Strange Culture

artistic freedom and political urgency
Strange Culture
I've seen this docudrama twice now. It offers a penetrating yet quite understated commentary on the emergence of what author Bertram Gross once described as "friendly fascism" - not the jackboots, uniforms and screeching rhetoric, but our 'friendly protection' from terrorism, and at the same time our 'protection' from lingering anxieties concerning genetically modified foods. You wouldn't think all this would come together in a single FBI case, currently pending. But it has. In Buffalo, New York.

One of the poignant features of this film is the determinedly honest picture it paints of the warm but intermittently irritable relation between Steve Kurtz, the central surviving character in this tragedy, and his wife of many years (played by Tilda Swinton), the day before she suddenly died. So is the portrayal of the acute fears of a student of 'Middle Eastern' origin, as he decides...

Everyone should see this
This documentary does a great job conveying a truly bizarre and outrageous (and still ongoing) situation that shows how easily people can be persecuted in the hysteria and stubbornness surrounding the war on terror. It does an equally good job of telling the story of the personal tragedy of these inspiring artists and activists; and showcasing the creative, hard-hitting work of the CAE. The story and its chilling political implications have really stuck with me; I've recommended it to many people.

most moving film I've seen so far
I watched this film on IFC, and immediately ordered a copy. I plan on showing this movie in all ART classes and CRIMINAL JUSTICE classes at my university. This documentary tears the roof off our 'friendly loving' government and shows the reality of the situation. We're all 100% guilty until proven innocent. Even then, being proven innocent means nothing, just that they'll try to get you on a different more BS charge!

Buy it! Watch it! Join the mailing list- This is happening right now, and YOU can make a difference! Take a look at CAE_Defense (at) yahoogroups.com for the fastest and most current updates.

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