of the Great Depression in 1929 up to 2009. Born into a working-class family, Howard Zinn grew up in New York during the Great Depression. Bombardier in the US Navy fighting against fascism during World War II, confirmed pacifist post-Hiroshima, a teacher committed to the cause of young people fighting for black American Civil Rights, leader of the movement against the Vietnam War, a playwright whose work has been performed worldwide and author of the seminal work: A People’s History of the United States, 1492 to present. This man, whose life spanned the 20th century, offers us an analysis illustrated with exceptional personal experiences and rarely revealed historical facts.  (2016, 90 min, France)

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Complicit - Shot below the radar, COMPLICIT follows the journey of Chinese factory migrant worker-turned-activist Yi Yeting, who takes his fight against the global electronic industry from his hospital bed to the international stage. While battling his own work-induced leukemia, Yi Yeting teaches himself labor law in order to prepare a legal challenge against his former employers. But the struggle to defend the lives of millions of Chinese people from becoming terminally ill due to working conditions necessitates confrontation with some of the world’s largest brands including Apple and Samsung. (2017, 89 min, China)

Nimble Fingers - Nimble fingers belong to the Vietnamese women who work in factories owned by some of the most popular electronic brands. Bay is one of the thousands of young migrant workers. She comes from a remote Muong village on the highlands of Northern Vietnam. Now she lives, with the other workers, in a Hanoi suburb, a district developed around one of the biggest industrial production sites in the world. Every single woman is apparently following a stereotype of tireless work and obedience to keep up with the pace of industrial production. Behind the apparent perfection of these workers, we can see dreams and fears of a 22 years old working girl through the eyes of Bay. (2017, 52 min, Vietnam)

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The Sea Is My Brother - The story of the decades-long quest of World War II's forgotten heroes, the Merchant Marines who took more casualties than any other branch, but who did not receive the GI Bill benefits promised them by Pres. Roosevelt.  Seventy years later, the American Merchant Marine Veterans Association gathered a team of 80- and 90-year-old AMMV members from around the country to "Storm the Hill" and petition Congress for some belated recognition and payment.  It included Gabriel Frank, a colorful, energetic-if-walker-bound Manhattanite who's "been everywhere" and is a passionate advocate for his brother Mariners. (2018, 30 min)

Bottom Dollars - When the Fair Labor Standards Act passed in 1938, it included a revolutionary civil rights protection: a minimum wage. American workers could no longer be exploited for their hard work – with one huge exception. Section 14(c) of the Act included an exemption allowing some workers, people with disabilities, to be paid less than minimum wage.

This provision was originally designed to persuade employers to hire people with disabilities and open up opportunities. Instead, people with disabilities were often employed in “sheltered workshops,” segregated workplaces away from their communities, earning sub-minimum wage. 78 years later, 14(c) remains in effect.

In 2016, nearly 250,000 people are legally paid less than the minimum wage, on average, less than $2 an hour. “Bottom Dollars” is an hour long documentary that exposes the exploitation of people with disabilities through personal stories and expert interviews. It also presents clear employment alternatives with competitive wages and community inclusion. (2016, 55 min)

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WDI: A Piece of the Dream - Assorted shorts from the Workforce Development Institute

An uplifting collection of short films about the power of education and retraining, coupled with caring and guidance, to turn around lives that had previously been precarious. The Workforce Development Institute of New York State, a public/private partnership, helps to retrain young women, most of whom are the sole breadwinners for their families and bring them from no future minimum wage jobs, to jobs with solid, union pay and benefits and a future where they can raise their families with security and confidence. (2018, 30 min)

Lulu Land - Edie Falco explains how fake Democrats, a.k.a. the IDC, are handing New York State to the Republicans and what you can do about it in this stunning video. (2018, 3 min)

Charlie vs Goliath - In a presidential election year that is defined by scores of angry voters railing against establishment politics, Charlie Hardy's political journey running for the US Senate in Wyoming is that of the ultimate outsider. A former educator and Catholic priest who lived in a cardboard shack in a Venezuelan barrio for a decade, Charlie cobbles together a band of misfits to run a Quixotic campaign as a Democrat against three-term Republican incumbent Mike Enzi. "Charlie vs Goliath" follows Charlie's hilarious, revealing and ultimately poignant journey across one of the most conservative states in the country. (2016, 75 min)

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Creative Feds - Civil servants by day. Artists by night and weekend. Go beyond the stereotype of the "faceless bureaucrat" by meeting two federal workers who are as dedicated to public service as they are to their music. (2017, 15 min)

Teacher of the Year - In a year when tens of thousands of public school teachers have walked off their underpaid jobs and shouted, "Enough is enough!' about under-funding their salaries and their classrooms, this fascinating portrait of one teacher's struggle to balance it all serves as a window onto today's hottest story.

What happens when a real teacher tries to become a Hollywood hero? Through a blend of vérité footage, interviews, media clips, and self-reflections, we document Angie Scioli’s struggle to balance her professional, personal, and political life during the tumultuous 2013-2014 school year; additionally, through interviews with media scholars and educational experts, we contextualize Angie's teaching life amidst a complex web of media and sociological forces that impact the personal and professional experiences of all teachers. (2017, 90 min)

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Scenes from A Protest - When the Market Basket supermarket chain Board of Directors fires beloved CEO Arthur (Artie T) Demoulas and replaces him with a couple scab CEOs, 25,000 workers and 2 million customers take it very personally. United, they take a stand: Bring back Artie T or they'll shut the stores down for good, taking their working-class livelihoods and affordable place to shop with it.

Over 5 weeks, their protest takes Market Basket to the edge of bankruptcy and collapse. "Scenes from a Protest" is a portrait of community courage, telling their collective story through a mix of super 8mm film, vérité video, audio interviews, and contemporaneous archival media.  (2018, 25 min)

NYSNA Shorts - Films from the New York State Nurses Association.

Year in Review 2017: Nurses are Superheroes - NYSNA's 2017 Convention focused on theme of the "Patient Defenders" and this video takes an innovative approach to the genre of the year-in-review video. (2017, 6 min)

Harlem Hospital Murals - For Black History Month, NYSNA nurses in our public health system learn the history of Harlem Hospital's mural preservation project. (2018, 6 min)
    
Innovations in Organizing: The Albany Medical Center Campaign - Nurses helped defeat a vicious anti-union campaign to win a landslide union victory through the use of progressive digital strategies. (2018, 2 min)

We Have Our Ways - In a dystopic but recognizable America, street riots are common, tap water is undrinkable, and you’re lucky if you get health insurance. Regina keeps her head down to just get by, especially at work. As a customer service rep for Alleviate (“Keeping you healthy tomorrow, today”), she must reject health coverage for desperate callers all day in order to do her job. But when her younger cousin Abigail is in need of a criminalized medical procedure, she must decide what price she’s willing to pay for justice. (2018, 15 min)

Picket Line - One week before Donald Trump was elected, 700 workers—many of whom were Trump supporters—walked out of the Momentive chemical plant in Waterford, NY, sparking a 105-day strike. In the wake of his win, the striking workers reflect on the election and Trump's advocacy for union-busting legislation.  (2017, 9 min)

Lulu Land - Edie Falco explains how fake Democrats, a.k.a. the IDC, are handing New York State to the Republicans and what you can do about it in this stunning video. (2018, 3 min)

The 39th - Amidst political scandal and fiscal crisis, 26-year-old activist Will Guzzardi believes that he can mobilize a movement to upend Illinois' dysfunctional political system.  But he chose to run against the daughter of one of the best connected politicians in Chicago - and he establishment is not going to let her go down without a fight.  The 39th follows Guzzardi as he grows up, from activist to politician, and learns what it really takes for an outsider to win - and govern - within a political machine.  (2015, 31 min)

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Berta Didn't Die, She Multiplied! -  In Honduras, the most dangerous country in the world to be a land defender, Berta Cáceres’ death has not silenced the many campesinxs fighting for justice, Indigenous Sovereignty, and the planet. Instead her murder inspired an international movement whose powerful chants have spread across the globe: “Berta Didn’t Die, She Multiplied!” From 2010 to 2017, 124 environmental leaders were assassinated for defending the environment and Indigenous rights in Honduras. This is the story of those who will not surrender. This poignant and heart wrenching account of the legacy of Berta Cáceres—fearless world renowned Indigenous leader—exposes the brutality of the fight to privatize mother earth. But even through death, Berta could not be silenced. Berta’s struggle is universal and her murder ignited an international movement for justice that resounds around the world. (2017, 10 min, Honduras)

DOLORES - Dolores Huerta is among the most important, yet least known, activists in American history. An equal partner in co-founding the first farm workers unions with Cesar Chavez, her enormous contributions have gone largely unrecognized. Dolores tirelessly led the fight for racial and labor justice alongside Chavez, becoming one of the most defiant feminists of the twentieth century—and she continues the fight to this day, at 87. With intimate and unprecedented access to this intensely private mother to eleven, the film reveals the raw, personal stakes involved in committing one’s life to social change.  (2017, 96 min)

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Street Workers Unite! - India's street vendors and rickshaw drivers are among the country's most vulnerable citizens. For years they’ve lived and worked without legal protections and without access to financial services, and have been subject to harassment by the police, the mafia, and others. NIDAN is working to change all that by organizing them to stand up for their own rights and stop "feeding milk to the snake."  (2017, 8 min, India)

Hasta Siempre, Comandante - Ernesto, a 14 year old barber, wants to get a tattoo despite his father's adamant objection. Living in the shadow of the revolutionary generation's unrelenting Cuban ideals, he must reconcile these values with the reality around him. (2018, 14 min, Cuba)

Gabby Antonio Smashes the Imperialist, White Supremacist, Capitalist Patriarchy! - A comedy web series about the trials and tribulation of a young woman of color who struggles to do good in the whitest city in America - Portland, Oregon. She wants to change the world, but it’s not quite happening - yet. It’s funny, non-preachy, and sparks important conversations about racism, cultural appropriation, gentrification, and all the ups and down of nonprofit life. (2018, 18 min)

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Adios Amor - The Search for Maria Moreno - The discovery of lost photographs sparks the search for a hero that history forgot—Maria Moreno, a migrant mother driven by her children's hunger to speak out.

Years before Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta launched the United Farm Workers, Maria picked up the only weapon she had—her voice—and became an outspoken leader in an era when women were relegated to the background. The first farm worker woman in America to be hired as a union organizer, Maria's story was silenced and her legacy buried—until now. (2017, 58 min)

This film was made with support from the following: National Endowment for the Humanities, California Humanities, and Latino Public Broadcasting.

Mrs. Schneider - A man recounts a memory of himself as a boy in 1950's Coney Island. (2018, 11 min)

Afghan Coal - The tragedy of children forced to work in the coal mines of Tur/Samangan Afghanistan, a place unheard to many.  (2018, 25 min, Afghanistan)

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American Courtesans - A modern day documentary about the lives of American sex workers from inside the industry.  (2013, 86 min)

The recently passed FOSTA law (Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act) against online sex traffic were aimed at illegal sex trafficking of minors and those held against their will, who were often pimped online. However, tens of thousands of legal age sex workers and escorts are now faced with a scary world without the ability to access CraigsList or Backpages, among several online adult entertainment meeting sites. This creates a huge danger for them and is a serious worker issue.

American Courtesans is an intimate portrayal of modern day escorts in America. In our own words we discuss our lives, the events that led us into our profession, and the reasons we stay. We welcome you into our world for a brief moment and will be candid and honest about what life is like for us; each of us willing to offer up our life experiences. We only ask that you listen with an open mind, and allow us to show you who we are.

We will address the stereotyping and social stigma attached to this profession and what it has cost us. You will see who we are through eyes of our clients, spouses, children, and parents, along with the contributions and impact it has had on their lives. This is a true documentary so you will also find that many of us have made poor choices, based on life circumstances, that we are vividly candid about.

We are women who come from all walks of life, we are your neighbors, your daughters, your mothers, and your sisters. We shop in the same stores as you and eat right beside you without you ever knowing we exist. We are American Courtesans and we welcome you to our world.

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