Climate Crisis Film Being Shown – “The Reluctant Radical” – 8/28/2018 – SOCAN Sponsoring the Film
| (http://socan.eco) |
PRESS RELEASE: For Immediate Release
DATE: August 1st 2018
CONTACT: Alan Journet, Co-facilitator, Southern Oregon Climate Action Now; alan@socan.info 541-301-4107
SUBJECT: The Reluctant Radical
Who is Crazy?
“He was told he was crazy, but crazy is sitting idly by as disaster for young people is knowingly locked in.” -Dr. James Hansen, Climate Scientist.
“There are many fronts in the vast climate fight; this film highlights the personal struggles and victories of one daring path.” -Bill McKibben, Climate Advocate and Founder of 350.org.
Press freedom and First Amendment rights have increasingly come under attack as law enforcement and prosecutors favor corporate fossil fuel interests over citizens’ rights.
THE RELUCTANT RADICAL will be shown as the SOCAN monthly program on Tuesday August 28th at 6:00 pm in the Medford Public Library (205, S. Central Avenue, Medford). It is a climate change film like no other. It offers an intimate character portrait of Ken Ward, an intense man who puts everything on the line in his fight to stave off climate change. Using cinema verité storytelling, the film explores the moral question: if a crime is committed in order to prevent a greater crime, is it forgivable? Is it, in fact, necessary? The film reveals both the personal costs and also the fulfillment that comes from following one’s moral calling- even if that means breaking the law. Ken Ward has no regrets, and his certainty leaves the audience to consider if he is out of touch with reality, or if it is the rest of society that is delusional for not acting when faced with the unsettling evidence that we are collectively destroying our world. THE RELUCTANT RADICAL follows Ken for a year and a half, culminating with his participation in the coordinated action that shut down all the U.S. tar sands oil pipelines on October 11, 2016 and the ensuing trial that threatens to put him behind bars for twenty years.
Director Lindsey Grayzel and Co-Producer Deia Schlosberg were two of four independent filmmakers to be arrested and charged with crimes for filming the activists on October 11, 2016. Their arrests contributed to the alarm that civil and personal rights have increasingly come under attack as law enforcement and prosecutors favor corporate fossil fuel interests over both citizens’ rights and the rights of all life on the planet. Lindsey’s and Deia’s charges have been dropped, and they have joined forces to tell Ken’s story through this film.
SOCAN meetings are free and open to the public. However, any donations to help defray the costs of obtaining the film will be gratefully received.
For more information, visit: https://www.thereluctantradicalmovie.com/
Movie Production contacts for interview possibilities:
Director Lindsey Grayzel thereluctantradicalmovie@gmail.com
The Reluctant Radical star Ken Ward: kenward.brightlines@gmail.com
