We’ve begun a reoccurring film screening at the Back Door, one Thursday a month! They are free because it’s nice to hang out together without having to pay for something, but unfortunately you have to be 21 or over since it’s at a bar.
The first one we screened, back in June, was a short documentary about rita “bo” brown called, The Gentleman Bank Robber. Anarchist-communist, former George Jackson Brigade member, anti-carceral activist, and proud butch dyke lesbian, her life was was incredible. There was a very personal touch in the film making that drew me in and really gave me a sense of her as a person. The history was woven in expertly and was extremely compelling, too. It’s available for free at vimeo.com/229406880 and I highly recommend watching it.
In July we screened the animated adaptation of Persepolis. With the revolutionary uprisings against the regime there in recent years, and the US’ invasion, it felt worth revisiting for more context about life there. The personal details, warts and all, is a large part of the charm of Marjane’s story, and helps put the larger developments around her in perspective. The zines we had, largely from the Final Straw Radio Show, updated the struggles of Iran against patriarchy, their own government, and the attacks waged against the people by Israel and the US. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the US’ own denial that it had political prisoners in the past, which Iran was depicted as denying as well. The incredibly punitive and malicious sentencing of the non-cooperating Prairieland Defendants in Texas, in June of this year, occupied my mind and continues to bother me in particular. We also continue to be moved by the culture of prisoner support in Palestine as well, particularly informed by one of the zines we frequently distribute and had on hand that night.
Our August screening will be on Thursday the 27th, during The Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners. The week begins on the 23rd, the anniversary of the execution of anarchists Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco by the US Government in 1927. They were railroaded in court for being immigrants and for their political beliefs, convicted of a robbery they did not commit. We should not oversimplify, however, as they were proud insurrectionaries, and they help inform our position of supporting our comrades even if they are innocent. As per usual, we will have postcards to sign for some of the anarchists imprisoned around the world.
