Washington DC Showing of Battle in Seattle
In 1999, folks took to the streets at the Seattle WTO protests. Will you take to the seats and create the next Seattle Surprise?
"Come to the Battle in Seattle!" The call spread nationwide. By November 1999, 50,000 people converged to protest the WTO summit. History was made when a devastating plan to expand the WTO's reign of corporate globalization was derailed.
On September 19, an entertaining new film, Battle in Seattle, opens in select theaters. Starring Andre Benjamin, Charlize Theron, Ray Liotta, Woody Harrelson, and others, this is the film Big Hollywood doesn't want you to see.
You can help deliver the Seattle Surprise Round II! Hit the seats!
If the opening theaters are packed for the film's first two weeks, it will get a national distribution - turning on a new generation to the joy, fun and power of the Seattle Spirit.
It’s November 1999, and five days are about to rock the world as tens of thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of Seattle in protest of the World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Meeting. Among them are Django (Andre Benjamin), Sam (Jennifer Carpenter), Lou (Michelle Rodriguez) and Jay (Martin Henderson). Each has a unique story, but they’re united in a common desire to be heard and to make a difference in the world. For these four protesters, this is very personal and the stakes are higher than mere politics.
A peaceful demonstration to stop the WTO talks quickly escalates into a full-scale riot, and soon a State of Emergency is declared by the Mayor of Seattle. The streets are mayhem, and the WTO is paralyzed. Caught in the crossfire of civil liberties and keeping the peace are Seattle residents, including its beleaguered mayor (Ray Liotta), a riot cop on the streets (Woody Harrelson) and his pregnant wife (Charlize Theron). The choices they all make will change their lives forever.
Writer/Director Stuart Townsend brings together this talented ensemble to intertwine different points of view – from protesters and police to delegates and doctors -- each of whom intentionally or accidentally find themselves on the streets of Seattle in those last days of the millennium. Townsend seamlessly merges footage of the real event with his fictional narrative. Ultimately, Battle in Seattle illustrates that even against incredible odds, ordinary people can change the world.
Here's how you can help:
- Organize your local activist group or union to purchase tickets to a
screening as a group. Go to www.battleinseattlemovie.com/tickets/
for theaters, showtimes and to purchase group tickets, or call (866) 758-1258. - Forward this email to your friends and allies.
- Include an article about the film in your group or union's newsletter and
e-newsletter. - Include a blurb about the film on your website.
- Demand the movie show in your city! Go to www.battleinseattlemovie.com/labor
and click on "Demand it."
Groups of 25 or more receive discount tickets. For a
theater near you, call (866) 758-1258 or visit www.battleinseattlemovie.com/tickets/
To organize a film release event or for sample
materials, contact Michael Crawford at mcrawford@citizen.org for
details.
Opening cities:
September 19th:
Minneapolis
New York
San Francisco
San Rafael
Seattle
Washington, D.C.
September
26th:
Boston
Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles
Pittsburgh
Sacramento
October
3rd:
Denver
Nashville
Philadelphia
Plano, TX
Santa Barbara, CA
October 10th:
Olympia, WA