THE FOREST FOR THE TREES SCREENING

THE FOREST FOR THE TREES, a cinema politica screening, is an intimate look at an unlikely team of young activists and old civil rights workers who come together to battle the U.S. government.

WHAT: A cinema politica documentary screening with speakers
WHEN: Monday, February 19 at 7:30pm
WHERE: Room H-110, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Montreal, Canada.
COST: Free or by donation
INFO: www.cinemapolitica.org

This from the crew at Concordia U’s cinema politica:

What’s this you say? A film during reading break? It’s true, we have scheduled a reading break treat with the hopes that those of you who are in town will check out this excellent doc exploring eco-activism. This screening is also part of the Blueprints for Change Festival, a three day sustainability festival at Concordia University. Celebrating the three tiers of sustainability - environmental, social and economic - the BFC includes workshops, film screenings, panel discussions and many more events in an effort to celebrate sustainability as a comprehensive lifestyle. Keynote speakers include author Derrick Jensen (Endgame, The Culture of Make Believe) and activist Michael Albert - co-founder of Znet and South End Press. For more info visit the Blueprints for Change Festival site.

On the Film:
USA / 2006 / 57 min

THE FOREST FOR THE TREES is an intimate look at an unlikely team of young activists and old civil rights workers who come together to battle the U.S. government.

Filmmaker Bernadine Mellis is the daughter of 68-year-old civil rights lawyer Dennis Cunningham. Dennis started out his career representing the Black Panthers and the Weathermen.

Judi Bari was an Earth First! leader who was one of the first to place as much importance on timber workers’ lives and families as she did on the legacy and future of the trees. But that strategic relationship was too much of a threat. Her car was bombed in 1990, and three hours later, she was arrested as a terrorist–charges that were later dropped. Convinced it was a ploy by the FBI to discredit her and Earth First!, Judi decided to sue.

Cunningham took on Judi’s case and after 12 years, Judi Bari v. the FBI finally gets a court date. Knowing this is one of her father’s most important cases, Mellis is there at strategy meetings, at breakfast, driving to and from the court, documenting her morally driven, very tired dad. Not your typical “Take your daughter to work day,” THE FOREST FOR THE TREES offers access into a unique father-daughter relationship, the painfully short yet extraordinary life of Judi Bari, and a piece of U.S. history that everyday grows increasingly resonant as once again the lines between dissent and terrorism are being intentionally blurred.

For complete synopsis, credits, and to watch the trailer, visit the FOREST page.