[Imc-auckland-events] Indymedia Screening -THE ANTIDOTE #13 -Sunday 28 August The Classic, 7pm.

[Chloe Heffernan]

 (((((i)))))) 

Auckland Indymedia presents.......

 

THE ANTIDOTE #13

 

An evening of alternative political docos 

Sunday 28 August The Comedy Classic, 

321 Queen Street, CBD 

7.00pm start time for films

$5 

 

Yes, the Antidote is back! With an election coming up, this month’s
screening focuses on political participation and local democracy in action.

 

Democracy? Don’t Know, Don’t Care 

47 minutes 

Produced by  -  Aotearoa Indymedia  

2001    

 

Democracy? Don’t Know,  Don’t Care is a 47  min. documentary investigating
falling voting and political participation rates in New Zealand particularly
at local government level. It is very timely look at voter apathy in New
Zealand and a local political race in action. 

 

Democracy? Don’t Know, Don’t Care follows the election process in Auckland
City and, in particular, the high-profile mayoral race between Dick Hubbard,
John Banks and Christine Fletcher. The documentary investigates reasons for
why people aren't voting by going out onto the street to find out ordinary
people's attitudes to voting and local body politics and by talking to
academics who specialise in the study of elections, political commentators,
the electoral commission, those seeking electoral reform and, of course, the
politicians themselves, including personal interviews and fly on the wall
moments. 

 

Is it the cynical portrayal of politics by the news media that turns people
off voting? Is it the predominance of spin-culture and the so-called
professionalisation of politics? Or is it the lack of coverage of local body
issues in the media that means that people simply lack the information to be
able to vote? Or is political campaigning, with its billboards and
baby-kissing, perceived to be a bit passé and just too 'uncool' to be
involved in these days?

 

Democracy? Don't Know,  Don't Care was made by a group of non-profit,
volunteer documentary makers associated with Aotearoa Indymedia, the
Auckland Doco Collective, which aims to provide community access to video
and documentary making. This project was in part funded by a grant from
Creative Communities. 

 

 

 

Store Wars: When Wal-Mart Comes to Town  

59 minutes

Director  - Micha Peled 

2001 

 

STORE WARS looks at the impact on a small town when Wal-Mart plans to build
a mega-store there. It raises questions about consumerism, suburban sprawl
and the decline of community, issues applicable to New Zealand.

 

In the US, Wal-Mart opens a new mega-store every two business days. This is
the story of the impact of discount chain stores on American towns and
cities, and on society as a whole. 

 

STORE WARS follows events in Ashland, Virginia, over a one-year period, from
the first stormy public hearing that galvanizes residents' opposition till
the Town Council takes a final vote on the proposed Wal-Mart store.
Arguments for the store (tax revenues, low prices, jobs) and against it
(destroys small town character, traffic, low-end jobs) are articulated and
hotly debated. The cast of characters includes the mayor and Town Council
members who will eventually make the decision, Wal-Mart representatives and
the "Pink Flamingos," the grassroots citizen group opposed to the store.

 

STORE WARS does not single out Wal-Mart, but rather highlights its position
as the icon of the Big Box industry. While offering a critical view of this
industry, the film presents fairly all viewpoints on this controversial
issue.

 

"A fascinating study in community action." Julie Salamon, New York Times

 

 

 

What Weapons of Mass Destruction? 

4 minutes

Director / Producer - Matthew Donaldson

2005

 

Commemorating the 60th anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings,
New Zealand artist Matthew Donaldson uses a bright orange billboard to
highlight the hypocrisy of the United States government's position on
weapons of mass destruction.

 

 

The Antidote aims to be a regular forum for the exposure of alternative
political filmmaking and media art. This is the 13th screening presented by
Auckland Indymedia. For more information contact:
<mailto:auckland at indymedia.org> auckland at indymedia.org

 

 

 

 

 

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