Genre | THE LABOR FILM DATABASE

Soldiers of the Rock (2003)

94m; South Africa

Director: Norman Maake

Cast: Vuyo Dabula, Lebo Mathosa and Glen Gabela

Synopsis ( Variety): “A South African gold mining crew struggles with cultural pride, internecine friction and constant danger in the bracing, socially-conscious actioner “Soldiers of the Rock.” Despite overly-ambitious plotting, novelty of milieu and gritty action set pieces will earn pic fest play and distrib interest, with genre elements a good draw in ancillary . . . Seemingly inspired by both Ken Loach and Michael Bay.”

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Crime-Action

Tags: Mining

The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956)

07 May

99m; U.S.

Director: Richard Quine

Cast: Judy Holliday, John Williams and Paul Douglas

Synopsis (IMDB): Laura Partridge is a very enthusiastic small stockholder of 10 shares in International Projects, a large corporation based in New York. She attends her first stockholder meeting ready to question the board of directors from their salaries to their operations. These are not the questions which the board expected to be asked of them, especially since they are all crooked, except for Edward McKeever, the current CEO who has resigned in order to take an advisory position at the Pentagon. Following the meeting, he bumps into Laura and offers to drive her home. On the way there, Laura displays her enthusiasm for being a stockholder, as a result, Edward takes a liking to her. With Edward in Washington, John Blessington and Clifford Snell establish their hold on International Projects – They see greater riches now that Edward has influence with the US senate, especially with the awarding of federal contracts.

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Comedy, Finance, Industrial/Mine/Manufacturing, Romance, White Collar

Solidarity Has No Borders – The Journey of the Neptune Jade (2005)

07 May

26m; U.S.

Director: Video Labor Project

Synopsis: In 1997, in support of striking Liverpool dock workers, San Francisco longshore workers refused to handle cargo in the Neptune Jade ship.

Contact: lvpsf@labornet.org

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Documentary, Global Economy, Strikes-Strikebreaking-Lockouts

Tags: Boating and Shipping

Solitary Life Of Cranes (2008)

07 May

27m; U.K.

Directro: Eva Weber

Synopsis: In this companion piece to CITY OF CRANES (SILVERDOCS ’08), anonymous crane operators muse about their unique occupation while the camera voyeuristically captures London scenes. This is a wonderful short that contemplates the modern metropolis and its unceasing development.

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Construction Trades, Documentary, Experimental, Industrial/Mine/Manufacturing

Somers Town (2008)

07 May

71m; U.K.

Director: Shane Meadows

Cast: Thomas Turgoose, Ireneusz Czop and Piotr Jagiello

Synopsis: Two teenagers, both newcomers to London, forge an unlikely friendship over the course of a hot summer. Tomo (Thomas Turgoose) is a runaway from Nottingham; Marek (Piotr Jagiello), a Polish immigrant, lives in the district of Somers Town, between King’s Cross and Euston stations, where his dad is working on a new rail link. When Marek agrees to let homeless Tomo move into his room, unbeknownst to his father, the pair forms a strong bond, as they work odd jobs for an eccentric neighbor and compete for the attention of Maria, a beautiful young French waitress whom they are both infatuated with. But it’s only a matter of time before Marek’s dad discovers what’s going on…

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Comedy, Drama, Immigrants/Immigration, Romance, Working Class

Something to Hide (1999)

07 May

Director: National Labor Committee

Synopsis: A delegation of U.S. students and workers with the National Labor Committee visit sweatshops in El Salvador.

Contact: See the film here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3tT45Q6uKM

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Available Online, Documentary, Global Economy, Streaming Online (Youtube, Vimeo)

Sometimes a Great Notion (1970)

07 May

114m; U.S.

Director: Paul Newman

Cast: Paul Newman, Henry Fonda and Lee Remick

Synopsis (IMDB): Hank Stamper and his father, Henry Stamper own and operate the family business by cutting and shipping logs in Oregon. The town is furious when they continue working despite the town going broke and the other loggers go on strike ordering the Stampers to stop, however Hank continues to push his family on cutting more trees. Hank’s wife wishes he would stop and hopes that they can spend more time together. When Hank’s half trouble making brother Leland comes to work for them, more trouble starts.

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Crime-Action, Drama, Self-Employed/Freelance, Working Class

The Son (2002)

07 May

103m; Belguim

Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Cast: Olivier Gourmet, Morgan Marinne and Isabella Soupart

Synopsis (IMDB): Olivier – meticulous, careful, even-handed – teaches carpentry at a vocational school in Liège. He’s asked to take on Francis, 16, a new student. He declines the request then begins to watch, even spy on, the new lad. Olivier knows something. Later that day, he’s visited by Magali, his ex-wife, who tells him that she’s remarrying and is pregnant. Olivier seems to follow instinctive responses: “why today?” he demands of Magali; he continues to follow Francis; he changes his mind about enrolling the youth. What’s the history between the two? After that becomes clear, what is it Olivier will do? Is this precise and measured carpenter in control of himself?

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Children, Construction Trades, Drama, Education

Song of Strike (2001)

07 May

30m; South Korea

Director: Labor News Production

Synopsis: This series of videos tells the story of the Korean working class through music and footage of the struggle. This stirring video shows the soul of the Korean labor movement.

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Posted by Metro Council on May 7, 2012 in Documentary, Organizing, Strikes-Strikebreaking-Lockouts