20m; Japan
Director: Doro-Chiba
Synopsis: Fight against privatization on Japanese rail lines.
Category Archives: Genre
West Virginia Author – Shawn Bennett (2007)
25m; U.S.
Director: Gordon Simmons
Synopsis: Host Gordon Simmons interviews Shawn Bennett, the director of the new WV labor documentary, “The Battle of Local 5668.” Bennett talks about his father and family in Parkersburg. His father worked for years at the Ravenswood Aluminum plant including during the lock-out shown in his film. He also talks about spending several years making the film, commuting from his Hollywood job where he is currently trying to organize members of his profession.
Contact: http://librarycommission.lib.wv.us/html/ltn/index_ltn.html
West Virginia’s Underground Economy (2006)
30m; U.S.
Synopsis: A short film documenting West Virginian companies importing employees from out of the state, paying cash to employees to avoid taxes, and using other underhanded tactics . Also seventeen TV commercials about the WV Jobs Act, 40-hour workweek, outsourcing, clean water, business development and other themes.
Contact: Affiliated Construction Trades Foundation- A Division of the West Virginia State Building and Construction Trades Council – AFL-CIO tttp://www.actwv.org/commercials.mx. Commercials about unfair practices are at Access: http://actwvvideo.merlix.com/
West Virginia State Archives Labor Films (Various Years)
5m each; U.S.
Synopsis: A collection of 5 minute long (each) audio and video files of or about historical labor events. Including: Kaiser Aluminum, 1957 Walter Reuther at the West Virginia Centennial Celebration, 1963 Hominy Falls Mine Disaster, 1968 Farmington Mine Explosion, 1968 Black Lung Rally, 1969 UMWA Presidential Candidate Arnold Miller at Miners’ Rally, 1972 Dedication of the Mine Health and Safety Academy, 1976.
Contact: Audio/Video Files from the West Virginia State Archives. Access: http://www.wvculture.org/history/av.html
Western Coal – An American Dilemma (1980)
21m; U.S.
Synopsis: This films investigates the various issues and conflicts arising out of the extensive strip mining activities in and around a small Montana town. One one side are the coal companies, ranchers who want to sell their land, work men who need jobs and merchants who need the business. On the other side are ranchers and towns people joined by legislators who are concerned about destruction of their land and their way of life. Supported by the Tri-State Humanities Commission. The film helped establish a dialogue between the opposing sides.
Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary (2005)
97m; U.S.
Director: Arturo Perez Torres, Heather Haynes
Synopsis: Wetback, a quietly commanding documentary, follows in the footsteps of immigrants traveling from Nicaragua to the United States. On their journeys, they encounter gangs and vigilantes, as well as border patrol. But these immigrants navigate real-life nightmares with uncanny calm, grace, even humor. And director Arturo Perez Torres does all of us a favor by getting out of the way and allowing them to tell their stories.
Contact: http://www.ironweedfilms.com/films/wetback
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