Try as they might, Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock can only make so many flicks. If it seems like those are the only two documentary filmmakers who stir the pot on a regular basis, perhaps it’s time to give Films For Action a look.
Lawrence resident Tim Hjersted fired up FFA four years ago as a forum to present activist-minded films to local audiences. FFA’s website (filmsforaction.org) has since become an exhaustive resource to watch entire films that would never make it to mainstream theaters or DVD shelves. This year, Hjersted hopes to partner with the Solidarity! Revolutionary Center & Radical Library to develop a lending library. He also has aspirations to branch out nationally by releasing the FFA name under a non-commercial creative commons license and helping other cities launch similar projects.
Films for Action will also reach the KU campus in 2009 thanks to Will Stewart-Starks, who is planning screenings at venues like the Kansas Union. Starks will bring a fresh perspective into the fold as a result of his experiences as a soldier (he’s also involved with Iraq Veterans Against the War) and his Libertarian bents.
Hjersted and Stewart-Starks joined us to discuss upcoming FFA events, the shortcomings of the mainstream media, and avenues for exploration in the world of alternative media.
Read the rest and listen to the podcast at Lawrence.com