“Civility is not saying negative or harsh things. It is not the absence of critical analysis. It is the manner in which we are sharing this territorial freedom of political discussion. If our discourse is yelled and screamed and interrupted and patronized, that’s uncivil.”
-Richard Dreyfuss
Politics. You used to be able to say it was boring. Ho boy, you definitely can't say that today and be considered a person who does not, in fact, live under a rock. The political world today is a fiercely alive animal, and a revolutionary one at that. Change is happening, regardless of who is winning or profiting. For better or worse, after November 8th, 2016, our country will be changed for the foreseeable future.
Who wants to watch some movies?
This September, Story Screen has partnered up with People for Beacon, as well as a handful of other intelligible, local businesses and organizations, to bring a sweeping political series that covers the problems and key points that are most relevant to our country's current political and public system. We call it Poliflicks. Because we like puns. And pundits. See?
Join us all month long as we present political documentaries and dramas screened in Beacon, NY that we hope will not only entertain, but inform. From political scandals to false democracies to media manipulation to racial profiling and more, our programming this month hopes to touch on as many important topics as we can. To help us fill this roster, Howland Cultural Center, Harry's Hot Sandwiches and Stock-Up have offered their spaces for screenings throughout the month, as well as our normal operating schedule at More Good every Sunday. Guest speakers and surprises abound, as usual. We'll even be offering some Free Screenings all month!
Please, check out our screening schedule for September and join us.
-Mike Burdge of Story Screen
The thrill of citizenship; existential crises and their possible remedies; the promise of collective action. These films are love letters to the struggles of our age, and seeing them gives us not only the chance to learn something useful, but to do so together, as communities hold the power to shape their destinies.
-Alex Reed Kelly of People for Beacon
We’re living in a society where we have been afforded access to information right in the palm of our hands, and yet knowledge and understanding about the laws and systems that govern and affect our lives most seem to be less known among the general population.
IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT!
There’s a lot going on out there. A lot of pages to visit, things to read, opinions to consider, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information being thrown at us and to feel that we simply do not have enough time to weed through and digest it all. Enter Poliflicks, a politically charged documentary/drama film series tackling a number of different themes and issues through the month of September. I do believe that documentary films can help to drive social and cultural change through their use of storytelling and so help widen our access and depth of information in ways that other forms of media cannot. I am certain that the documentaries we have selected for this series will not only leave you feeling more informed, but inspired and motivated for change and to take action. Did I mention there’ll be popcorn?
-Sarah A. Salem of People for Beacon
