308 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11249
USA
Conscientious Projections spotlights films that address topics of social and political significance. In addition to a screening of the film, academics, journalists and activists will join us to discuss relevant issues and provoke a discussion of what each of us can do to protect our rights and affect change.
“Seeks to show the beauty and complexity already extant in his subjects, and never projects anything that isn’t there.” – Film Comment
“This shocking portrait of Louisiana drug addicts and a pro-gun militia is also remarkably sweet. Minervini has the ability to turn grimy situations into art while affording any perceived ‘degeneracy’ on screen a style of attention that takes his subjects as seriously as they take themselves.” – Brooklyn Rail
“Powerful and disturbing.” – The New York Times
For those of us who have never been to rural America or the Deep South, the election of president-elect Donald Trump is still a shock. Roberto Minervini’s The Other Side offers an opportunity to acquaint ourselves with the other segment of the electorate, from the drug-addled, jobless communities of a once-thriving rural town to the “second amendment folks” in Northern Louisiana, who run military drills to prepare for the “impending” United Nations occupation. But despite the racism on display and the disinformation the subjects have internalized, Minervini nevertheless finds humanity and dignity in people who have seen jobs disappear overseas, wages stagnate, and family get sick.
We will be joined by Bhaskar Sunkara, the founding editor of Jacobin Magazine and author of The ABCs of Socialism, who will lead a discussion about populism, the transformation of labor in recent years and decades, and the Trump phenomenon.
Proceeds will be donated to the Right To The City Alliance, which works “to halt the displacement of low-income people, people of color, marginalized LGBTQ communities, and youths of color from their historic urban neighborhoods” and “to protect, defend, and expand housing that is truly affordable and dignified for low-income and very low-income communities.” Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-want basis.
Dir. Robert Minervini. 2016. 92 minutes
