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Wednesday, May 1st at 6:00pm
Opening Reception
Please join us for light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments in honor of May Day and to open May Day: An International Poster Exhibit to the public. The exhibit is comprised of posters selected from a collection of over 3800, and are on loan from Stephen Lewis, a long-time activist in the labor movement and a former Treasurer of his union.
Click here to buy tickets, add to your calendar, or share on Facebook/Twitter/Google+ |
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| May Day: Images of Work and Revolution Wednesday, May 1st at 7:00pm
dir. Travis Wilkerson, US, 2003, 16mm, 53 min. An Injury to One provides a corrective-and absolutely compelling-glimpse of a particularly volatile moment in early 20th century American labor history: the rise and fall of Butte, Montana. Specifically, it chronicles the mysterious death of Wobbly organizer Frank Little, a story whose grisly details have taken on a legendary status in the state. Butte's history was entirely shaped by its exploitation by the Anaconda Mining Company, which, at the height of WWI, produced ten percent of the world's copper from the town's depths. War profiteering and the company's extreme indifference to the safety of its employees (mortality rates in the mines were higher than in the trenches of Europe) led to Little's arrival. "The Agitator" found in the desperate, agonized miners overwhelming support for his ideas, which included the abolishment of the wage system and the establishment of a socialist commonwealth. In August 1917, Little was abducted by still-unknown assailants who hung him from a railroad bridge. The murder provides An Injury to One with a taut, suspenseful narrative, but it isn't the only story. Archival footage mixes with deftly deployed intertitles, while the lyrics to traditional mining songs are accompanied by music from William Oldham, Jim O'Rourke, and the band Low, producing an appropriately moody, effulgent and strangely out-of-time soundtrack. The result is a unique film/video hybrid that combines painterly images, incisive writing, and a bold graphic sensibility to produce an articulate example of the aesthetic and political possibilities offered by filmmaking in the digital age. Preceded by:
Misery in Borinage (Misère au Borinage)
dir. Joris Ivens, Henri Storck, Belgium, 1933, HD, 36 min., silent, Flemish and French intertitles with English subtitles Through documentary and re-enactments this landmark film frames the aftermath of a miner's strike in the Walloon region of Belgium from the workers' point of view. As the workers' living conditions worsen the mining company remains steadfast in its opposition to the efforts of organized labor. This brutal portrait of struggle and resistance is one of the most important political films ever made. Click here to buy tickets, add to your calendar, or share on Facebook/Twitter/Google+ |
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| May Day: Images of Work and Revolution Thursday, May 2nd at 7:00pm
dir. Stewart Bird, Rene Lichtman, Peter Gessner, US, 1970, video, 55 min. - Produced in Association with the League of Revolutionary Black Workers Finally Got the News is a forceful, unique documentary that reveals the activities of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers inside and outside the auto factories of Detroit. Through interviews with the members of the movement, footage shot in the auto plants, and footage of leafleting and picketing actions, the film documents their efforts to build an independent black labor organization that, unlike the UAW, will respond to worker's problems, such as the assembly line speed-up and inadequate wages faced by both black and white workers in the industry. Beginning with a historical montage, from the early days of slavery through the subsequent growth and organization of the working class, Finally Got the News focuses on the crucial role played by the black worker in the American economy. Also explored is the educational 'tracking' system for both white and black youth, the role of African American women in the labor force and relations between white and black workers. Preceded by:
The Real Thing
dir. Peter Schnall, US, 1984, video, 36 min. When the Coca Cola bottling plant in Guatemala City was abruptly closed in 1984, 460 workers lost jobs. The owners claimed bankruptcy, the workers cried foul play and refused to leave the plant. The Real Thing tells the union's story, and of the ultimately successful year long occupation of the plant, as it examines the use of bankruptcy as a method to bust unions and the neglect of foreign responsibilities by U.S. based multinationals. Narrated by Martin Sheen. Click here to buy tickets, add to your calendar, or share on Facebook/Twitter/Google+ |
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| May Day: Images of Work and Revolution Friday, May 3rd at 7:00pm
dir. Paul Schrader, US, 1978, 35mm, 114 min. Paul Schrader (writer of Taxi Driver and American Gigolo) made his directorial debut with this gritty story of loyalty and corruption. The corruption, in this case, comes in the form of a union that is consistently undermining the workers as they fight over their paltry wages in an all too familiar class struggle. Three friends (Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto and Richard Pryor) decide to take matters into their own hands by stealing from the union. From there things spiral out of control as those in power resort to ever more dramatic measures to keep their secrets from the very workers they are supposed to represent. Blue Collar is an under-recognized gem from the peak of the New American Cinema and a scathing critique of American greed and power. Preceded by:
Meet King Joe
Prod. John Sutherland Productions, US, 1949, 16mm, color, 9 min.
A relic from the post-war boom in American economic growth, this animated film is a perfect example of capitalist propaganda. The main character "Joe" represents the typical American worker who, evidently, doesn't realize how good his life really is compared to other workers around the world. Click here to buy tickets, add to your calendar, or share on Facebook/Twitter/Google+ |
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The box office at IHP is now open Tuesday - Saturday, from 1pm - 8pm. There are no service fees when you buy your tickets in person or over the phone with IHP! Get your tickets in advance. Stop in or call 215.387.5125 and select option 2 on the phone menu. |
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Our Mission International House Philadelphia is a multicultural residential center, a source of distinctive programming, and the embodiment of an ideal. Our critical three-fold mission: to maintain a diverse and welcoming community for scholars from around the world, while introducing them to the American experience; to broaden the horizons of its residents and the larger community through high quality international arts and humanities programs and to encourage cooperation and respect among the peoples of all nations. Founded 102 years ago in 1910, International House Philadelphia is an independent, non-profit organization housing nearly 400 students, scholars and interns from over 65 countries. We provide a unique residential experience that supports their development as future leaders by offering a full spectrum of programs that create individuals able to work and interact successfully with people from all backgrounds. To support both our residents and the Greater Philadelphia community, International House Philadelphia has long been the premiere presenter of international arts and cultural programs. INTERNATIONAL HOUSE PHILADELPHIA 3701 CHESTNUT STREET PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104 215.387.5125 www.ihousephilly.org |
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