-----Original Message-----
From: www.richardcohenfilms.com [mailto:rbc24@earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2004 11:37 AM
To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu
Subject: Re: [Videolib] New Releases from...special offers to public
libraries
It is great to see this dialogue taking place, and amazing to see an offer
like Jonathan's along with a response like Becky's. I've always thought
public libraries are one of the best places for social documentaries. You
provide free access to the communities for our work, and the money that the
libraries spend on independent documentaries, generally goes into the making
of more films. In the spirit of this exchange, and to increase my sales, I
too am going to make an offer to public libraries.
A few years ago I offered "Taylor's Campaign" (called "best film on
homelessness and poverty in this era" in Teaching Sociology, "excellent" in
the LA Times, and "highly recommended" in Library Journal) for $12 to public
libraries and received very few purchases at that price (more at the regular
price of $49). It was a discouraging experience reminding me of a story
that another independent filmmaker shared with me. After winning an academy
award he thought, This is it I can get my film into the public libraries.
He invested a lot of money in promotion and lost a lot of money. His advice
to me was to bypass the public libraries. Instead, I did a few mailings,
and tried unsuccessfully to get a grant to give that highly praised tape
away.
Fortunately, my next film, "Going To School-Ir a la Escuela" on inclusion
and special education was selected by National Video Resources and 300
copies were recently offered to libraries for free as part of their human
rights video project.
The four feature documentaries that I made and distribute are: Going To
School-Ir a la Escuela, Hurry Tomorrow, Deadly Force and Taylor's Campaign.
You can check them out at my website: http//www.richardcohenfilms.com
As I said, In the spirit of this exchange and to increase my sales, I'm
offering the four tape set to public libraries for $109.(includes shipping).
Also, I will spread the word that the films are available at your libraries
so that people in your neighborhoods will know where to check them out. The
offer is good as long as it works.
Tatar, Becky wrote:
Hi, Jonathan!
Since I have stated the same thing as Fred, now is the time to put my money
where my mouth is, so to speak. I have sent your post to our AV ordering
person, and you should get it next week. Now, I don't anticipate a monster
circ for these titles, but I do think that given what's happening in the
world, we need to have films like this in the collection. But even though I
have a sizable film budget overall, my budget for World History is $1000.
And my budget for Social Issues is $600. Purchasing your 5 films at $350
each would put me over the top for those two areas!. Plus, and I know this
shouldn't be a factor, but I just can't face telling a patron that since
their tape player ate the tape, they have to pony up the $350 to replace it.
That's more than their player probably cost. I hope a lot of us public
librarians take you up on your offer!
Becky Tatar
Unit Head, Periodicals, Audiovisual
Aurora Public Library
1 E. Benton Street
Aurora, IL 60505
PHONE: 630-264-4100
FAX: 630-896-3209
www.aurora.lib.il.us <http://www.aurora.lib.il.us>
E-mail: bltata@aurora.lib.il.us <mailto:bltata@aurora.lib.il.us>
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Miller [ mailto:jmiller@frif.com <mailto:jmiller@frif.com> ]
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 12:26 PM
To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu <mailto:videolib@library.berkeley.edu> ;
fsandner@rcls.org <mailto:fsandner@rcls.org>
Subject: Re: [Videolib] New Releases from the Cinema Guild -Middle
Eastern Studies
Dear Fred,
Maybe. Let's test your theory!
I am prepared to make a special offer to every public library on this list:
You can set your own price - but it should be the best price you would be
prepared to pay normally, and let's see what the price (and demand for
these films) is that you are talking about!
As a test. (Ok - it has to be at least $10 for the tape, and $10 to cover
shipping and handling),
And everyone can have ONE WEEK (till the close of business next Friday) to
come thru.
And you can choose from these, the most popular of our recent Middle East
related films:
AL JAZEERA: http://frif.com/new2003/jaz.html
<http://frif.com/new2003/jaz.html>
THE BOMBING: http://frif.com/new2000/bomb.html
<http://frif.com/new2000/bomb.html>
GENERATION X SADDAM: http://frif.com/new2003/genx.html
<http://frif.com/new2003/genx.html>
THE JUNCTION: http://frif.com/new2004/jun.html
<http://frif.com/new2004/jun.html>
TWENTY YEARS OLD IN THE MIDDLE EAST: http://frif.com/new2003/twen.html
<http://frif.com/new2003/twen.html>
If you order one or more of them online make a note about this special test
offer and what you are prepared to pay in the "Special
Instructions/Comments" section of the order form, and we will adjust the
price when invoicing / charging you, to what the best price is you say you
are willing to pay for the title.
I will report back on what the results are!
Best
Jonathan Miller
President
First Run/Icarus Films
PS sorry, public libraries only!
Mr At 07:34 PM 8/26/2004 -0400, you wrote:
Great films! I would probably order "Different Drummer" for our
Jewish/Israel/Palestinian collection, but even though we're a medium-sized
public library, we just casn't afford $275 for one title. Public libraries
are not just interested in pop movie fare - they often have special
collections or concentrations - but the prices of documentaries are
prohibitive. My theory has been: cut the price significantly and the
difference will be made up in sales.
---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Handeh Kemmer" <mailto:hkemmer@cinemaguild.com>
<hkemmer@cinemaguild.com>
Reply-To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu
<mailto:videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 12:52:13 -0400
"Media collections seeking an unbiased and balanced portrayal of one of
our world's most fractious situations should consider purchasing this
well-crafted title."
School Library Journal
DIFFERENT DRUMMERS:
DARING TO MAKE PEACE IN THE MIDEAST
Examining the efforts of Israeli and Palestinian organizations and
individuals to overcome the legacy of bitterness between them and to find
ways to end the ongoing conflict. It features interviews with a variety
of Israeli human rights and peace activists who, out of political and
religious commitment, are confronting the controversial issues of the
Occupation, the Jewish settlements, the checkpoints, and the Palestinian
refugee problem.
Directed by John Michalczyk
2003, color, 50 mins, VHS
************************************************************************
"...turns out to be rather prescient...offers viewers a lot of food for
thought, while also presenting a seldom-seen glimpse of everyday Iraqi
life...a valuable contemporary document. Sure to be a popular addition,
this is highly recommended for both public and academic library
collections."-Video Librarian
IRAQ: VOICES FROM THE STREETS
The filmaker joins a U.S. congressional delegation, led by Congressman
Nick Rahall (D-West Virginia) and former South Dakota Senator James
Abourezk, that traveled to Iraq in September 2002 to meet with Sa'doun
Hammadi, Speaker of the Iraqi National Assembly, and Tariq Aziz, Iraqi
Deputy Prime Minister, to discuss the readmission of UN arms inspectors
in the hope of averting war. The video also features numerous
'man-in-the-street' interviews with Iraqi citizens, commentary from
international politicians and peace activists, shocking views of the
impact of UN sanctions and U.S. bombing on the Iraqi economy and
population, and the restrictions of the 'oil for food' program. Whatever
one's attitude about the U.S. war with Iraq, this short video offers a
rare chance to hear the views of ordinary Iraqi citizens about the U.S.
Directed by Sonia Angulo and Saul Landau
2002, color, 22 mins., VHS
*********************************************************************
"Poignant, timely...important...a riveting documentary with the feel of
an undercover expose." - School Library Journal
SECRET HEBRON: THE SCHOOL RUN
Revealing the plight of young Palestinian children in the West Bank city
of Hebron who regularly risk being attacked by Israeli soldiers as they
try to go to school each morning. While the presence of international
observers sometimes helps the children get safely to school, Israeli
soldiers also regularly use percussion grenades, tear gas and rubber
bullets against them. Thus, in direct contravention of UN resolutions and
the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Israeli government continues to deny a
generation of Palestinian children in the Occupied Territories their
right to an education.
Directed by Donna Baillie
2003, color, 28 mins., VHS
*********************************************************************
"...Judgment Day is more interested in finding solutions than becoming
mired in recriminations...What gives the film poignancy is that the
filmmaker seems as genuinely interested in the long-term effects the
Occupation has on Israeli culture as in the physical damage it inflicts
on Palestinians."-Cineaste Magazine
JUDGEMENT DAY
By comparing the current Israeli/Palestinian conflict with the previous
struggle for liberation and democracy in South Africa, this film makes a
universal statement about war and the effects of war on young people on
both sides of the conflicts. Focusing on the experiences of two young
South Africans who discuss how they were brutalized in the South African
conflict and who explain their current search for healing. After tracing
the 1967 occupation by Israel of the Palestinian territories and
examining the viewpoint of the Israeli settler communities.
Directed by Kevin Harris
2001, color, 59 mins., VHS
***********************************************************************
"...captivating...this timely program presents the rich and diverse
society of Syria as one which could be emblematic of much of the Middle
East, and is certainly worthy of purchase consideration for media
collections needing well-timed and contemporary information in an
effective presentation."-School Library Journal
SYRIA: BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE
Imagine a nation located between Israel, with its ongoing Palestinian
tensions, and Iraq occupied by US forces. High U.S. officials threaten
Syria, accusing it of accumulating weapons of mass destruction and having
links to terrorists. Inside the country, we see a delicate balance of
modern-clad men and women maintaining centuries-old traditions amidst
satellite dishes on roofs and other symbols of globalization.
Directed by Saul Landau
2004, color, 30 mins., VHS
********************************************************************
"This important film is a damning indictment of how the government
over-reacted after 9/11, singling out and targeting people who had
nothing to do with terrorism. It should have the widest possible
distribution and viewing by the American public." - Abdeen Jabara, Civil
Rights Attorney and Former President of the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee
POINT OF ATTACK
In the aftermath of 9/11this documentary chronicles the racial
profiling, large scale round-ups, detentions and mass deportations of
Arab, Muslim and South Asian men as part of the government's "War on
Terrorism." Interviews with detainees who tell about their arrest and
detention, a mandatory special registration program that is imposed on
Muslims, flights across the Canadian Border, and mass deportations
overseas give a chilling view of their ordeal. The documentary frames the
plight of these immigrant communities within the context of the US
government's "other war" against civil liberties that is being waged via
the USA Patriot Act. Although the "point of attack" of such legislation
may be specific immigrant groups, the broader implications, detailing the
undermining of basic freedoms for everyone, are explored.
Directed by: Kathleen Foster
2004,color, 46 mins, VHS
*********************************************************************
"...effectively conveys reasons for Palestinian outrage, with stark
evidence of the destruction wrought by the Israeli armed forces...For
strong Middle East collections."-Library Journal
WOMEN IN BLACK
Documenting the activities of Women in Black, a multinational
organization that holds vigils for peace around the world, focusing on
their efforts to promote a peaceful resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian
conflict. The video also features interviews with members of the Israeli
Women in Black, Jewish Israeli women who in 1988 founded the organization
to protest their government's Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, as
well as Palestinians struggling to maintain normal family life while
surrounded by tanks and snipers, a Jewish settler woman who voices fears
for her family, and documents the impact of the recent siege on life in
Bethlehem, and the harsh realities of everyday life in the Jenin refugee
camp.
Directed by Donna Baillie
2002, color, 53 mins., VHS
***********************************************************************
BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT:
CHRIS JACKSON'S JOURNEY TO ISLAM
In 1996, basketball star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (formerly Chris Jackson)
caused a national stir when the NBA suspended him for refusing to stand
during the national anthem because of his "Muslim conscience." The
documentary reexamines this controversy, the media misrepresentations and
the reactions of the Muslim immigrants who responded with an embarrassed
disavowal. Although Abdul Rauf's stance was consistent with the political
orientation of many African American Muslims, his dissent perplexed many
immigrant Muslims unfamiliar with the long history of American dissent.
The film documents multiple and competing perspectives creating a complex
montage of voices, including the analyses of four Muslim jurists,
addresses issues of Islam in the US which take on a special urgency after
9-11and yet the film remains a simple story of one man's spiritual
journey.
Directed by Zareena Grewal
2004, 52 mins, VHS
To request a preview tape, please call or email Handeh Kemmer
at (212) 685-6242 or hkemmer@cinemaguild.com
<mailto:hkemmer@cinemaguild.com>
The Cinema Guild
130 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 685-6242
Fax: (212) 685-4717
Web: www.cinemaguild.com <http://www.cinemaguild.com>
--Fred Sandner
Head, Circulation/Media Services
Finkelstein Memorial Library
You see, I don't believe that libraries should
be drab places where people sit in silence,
and that's been the main reason for our policy
of employing wild animals as librarians.
-Monty Python, "Gorilla Librarian" sketch
--
_______________________________________________
Videolib mailing list
Videolib@library.berkeley.edu <mailto:Videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/videolib <http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/videolib>
Jonathan Miller, President
First Run/Icarus Films, Inc.
32 Court Street, 21st Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201 USA
Tel. 1.718.488.8900
Fax. 1.718.488.8642
web: www.frif.com <http://www.frif.com>
email: jmiller@frif.com <mailto:jmiller@frif.com>
_______________________________________________
Videolib mailing list
Videolib@library.berkeley.edu <mailto:Videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/videolib <http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/videolib>
_______________________________________________
Videolib mailing list
Videolib@library.berkeley.edu <mailto:Videolib@library.berkeley.edu>
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/videolib <http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/mailman/listinfo/videolib>