Thursday, May 12, 2011

Ann Arbor Docu Fest

free documentary films every Monday ~ 7pm
Cafe Ambrosia, 326 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor
behind Nickels Arcade


Monday, June 6 - The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers

2010 Academy Award Nominee - Best Documentary Feature; George Foster Peabody Award;
Erik Barnouw Award; History Maker Best Award; John E. O’Connor Film Award; many others. “Riveting! A straight-ahead, enthralling story of moral courage. This story changed the world." - NY Magazine. “The most exciting thriller I’ve seen in a while – as powerful as anything Hollywood can throw at us.” - NY Post.

Story of a moral giant. In 1971 Daniel Ellsberg shook America to its foundations when he smuggled a Pentagon study to the NY Times showing how five Presidents lied about the Vietnam War that was killing millions and tearing America apart. Pres. Nixon's Nat'l. Security Advisor Henry Kissinger called Ellsberg "the most dangerous man in America," who "had to be stopped at all costs." But Ellsberg wasn't stopped. For the first time on film, we see the inside story of this pivotal event that changed history and transformed our nation's political discourse. Recently, Ellsberg has been speaking on behalf of current truth-teller Julian Assange.


Monday, June 13 - Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood

Consuming Kids throws desperately needed light on the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and violent video games to bogus educational products and the family car. Drawing on the insights of health care professionals, children's advocates, and industry insiders, the film focuses on the explosive growth of child marketing in the wake of deregulation, showing how youth marketers have used the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world.

Consuming Kids pushes back against the wholesale commercialization of childhood, raising urgent questions about the ethics of children's marketing and its impact on the health and well-being of kids.


Monday, June 20 - Food, Inc.

2010 Academy Award Nominee - Best Documentary Feature; won awards too numerous to mention. Accolades from many reviewers and media outlets.

An unflattering look inside America's corporate controlled food industry. Armed with witty, clear graphics and ironically bright color, 'Food, Inc.' will gain more converts to "slow," organic, local food and opponents to crooked food regulation and monopolistic industry. This seems one of the most balanced and humane treatments of the subject yet. Director Robert Kenner smartly offers ways to change the barbaric methods and marketing of food.

Food, Inc. is a populist and practical film that speaks with the voices of farmers, advocates, and journalists, and focuses on food, what's wrong with it, and what we can do about it. It offers lots of practical information and appeals to everyday people.

The director is to be commended for having the courage to tackle this very important topic.


Monday, June 27 - GasHole

GasHole is about the history of oil prices and the future of alternative fuels. The film takes a wide, yet detailed examination of our dependence on foreign supplies of Oil. What are the causes that led America from a leading exporter of oil to the world's largest importer? What are the economic and sociological forces that contributed to that change and impede its solution? The film examines many different potential solutions to our oil dependence. Starting with claims of buried technology that dramatically improve gas mileage, to navigating bureaucratic governmental roadblocks, to evaluating different alternative fuels that are technologically available now, to questioning the American Consumer's reluctance to embrace alternatives. If you buy gasoline, you should see this movie!


Cafe Ambrosia ~ (734) 929-9979