Incident at Oglala
Monday, June 29
7:00 PM
Hooked on Colfax
3215 E. Colfax Ave, Denver
$5 suggested donation or 1 hour volunteer

In 1974, in a true incident, two FBI agents were killed in a gun battle that erupted on a reservation in Oglala, North Dakota. Leonard Peltier, a leader of AIM (the American Indian Movement) was… In 1974, in a true incident, two FBI agents were killed in a gun battle that erupted on a reservation in Oglala, North Dakota. Leonard Peltier, a leader of AIM (the American Indian Movement) was convicted of the murders. However, existing evidence suggests that Peltier did not commit the crimes, and that his arrest may have been politically motivated. British director Michael Apted, known for his probing documentaries (the 7 UP series), explores this question through interviews with witnesses, judges, US attorneys, Peltier, and a mysterious figure named Mister X–who claims to be the person who shot the two FBI agents. Narrated by Robert Redford, who has long been associated with Native American causes, the film makes a strong case that Peltier should at least receive another trial. It also reconstructs the chaotic time before the incident, when division between two factions on the reservation created an atmosphere of sheer terror. Released shortly before THUNDERHEART, Apted’s fictionalized portrayal of Native American life in the 1970s, INCIDENT AT OGLALA presents a disturbing examination of the mistreatment of American Indians, and like Apted’s film CLASS ACTION, the film also examines the U.S. legal system.

American Outrage
co-presented by the
Denver Justice and Peace Committee
Thursday, July 16
7:00 PM
Mercury Cafe
2199 California St, Denver
$5 suggested donation or 1 hour volunteer

American Outrage documents the fight of two grandmothers, Carrie Dann and Mary Dann, against the U.S. government’s unlawful attempts to take over traditional Shoshone land in Nevada, part of 60 millions acres guaranteed to them in the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley. Over the years the Dann sisters have endured steady harassment from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and they have squared off against international gold mining corporations and the nuclear industry. Their courage and perseverance in asserting the rights of indigenous peoples have brought them numerous awards, including the 1993 Alternative Nobel Prize and the International Right Livelihood Award.

Followed by Q&A with a representative from the Native American Rights Fund (NARF)

Homeland
Four Portraits of
Native Action
Monday, June 22
7:00 PM
Hooked on Colfax
3215 E. Colfax Ave, Denver
$5 suggested donation or 1 hour volunteer

Nearly all Indian lands in the U.S. face grave environmental threats – toxic waste, strip mining, oil drilling and nuclear contamination. But a handful of activists are fighting back.

Filmed against some of America’s most spectacular backdrops, from Alaska to Maine and Montana to New Mexico, Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action profiles the against-all-odds struggles of Native American leaders who are taking on powerful energy companies and government agencies to protect the environment for all Americans. A moving tribute to the power of grassroots organizing, Homeland is also a call-to-action against the current dismantling of thirty years of environmental laws.

DOUBLE FEATURE
American Outrage
followed by:
The Man Who Planted Trees
Thursday, February 5
7:00 PM
Mercury Cafe
2199 California St, Denver

American Outrage
Two grandmothers, Carrie Dann and Mary Dann, have been at the forefront of the Western Shoshone Nation’s struggle for land rights and sovereignty for nearly forty years. American Outrage documents their fight against the U.S. government’s unlawful attempts to take over traditional Shoshone land in Nevada, part of 60 millions acres guaranteed to them in the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley. Over the years the Dann sisters have endured steady harassment from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and they have squared off against international gold mining corporations and the nuclear industry.

followed by an Academy Award winner for Best Animated Film:

The Man Who Planted Trees
The story of a solitary shepherd who patiently plants and nurtures a forest of thousands of trees, transforming his arid surroundings into a thriving oasis.

ArgusFest Short Films
Thursday, January 29
7:00 PM
Mercury Cafe
2199 California St, Denver

ArgusFest typically screens feature length films but over the years I’ve collected some really incredible short films. Tonight is dedicated to sharing those films. Most are documentary but there are a few fiction included as well.

FILMS:

American Outrage
Two grandmothers, Carrie Dann and Mary Dann, have been at the forefront of the Western Shoshone Nation’s struggle for land rights and sovereignty for nearly forty years. American Outrage documents their fight against the U.S. government’s unlawful attempts to take over traditional Shoshone land in Nevada, part of 60 millions acres guaranteed to them in the 1863 Treaty of Ruby Valley. Over the years the Dann sisters have endured steady harassment from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and they have squared off against international gold mining corporations and the nuclear industry.

Speak Truth to Power
Speak Truth To Power seeks to promote a more just and peaceful world by galvanizing public support for international human rights through cultural, educational, and web-based programs.

Popaganda
A film about the culture-jamming and billboard-liberation antics of Ron English.

The Chinese Wall
A short film about perception and judgement.

A Conversation with Harris
Animated short about a young boy immigrating to America from war-torn Bosnia

Ravens
A father who’s son was killed in war returns the medal awarded to his son.

Voice of a Prophet
An interview with Rick Rescorla, head of security for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, filmed in his office on the 44th floor of the World Trade Center in 1998. A retired Army colonel and veteran of three wars, Rescorla was killed in the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, during which he saved the lives of thousands of WTC employees at the cost of his own life.

A Girl Like Me
Interviews with a variety of black girls in high school concerning the standards of beauty imposed on today’s black girls and how this affects their self-image.

Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness
A film about women’s right to choice.

Copwatch
Activists take to the streets with video cameras to monitor the Police.

The War of 33: Letters from Beirut
An intimate, personal and powerful telling of the story of the 2006 war in Lebanon.

Fridays at the Farm
Feeling disconnected from their food, a filmmaker and his family decide to join a community supported organic farm.