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wsfsadmin — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:38:30 CDT

Welcome to West Shore's
Social Action Film Series!

We hope to present, on a monthly basis, documentary films on a variety of important and relevant issues. These films will be free and open to the public and will typically be accompanied by speakers who are authorities on that month's topic. We also invite you to stay after the film for refreshments and conversation!

West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church

20401 Hilliard Blvd.

Rocky River, Ohio 44116

440-333-2255 440-333-2255

www.wsuuc.org

Free Parking (Click here for directions)

My Neighbourhood

Saturday, May 11 at 7:00pm

My Neighbourhood tells the story of Mohammed El Kurd, a Palestinian teenager growing up in the heart of East Jerusalem. When Mohammed's family is forced to give up a part of their home to Israeli settlers, local residents begin peaceful protests, and in a surprising turn, are quickly joined by scores of Israeli supporters. Mohammed comes of age in the face of unrelenting tension with his neighbours and unexpected co-operation with Israeli allies in his backyard.

My Neighbourhood is latest short film by Just Vision, an organization that uses film and media to increase the power and legitimacy of Palestinians and Israelis working to end the occupation and resolve the conflict nonviolently.

The Imagine Peace Task Force of West Shore U.U. Church is also pleased to welcome CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations), the Middle East Peace Committee of Cleveland Peace Builders, and Interfaith Peace Builders Ohio to comment on the film and answer questions from the audience. (Film length: 50 minutes)

Link to "My Neighbourhood" Website

5 Broken Cameras

Saturday, June 8 at 7:00pm

The first-ever Palestinian film to be nominated for best Documentary Feature Academy Award, the critically-acclaimed 5 BROKEN CAMERAS is a deeply personal, first-hand account of life and non-violent resistance in Bil’in, a West Bank village surrounded by Israeli settlements.

Shot by Palestinian farmer Emad Burnat, who bought his first camera in 2005 to record the birth of his youngest son, Gibreel, the film was co-directed by Burnat and Guy Davidi, an Israeli filmmaker. Structured in chapters around the destruction of each one of Burnat’s cameras, the filmmakers’ collaboration follows one family’s evolution over five years of village upheaval.

Burnat watches from behind the lens as olive trees are bulldozed, protests intensify and lives are lost in this cinematic diary and unparalleled record of life in the West Bank. (Film length: 94 minutes)

Cosponsored by: CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations),

Cleveland Peace Action, Interfaith Peace Builders Ohio,

and the Imagine Peace Task Force of West Shore U.U. Church

Link to "5 Broken Cameras" website

Hosted by West Shore Social Action Committee

Questions? Call 440-333-2255

2013

wsfsadmin — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:17:43 CDT

Dying To Leave

Saturday, January 12 at 7:00pm

This January, in recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, we will be showing the PBS Wide Angle documentary “Dying to Leave”. Every year, an estimated two to four million people are shipped in containers, shepherded through sewage pipes, secreted in car chassis, and ferried across frigid waters. Others travel on legitimate carriers but with forged documents. An alarming number of these migrants end up in bondage, forced to work as prostitutes, thieves, or as laborers in sweatshops. By listening to the voices of those who pulled up their roots, who risked all, the film will put a human face on what might otherwise be seen as statistical, overwhelming and remote. Focusing on five major stories whose journeys traverse 16 countries from Colombia to China, from Mexico to Moldova this documentary will look into the circumstances that drove these migrants from their homes, describe the difficulties involved in their epic journeys and reveal what awaits them in their new world.

(Film length: 105 minutes)

Hot Coffee

Saturday, February 9 at 7:00pm

Seinfeld mocked it. Letterman put it on one of his Top Ten lists. More than 15 years later, the McDonald's coffee case continues to be cited as a prime example of how citizens use "frivolous" lawsuits to take unfair advantage of America's legal system. But is that an accurate portrayal of the facts?

First-time filmmaker and former public interest lawyer Susan Saladoff uses the infamous legal battle that began with a spilled cup of coffee to investigate what's behind America's zeal for tort reform, which threatens to restrict the legal rights of everyday citizens and undermine the entire civil justice system.

HOT COFFEE reveals how big business, aided by the media, brewed a dangerous concoction of manipulation and lies to protect corporate interests. By following four people whose lives were devastated by the attacks on our courts, the film challenges the assumptions Americans hold about "jackpot justice”. (Film length: 86 minutes)

Official Selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

Link to Hot Coffee website:

Things you can do to help:

How to Survive a Plague

Saturday, March 9 at 7:00pm

"How To Survive A Plague" is the untold story of the efforts that turned AIDS into a mostly manageable condition and the improbable group of young men and women who, with no scientific training, infiltrated government agencies and the pharmaceutical industry, and helped identify promising new compounds, moving them through trials and into drugstores in record time. These drugs saved their lives and ended the darkest days of the epidemic, while virtually emptying AIDS wards in American hospitals. Their story stands as a powerful inspiration to future generations, a road map, and a call to arms. (Film Length 120 Minutes)

Many thanks to Liz Clerkin from the activist group RESULTS for providing this film and for agreeing to be on hand to comment on the film and answer questions from the audience.

2012 Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Feature

Link to "How to Survive a Plague" Website:

2009

wsfsadmin — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:55:00 CST

The Water Front

Saturday, April 4 at 7:00pm
What happens when neo-liberal policies come home? The brilliant and engaging new documentary "The Water Front" offers a sobering and eye-opening account of a privatization scheme and its effects on the poor and working class citizens of Highland Park, Michigan. Filmmaker Elizabeth Miller tells the stirring tale of a declining U.S. city and the valiant struggle of residents, inspired and led by African American women, to literally fight City Hall.

Link to Film website

Blue Gold: World Water Wars

Saturday, July 11 at 7:00pm

We can't live without water. You may have thought it was a human right. But certain corporations have been plotting to control the water supply on this planet for a while now, and have been moving into place around the globe. Do you want the cost of your water to be controlled by private corporations and stockholders only interested in their bottom line? Do you want to give up your right to the water around you, including rain? It is time to get educated and get active. Start with this film.

http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/

Addicted to Plastic

Saturday, August 8 at 7:00pm

ADDICTED TO PLASTIC is a feature-length documentary about solutions to plastic pollution. The film details plastic's path over the last 100 years and provides a wealth of expert interviews on practical and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity and biodegradability. These solutions - which include plastic made from plants - will provide viewers with a hopeful perspective about our future with plastic.

http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/atp.html

9/11: Press for Truth
Special Date! Friday, September 11 at 7:00
Out of the grieving thousands left behind on September 11th, a small group of activist families emerged to demand answers. In 9/11: Press For Truth, six of them (including three of the famous "Jersey Girls") tell for the first time the powerful story of how they took on the powers in Washington—and won!—compelling an investigation, only to subsequently watch the 9/11 Commission fail in answering most of their questions.

http://www.911pressfortruth.com/

Processed People
Saturday, September 12, at 7:00pm
Fast food, fast medicine, fast news and fast lives have turned many Americans into a sick, uninformed, indebted, “processed” people. To those running our system, the bottom line on the dollars we're able to spend is more important than the bottom line on our health. We're caught in a perpetual grinding machine, unable to escape. Processed People features insightful interviews from nine preeminent health and environmental experts/advocates. They discuss how and why Americans got into this mess, and what we can do to break the “processed people” cycle.
http://www.processedpeople.com/

Rick Steves’ Iran: Yesterday and Today

Saturday, October 10, at 7:00pm

Join Rick as he explores the most surprising and fascinating land he's ever visited: Iran. In a one-hour, ground-breaking travel special, you'll discover the splendid monuments of Iran's rich and glorious past, learn more about the 20th-century story of this perplexing nation, and experience Iranian life today in its historic capital and in a countryside village. Most important, you'll meet the people of this nation whose government so exasperates our own. http://www.ricksteves.com/iran/

The Sugar Babies

Saturday, November 14, at 7:00pm

Until now, the disturbing remnants of colonial slavery were carefully hidden in paradise..... While exposing those who profit from human trafficking and exploitation, the feature length documentary film "The Sugar Babies" vividly explores the lives of those who live in circumstances that can only be considered modern day slavery. This film examines the moral price of sugar --present and past -- from the perspective of the conditions surrounding the children of sugar cane cutters of Haitian ancestry in the Dominican Republic, and the continuing denial of their basic human rights.

(Please click on the link below to view trailer)
http://www.sugarbabiesfilm.com/cgi-local/welcome.cgi

Rethink Afghanistan

Special Date! Friday, December 4th at 7:00pm

While the U.S.’s 2001 invasion of Afghanistan was seen as an imperative after the attacks of 9/11, the ongoing conflict has seen a massive drop in public support and a questioning of whether military force can solve the struggling nation’s social, political, and economic problems. This documentary from filmmaker Robert Greenwald calls for a de-escalation of the war in Afghanistan in favor of non-military solutions and makes its case through rarely seen news footage and interviews with foreign-policy experts such as Andrew Bacevich, Stephen Kinzer, and Tariq Ali. (75 minutes)

http://rethinkafghanistan.com

Preacher's Sons

Saturday, December 12, at 7:00pm

This is the cinema verité story of five irrepressible but troubled boys – pulled from the train wreck of foster care – the two articulate men who are now their fathers, and their moving metamorphosis into a solid family unit. The Stewarts are an unconventional family with surprisingly conventional values. Their odyssey is intimate and moving; but it exists within a wider context of the national debate over same-sex marriage and adoption. No matter what you think about same-sex parenting, your assumptions will be challenged as you watch this compelling story.

http://www.preacherssons.com/

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2012

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The Dark Side of Chocolate

Saturday, January 14th, 2012, at 7:00pm

Is the chocolate we eat produced with the use of child labor and trafficked children? The award winning Danish journalist Miki Mistrati decides to investigate the rumors. His hunt for answers brings him to Mali in West Africa, where hidden footage reveals illegal trafficking of small children to the cocoa fields in neighboring Ivory Coast, the world's largest producer of cocoa with more than 40 percent of the world's production. While we enjoy the sweet taste of chocolate, the reality is strikingly different for some African children. Kids as young as seven years old work illegally in the plantations where they face a dangerous job cutting down the cocoa and carrying heavy loads. Some are victims of trafficking and most of the kids are never paid. Does your favorite chocolate have a bitter taste? Follow Miki Mistrati into the bush of Africa to expose...the Dark Side of Chocolate. (Film Length: 46 min.)

http://thedarksideofchocolate.org/

The Healthcare Movie

Saturday, February 11th, 2012, at 7:00pm

Healthcare: For People or For Profit?

This documentary provides the real story of how the health care systems in Canada and the United States evolved to be so completely different, when at one point they were essentially the same. Most people under the age of 50, in both countries, are not aware of the intensity of the political struggle that led to the universal medical care system in Canada. Nor are they aware of the public relations campaigns, still active today, that have been prevalent in the United States since the early 1900’s to dissuade the public from supporting national health care. Produced by Canadian/American couple Laurie Simons and Terry Sterrenberg, The Healthcare Movie reveals the personal and emotional impact on Canadians who now have access to universal health care because of the heroism of people who took a stand nearly 50 years ago. It also reveals the continuing struggle in the United States between the fear of government intervention and the right to quality health care for all people. Every day people are dying or going bankrupt due to the ills of the United States system. Who are we in the face of this human tragedy? If you agree that people are more important than profits, then you must watch this film. Narrated by Kiefer Sutherland. (Film Length: 65 min.)

http://www.healthcaremovie.net/

Presented in cooperation with Single Payer Action Network Ohio (http://www.spanohio.org/)

Love Lived on Death Row

Saturday, March 10th, 2012, at 7:00pm

Love Lived on Death Row tells the story of the four Syriani siblings whose father was sentenced to die for the murder of their mother in 1990 and Meg Eggleston, who became their father's friend and spiritual advisor through letters to him in prison. Orphaned and estranged, the Syriani children lived with hate, anger and confusion as the man they could only refer to as 'Him'. 'Him' lived on North Carolina's death row. But in 2004 they collectively decided to visit him in prison, seeking answers so they could move on with their adult lives. What transpired that day was a miracle of forgiveness followed by a journey of healing, restoring family memories and then a battle for his clemency. Love Lived on Death Row's portrait of a family torn apart by tragedy and reunited by another impending tragedy is a powerful examination of not only the healing process, but also of the role capital punishment plays in serving justice. Adrian Griffin, Northern Ohio Organizer for OTSE, will be on hand to talk about the film and to answer questions from the audience. (Film Length: 84 min.)

http://www.lovelivedondeathrow.com/index.html

Presented in cooperation with Ohioans To Stop Executions (OTSE) http://www.otse.org/home.aspx

The New Metropolis

Saturday, April 14th, 2012, at 7:00pm

America’s "first" suburbs, those suburban communities built next to America’s urban centers, were once the birthplace of the American Dream. Driven by a desire to escape the smokestacks of the central cities and a housing shortage following World War II, thousands of suburban homes were built and middle class families flocked to fill them. Sixty years later, many of these original suburbs are facing a crisis: a dwindling tax base, population and business loss, decaying infrastructure, increased racial tensions and white flight. Lacking policies to help reverse these trends, many towns are struggling for their survival. Using compelling, personal stories to highlight these issues, The New Metropolis is a two-part documentary (30 minutes each) that explores the challenges our older suburbs now face, and points towards solutions for their revitalization. Both films illustrate how the plight of first suburbs is critical to the overall health of our metropolitan areas. The film's experts call for new strategies and policies that promote intentional (or stable) integration and balanced growth — and ensure that our limited resources are spread so that both older and newer communities can thrive and prosper. (Film length: 60 minutes)

http://www.thenewmetropolis.com/

Lost in Detention

Saturday, May 12th, 2012, at 7:00pm

A year-long investigation by Frontline and the American University Investigative Reporting Workshop examines the current U.S. immigration enforcement system and stories of hidden abuse in detention centers. The Frontline documentary 'Lost in Detention' begins with a closer look at the Secure Communities program, in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records are shared with local law enforcement agencies. While the goal has been to target criminals, thousands of non-criminal immigrants have also been deported. Once illegal immigrants are detained they are sent to detention centers, often far from their homes. FRONTLINE correspondent Maria Hinojosa reports that their investigation uncovered many cases of sexual and physical assault by guards against detainees and and asserts that the bigger issue is that detainees have little, if any, legal rights or recourse to confront abuse. The political implications of these immigration policies are far-reaching. With over 50 million Latinos in America, Latino voters represented a strong base in the 2008 election for President Obama, who made immigration reform a key part of his platform. As Hinojosa points out, immigration will be crucial point of debate heading into the 2012 election. (Film length: 53 minutes)

USA vs Al-Arian

Saturday, June 9th, 2012, at 7:00pm

Winner of the Jury Prize, Best Film Award at the 8th Annual New Orleans International Human Rights Film Festival, ”USA vs AL-ARIAN” is an intimate family portrait that documents the American-Muslim family Al-Arian’s desperate attempt to fight terrorism charges leveled by the US Government.

In February 2003, university professor and pro-Palestinian civil rights activist Sami Al-Arian was arrested in Tampa, Florida, charged with providing material support to a terror organization. For two-and-a-half years he was held in solitary confinement, denied basic privileges and given limited access to his attorneys.
The film follows Sami Al-Arian’s wife Nahla and their five children throughout his 6 month-long trial. It is an intimate family portrait that documents the strain brought on by the trial, a battle waged both in court and in the media. This is a nightmare come to life, as a man is prosecuted for his beliefs rather than his actions.
The film raises questions on whether it is possible for a man like Sami Al-Arian to receive a fair trial in the United States. It presents democracy in a new light in a post-9/11 culture of fear, where “security measures” trump free speech and punishment is meted out in the name of protection. It is an example of how the American government’s hunt for terrorists is a struggle that can be seen from multiple angles. (Film length: 98 minutes)

Special Event!

Weight of the Nation

Part 1 - Saturday, July 14th, 2012, at 7:00pm
Consequences: Excess weight threatens our health – and the health of our nation.

Part 2 - Tuesday, July 17th, 2012, at 7:00pm
Choices: What are the best ways to achieve and maintain a healthy weight?

Part 3 - Tuesday, July 31st, 2012, at 7:00pm
Children in Crisis: Obesity puts our children at risk for a shorter, sicker life. What must be done?

Part 4 - Saturday, August 11th, 2012, at 7:00pm
Challenges: What caused the obesity epidemic: What will it take to slow, stop and reverse it?

In the United States, 68 percent of adults age 20 and older are overweight or obese, while 31.7% of the nationʼs children and adolescents ages two to 19 are overweight or obese. Obesity contributes to five of the 10 leading causes of death in America, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, many cancers and stroke.

As part of its effort to help combat the obesity epidemic in our community, the West Shore Film Series in conjunction with the West Shore Veg Group is hosting a screening of the four-part HBO documentary on four separate dates during the months of July and August (see above).

Three years in the making, THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION examines the facts and myths of this urgent public health issue, showing how obesity affects the health of the nation and the health care system. The film features case studies and interviews with leading experts, individuals and families struggling with obesity. The series also highlights how individuals, work sites, and communities are making positive changes.

THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION is a presentation of HBO and the Institute of Medicine, in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, and in partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente. Since not everyone can afford to subscribe to cable or the HBO channel, the producers released copies of this documentary at no cost to community groups across the nation in an effort to share this information with as many people as possible. The West Shore Veg Group and the West Shore Film Series want to thank the producers for their generosity and dedication to this incredibly important attempt to raise awareness and improve public health. For more information please go to www.hbo.com/theweightofthenation (Film length: Four one hour segments)

Scientists Under Attack
Saturday, September 8 at 7:00pm

IT´S A FILM ABOUT COURAGE, SECRECY AND DANGER!
In the early 90s the Agro-Chemicals-Multinational Monsanto introduced genetically modified plants onto the market, touted as an agricultural revolution that would solve all the world’s food problems. Others viewed these plants as an irrevocable destruction of bio-diversity on this planet that would need to be fiercely combated.
Árpád Pusztai and Ignacio Chapela have two things in common. They are distinguished scientists and their careers are in ruins. Both scientists choose to look at the phenomenon of genetic engineering. Both made important discoveries. Both of them are suffering the fate of those who criticize the powerful vested interests that now dominate big business and scientific research.
Statements made by scientists themselves prove that 95% of the research in the area of genetic engineering is paid by the industry. Only 5% of the research is independent. The big danger for freedom of science and our democracy is evident. Can the public – we all – still trust our scientists? (Film length: 60 minutes)

Koch Brothers Exposed

Saturday, October 13 at 7:00pm

Koch Brothers Exposed is a hard-hitting investigation of the 1% at its very worst. This full-length documentary film on Charles and David Koch—two of the world’s richest and most powerful men—is the latest from acclaimed director Robert Greenwald (Wal-Mart: the High Cost of Low Price, Outfoxed, Rethink Afghanistan). The billionaire brothers bankroll a vast network of organizations that work to undermine the interests of the 99% on issues ranging from Social Security to the environment to civil rights. This film uncovers the Kochs’ corruption—and points the way to how Americans can reclaim their democracy. (Film length: 60 minutes)

Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home

Saturday, November 10 at 7:00pm

A riveting story of transformation and healing, PEACEABLE KINGDOM: THE JOURNEY HOME explores the awakening conscience of several people who grew up in traditional farming culture and who have now come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life. With strikingly honest interviews and rare footage demonstrating the emotional lives and intense family bonds of animals most often viewed as living commodities, this groundbreaking documentary shatters stereotypical notions of farmers, farm life, and perhaps most surprisingly, farm animals themselves. Primary film subject Harold Brown will be on hand to comment on the film and answer questions from the audience.

Winner of:

Grand Jury Prize , Canada International Film Festival
Best Feature Documentary, Peace on Earth Film Festival
Best Feature Documentary, Moondance Film Festival

(Film length: 78 minutes)

Cleveland Premier!

Shift Change

Saturday, December 8 at 7:00pm

With the long decline in US manufacturing and today’s economic crisis, millions have been thrown out of work, and many are losing their homes. The usual economic solutions are not working, so some citizens and public officials are ready to think outside of the box.There is growing interest in firms that are owned and managed by their workers. Such firms tend to be more profitable and innovative, and more committed to the communities where they are based. Yet the public has little knowledge of their success, and the promise they offer for a better life.SHIFT CHANGE highlights some of the vibrant worker-owned companies across the nation: from bakeries to solar energy to manufacturing and engineering, including the Evergreen Cooperatives right here in Cleveland! The film conveys the promise that these businesses offer to reinvent our failing economy, provide a pathway to long term stability, and nurture a more egalitarian way of life.

(Film length: 70 minutes)

Previous Films

wsfsadmin — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 22:57:02 CST

<<=== Please select from the dates to the left.

2010

wsfsadmin — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 22:53:58 CST

Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think
Special Date: Saturday, January 30th at 7:00pm
Presented by the Council on American Islamic Relations - CAIR
This new documentary film from Unity Productions Foundation explores the expertly gathered opinions of Muslims around the globe as revealed in the world’s first major opinion poll, conducted by Gallup, the preeminent polling organization. As part of this groundbreaking six-year project, Gallup conducted tens of thousands of interviews with residents in 35 predominantly Muslim nations, as well as smaller populations in Europe and the USA. Focused on the issues of Gender Justice, Terrorism, and Democracy, the film presents this remarkable data deftly, showing how it challenges the popular notion that Muslims and the West are on a collision course. Like the research, the film highlights a shared relationship that is based on facts – not fear. (55 minutes)

http://www.upf.tv/upf06/portals/InsideIslamWhataBillionMuslimsReallyThink/tabid/319/Default.aspx

Food Inc.

Saturday, February 13th at 7pm

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here. (94 minutes)
http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Trouble the Water

Saturday, March 13th at 7pm

In April, West Shore will sponsor a group of volunteers to New Orleans to help with re-building. In conjunction with that effort, the West Shore Film Series will be showing the film "Trouble the Water." This Academy Award nominated documentary takes you inside Hurricane Katrina in a way never before seen on screen. It's a redemptive tale of two self-described street hustlers who become heroes - two unforgettable people who survive the storm and then seize a chance for a new beginning. Directors Tia Lessin and Carl Deal tell a story of remarkable people surviving not only failed levees, bungling bureaucrats and armed soldiers, but also their own past. Trouble the Water has been supported by grants from the Sundance Institute, the Open Society Institute, the Ms. Foundation for Women, the 21st Century Foundation, the Fledgling Fund, Working Films, the Ford Foundation, and is a project of Creative Capital. (Run Time: 93 minutes)
http://www.troublethewaterfilm.com/

FRESH

Saturday, April 10th at 7pm

“FRESH” celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision of our food and our planet’s future. “FRESH” addresses an ethos that has been sweeping the nation and is a call to action America has been waiting for. “FRESH” recaptures our sense of agency and makes us believe that our individual actions in fact do matter. Throughout the film we encounter the most inspiring people, ideas, and initiatives around the US, and thus, “FRESH” showcases real people first and foremost, connecting audiences not with facts and figures or apocalyptic policy analysis, but with personal stories of change. (Run Time: 72 Minutes)

http://www.freshthemovie.com/

Nicotine Bees

Saturday, May 8th at 7pm

“Nicotine Bees”, the movie, gets to the truth about why the honey bees of the world are in big trouble, and why our food supply is in trouble with them. Although the bees have been in a slow decline for years, something else happened between 2005 and 2006 that changed everything: a sharp and catastrophic collapse of bee colonies in dozens of countries simultaneously. With the continuing bee collapse, one third of our food supply is at risk - yet despite the clear-cut scientific data, especially from Europe, in news reports this is issue is still called "mysterious." This crisis is not mysterious. Possible causes of this massive die-off were systematically ruled-out to find the one underlying explanation that really works - we think we know why, and “Nicotine Bees” is ready to show what has happened. (Run Time: 55 minutes).

http://pierreterre.com/video/nicotine-bees-trailer

Capitalism: A Love Story

Saturday, June 12th at 7:00pm

On the 20-year anniversary of his groundbreaking masterpiece 'Roger & Me,' Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story' comes home to the issue he's been examining throughout his career: the disastrous impact of corporate dominance on the everyday lives of Americans (and by default, the rest of the world). But this time the culprit is much bigger than General Motors, and the crime scene far wider than Flint, Michigan. From Middle America, to the halls of power in Washington, to the global financial epicenter in Manhattan, Michael Moore will once again take filmgoers into uncharted territory. With both humor and outrage, Michael Moore's 'Capitalism: A Love Story' explores a taboo question: What is the price that America pays for its love of capitalism? Years ago, that love seemed so innocent. Today, however, the American dream is looking more like a nightmare as families pay the price with their jobs, their homes and their savings. Moore takes us into the homes of ordinary people whose lives have been turned upside down; and he goes looking for explanations in Washington, DC and elsewhere. What he finds are the all-too-familiar symptoms of a love affair gone astray: lies, abuse, betrayal...and 14,000 jobs being lost every day. 'Capitalism: A Love Story' is both a culmination of Moore's previous works and a look into what a more hopeful future could look like. It is Michael Moore's ultimate quest to answer the question he has posed throughout his illustrious filmmaking career: Who are we and why do we behave the way that we do? (Run Time – 127 minutes).

http://www.michaelmoore.com/books-films/capitalism-love-story

Eating
Saturday, July 10th at 7:00pm

This award-winning DVD covers a lot of ground very comprehensively. Among the many highlights are interviews with Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Neil Pinckney, Dr. Ruth Heidrich and Dr. Joseph Crowe. Dr. Crowe and Dr. Esselstyn are from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and know something about heart disease. These interviews will convince you that cardiovascular disease, the #1 killer in America today, can be reversed by making simple changes to your diet. What you will get is a virtual one-on-one consultation with some of the world's leading authorities on heart disease reversal. You will also hear from Dr. Heidrich who treated her breast cancer by simply changing her diet. The DVD also covers a wide-range of other health problems, including the reversal of adult-onset diabetes with diet. It also covers the impact of typical Western diets on the environment. The Eating DVD is used in hospitals and wellness clinics throughout the world to motivate people to change their diets and restore their health.

http://www.ravediet.com/whatsinfilm.htm

http://www.ravediet.com/preview.htm

The Wounded Platoon

Saturday, September 11 at 7:00pm

Since the Iraq War began, soldier arrests in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado, have tripled. At least 36 servicemen based at the nearby Army post of Fort Carson have committed suicide, and 14 Fort Carson soldiers have been charged or convicted in at least 11 killings. Many of the most violent crimes involved men who had served in the same battalion in Iraq. Three of them came from a single platoon of infantrymen.

Originally aired on the PBS program FRONTLINE, this documentary tells the dark tale of the men of 3rd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 506th Infantry, and how the war followed them home. It is a story of heroism, grief, vicious combat, depression, drugs, alcohol and brutal murder; an investigation into the Army's mental health services; and a powerful portrait of what multiple tours and post-traumatic stress are doing to a generation of young American soldiers. Therapist Nancy Blake, who works with clients suffering from PTSD, will be on hand to answer questions from the audience. (Run Time – 90 minutes: Free Parking)

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/woundedplatoon/

Split Estate

Saturday, October 9 at 7:00pm

Imagine discovering that you don't own the mineral rights under your land, and that an energy company plans to drill for natural gas two hundred feet from your front door. Imagine having little recourse, other than accepting an unregulated industry in your backyard. This Emmy nominated film maps a tragedy in the making, as citizens in the path of a new drilling boom in the Rocky Mountain West struggle against the erosion of their civil liberties, their communities and their health.

And it’s not just happening in the Western States, but right here in our own backyards in Northeast Ohio. Joining us will be representatives from the Sierra Club and NEOGAP, the North East Ohio Gas Accountability Project, who will be talking about gas drilling schemes on private property in our local communities and answering questions from the audience. (Run Time – 76 minutes: Free Parking)

http://www.splitestate.com/

http://www.neogap.org/

Coal Country
Saturday, November 13th at 7:00pm

COAL COUNTRY is a dramatic look at modern coal mining. We get to know working miners along with activists who are battling coal companies in Appalachia. We hear from miners and coal company officials, who are concerned about jobs and the economy and believe they are acting responsibly in bringing power to the American people. Both sides in this conflict claim that history is on their side. Everyone shares a deep love for the land, but MTR (Mountain Top Removal mining which has leveled over 500 Appalachian mountains) is tearing them apart. We need to understand the meaning behind promises of “cheap energy” and “clean coal.” Are they achievable? At what cost? Are there alternatives to our energy future? A representative from the Sierra Club will be on hand to discuss this issue and answer questions from the audience. (Run Time: 85 minutes – Free Parking)
http://www.coalcountrythemovie.com/

Escape from Suburbia

Saturday, December 11th at 7:00pm

In ESCAPE from SUBURBIA director Greg Greene takes us “through the looking glass” on a journey of discovery – a sobering yet vital and ultimately positive exploration of what the second half of the Oil Age has in store for us. Through personal stories and interviews we examine how declining world oil production has already begun to affect modern life in North America. Expert scientific opinion is balanced with “on the street” portraits from an emerging global movement of citizen’s groups who are confronting the challenges of Peak Oil in extraordinary ways. The clock is ticking. ESCAPE from SUBURBIA asks the tough questions: Are we approaching Peak Oil now? What are the controversies surrounding our future energy options? Why are a growing number of specialists and citizens skeptical of these options? What are ordinary people across North America doing in their own communities to prepare for Peak Oil? And what will YOU do as energy prices skyrocket and the Oil Age draws to a close? (Run Time; 95 minutes – Free Parking)

http://www.escapefromsuburbia.com/

2011

wsfsadmin — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 22:51:10 CST

Mike's Beautiful Life

Saturday, January 8th at 7:00pm

One of the most popular films shown this year at West Shore was “Eating”, written and directed by Mike Anderson. His new film, “Mike’s Beautiful Life”, examines four emerging and related crises: energy, food, resource depletion and climate change. The seeds of these crises were planted in the 20th century, during Mike's beautiful life, and will continue to bear fruit during the 21st century. They will not only shape your future, but the future of generations to come. The next 30 years, in fact, will prove to be a turning point in human civilization. “Mike's Beautiful Life” is a hard-hitting indictment of how corporate power has taken a wrecking ball to the environment and our health, while rendering Washington helpless to stop the runaway train we're all riding. Find out the real cost of what we are doing to ourselves - and what you can do about it. (Run Time; 95 minutes)

http://www.ravediet.com/mbl.html

Food Matters

Saturday, February 12th, 2011, at 7:00pm

‘Food Matters’ is a hard hitting, fast paced look at our current state of health. Despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new so-called cures we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and every day maladies. Approaching an over toxic and over indulgent population with a continuing onslaught of toxic therapies and nutrient sparse foods is definitely not helping the situation. ‘Food Matters’ seeks to uncover the business of disease and at the same time explore the safe, cheap and effective use of nutrition and supplementation for preventing and often curing the underlying causative aspects of our ills. (Run Time; aprox. 80 minutes)

http://www.foodmatters.tv/

WARTORN 1861-2010

Saturday, March 12th, 2011, at 7:00pm

With suicide rates among active military servicemen and veterans currently on the rise, the HBO special ‘WARTORN 1861-2010’ brings urgent attention to the invisible wounds of war. Drawing on personal stories of American soldiers whose lives and psyches were torn asunder by the horrors of battle and PTSD, the documentary chronicles the lingering effects of combat stress and post-traumatic stress on military personnel and their families throughout American history, from the Civil War through today's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Run Time; 67 minutes)

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/wartorn-1861-2010/index.html#

The 800 Mile Wall

Saturday, April 9th, 2011, at 7:00pm
The 800 Mile Wall highlights the construction of the new border walls along the U.S.-Mexico border as well as the effect on migrants trying to cross into the U.S. This powerful 90-minute film is an unflinching look at a failed U.S. border strategy that many believe has caused the death of thousands of migrants and violates fundamental human rights. The 800 Mile Wall documents, in great detail, the ineffective and deadly results of a failed border policy and offers some thoughts and on how the current human rights crisis may be resolved. Directed by John Carlos Frey and Produced by Jack Lorenz.

(Run Time: 90 minutes)

http://www.800milewall.org/

9500 Liberty

Saturday, May 14th, 2011, at 7:00pm

Prince William County, Virginia becomes ground zero in America’s explosive battle over immigration policy when elected officials adopt a law requiring police officers to question anyone they have "probable cause" to suspect is an undocumented immigrant. 9500 Liberty reveals the startling vulnerability of a local government, targeted by national anti-immigration networks using the Internet to frighten and intimidate lawmakers and citizens. Alarmed by a climate of fear and racial division, residents form a resistance using YouTube videos and virtual town halls, setting up a real-life showdown in the seat of county government. The devastating social and economic impact of the “Immigration Resolution” is felt in the lives of real people in homes and in local businesses. But the ferocious fight to adopt and then reverse this policy unfolds inside government chambers, on the streets, and on the Internet. 9500 Liberty provides a front row seat to all three battlegrounds.

(Run Time: 80 min)

http://9500liberty.com/index.html

The World According to Monsanto

Saturday, June 11th, 2011, at 7:00pm

Monsanto’s controversial past combines some of the most toxic products ever sold with misleading reports, pressure tactics, collusion, and attempted corruption. They now race to genetically engineer (and patent) the world’s food supply, which profoundly threatens our health, environment, and economy. Combining secret documents with first-hand accounts by victims, scientists, and politicians, this widely praised film exposes why Monsanto has become the world’s poster child for malignant corporate influence in government and technology.
(Film Length: 109 minutes)

http://www.seedsofdeception.com/GMFree/GMODangers/WorldAccordingtoMonsanto/index.cfm

Urban Roots

Saturday, July 9th, 2011, at 7:00pm

URBAN ROOTS is a documentary that tells the story of the spontaneous emergence of urban farming in the city of Detroit. Against all odds, in the empty lots, in the old factory yards, and in-between the sad, sagging blocks of company housing, seeds of change are taking root. A small group of dedicated citizens have started an urban environmental movement with the potential to transform not just a city after its collapse, but also a country after the end of its industrial age. URBAN ROOTS shows dedicated Detroiters working tirelessly to fulfill their vision for locally-grown, sustainably farmed food in a city where people - as in much of the county - have found themselves cut off from real food and limited to the lifeless offerings of fast food chains, mini-marts, and grocery stores stocked with processed food from thousands of miles away. Urban Roots is a story that reveals that the best in us can prevail in the most difficult of times; and in the most difficult of places, new hope emerges.

(Film Length: 90 min.)

http://www.urbanrootsamerica.com/urbanrootsamerica.com/Home.html

Gasland

Saturday, August 13th, 2011, at 7:00pm

The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudi Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? 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. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown. (Film Length: 107 minutes. Free Parking)

http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/

Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness

Saturday, September 10th, 2011, at 7:00pm

West Shore Film Series, in conjunction with WVIZ/PBS ideastream®, will be hosting a special pre-release screening of the documentary “Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness”. This film tells the story of the residents in a Long Island community taking action after a local immigrant is killed in a hate crime attack. The story provides a blueprint for people who want to do something before intolerance turns to violence. The film airs on WVIZ/PBS on Wednesday, September 21 at 7:00pm. As part of Not In Our Town National Week of Action, Sept. 18-24, communities throughout the country will host screenings, events and discussions on hate crime prevention and new ways to make their towns safer. To find out about other local screenings log onto www.wviz.org (Film length: 60 minutes. Free parking)

For more information on how communities can get involved, visit: http://www.niot.org/lightinthedarkness

Morristown: In the Air and Sun

Saturday, October 8th, 2011, at 7:00pm

In this hour-long documentary, director Anne Lewis chronicles nearly a decade of change in Morristown, Tennessee, through interviews with displaced or low-wage Southern workers, Mexican immigrants, and workers and families impacted by globalization. The film shows how working-class people in Mexico and eastern Tennessee are caught in the throes of massive economic change, challenging their assumptions about work, family, nation and community. "Morristown" is in Spanish and English with subtitles. (Film Length: 60 minutes. Free parking)

"..brings the complex issue of globalization down to its human level - where workers on both sides of the border, men and women, struggle to survive...the workers speak from the heart...and while there is poignancy in their stories, there is also inspiration as they challenge corporate power in cross-cultural solidarity." Howard Zinn

http://www.annelewis.org/Morristown.html

Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead

Saturday, November 12th, 2011, at 7:00pm

100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long- term, he hits the road, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle. While talking to more than 500 Americans about food, health and longevity, it's at a truck stop in Arizona where Joe meets 429 pound truck driver Phil Staples, who suffers from the same rare condition. As Joe is recovering his health, Phil begins his own epic journey to get well. What emerges is nothing short of amazing – an inspiring tale of healing and human connection. Part road trip, part self-help manifesto, FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD defies the traditional documentary format to present an unconventional and uplifting story of two men from different worlds who each realize that the only person who can save them is themselves. (Film Length: 97 min.)

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

The Last Mountain

Saturday, December 10th, 2011, at 7:00pm

“The central front in the battle for America’s energy future, with enormous consequences for the health and economic prospects of every citizen, is the fight for Appalachian coal. In valleys and on mountaintops throughout the heart of the eastern seaboard, the coal industry detonates the explosive power of a Hiroshima bomb each and every week, shredding timeless landscape to bring coal wealth to a few, and leaving devastated communities and poisoned water to many. With politicians siding with their corporate donors, it falls to a rag tag army of local activists to stand alone for the welfare of their families, their heritage and for a principled and sound energy future. Our film is their film – the uplifting story of the power of ordinary citizens to remake the future when they have the determination and courage to do so.”....Bill Haney, Director of “The Last Mountain”. (Film Length: 95 min.)

http://thelastmountainmovie.com/