Hard Working Movies - This Land synopsis

Hard Working Movies - This Land synopsis: "THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND shows that every person can make a difference, even when pitted against the enormous power of big business. This funny and moving documentary criss-crosses the nation, interviewing experts and individuals about corporate influence on American life, hears how people across the country feel their own lives have been affected, and looks at some of the brave, compelling and sometime hilarious ways in which individuals and communities are reacting.

The film features interviews with radio commentator and author Jim Hightower (“Thieves in High Places”); Marc Kasky, a man whose lawsuit over truth in advertising made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court; Sikhulu Shange, a small business owner in Harlem involved in community efforts to support local stores against chains and preserve some of the unique history of his neighborhood; Father Tryphon, a Russian orthodox monk, who fought a coffee giant to keep the name “Christmas Blend” on his monastery coffee; cultural critic Naomi Klein, who talks about the emergence of brand bullies and how they got that way; veteran newsman Jack Newfield; Doris Haddock, who walked across the country at the age of 89 to get corporate money out of politics; Project Censored award-winning author Thom Hartmann, and many others.

In addition to expert interviews, THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND highlights the narratives of many ordinary Americans set against lyrical images of the rural countryside, gritty scenes of inner-city neighborhoods and the stark grand-openings of mega malls, all with the reference to corporate influence. The film interweaves these interviews with location scenics, archival and news footage, photographs and radio program sound bites. What emerges is a rich and informative tapestry about the changing history of corporate power in this country and a startling look at today’s America. Featured throughout the film are portraits of the gutsy and sometimes surprising heroes who are working to improve the conditions of their own lives and the world around them."


Playing during the RNC at the Imagine Festival of Arts, Issues & Ideas, NYC