Wilmette Theatre Hosts DOC Fest in March

“Before Watergate, WikiLeaks, and Edward Snowden, there was Media, Pennsylvania.” Opening exclusively in Chicagoland at the Wilmette Theatre on March 6th is the FBI break-in documentary 1971.

This film will kick-off a month long documentary fest at the Wilmette Theatre featuring films that have inspired change and/or examine major social issues.

Wendy Sharon, Executive Director, of the Wilmette Theatre, has curated a special selection of films that examine major social changes. We urge you to bring your movie group, family and friends as you will have plenty to discuss.

“Documentaries are always part of our programming and we have a special collection of documentaries in March. We were one of the few theatres in Chicago to screen CITIZENFOUR. Families came together to learn more about Edward Snowden’s disclosures and the implications for personal privacy. We also welcomed guests from the far suburbs and Wisconsin to see this important movie. Then Selma brought the civil rights movement of the 1960’s to film viewers. Many left the theatre in tears,” noted Sharon.

The 1960’s and 70’s launched other movements, which dramatically changed not only the United States, but also the world. “We want these changes to come alive for those who lived it and for the next generation,” said Sharon. Before Edward Snowden (CITIZENFOUR), there was the disclosure of widespread FBI surveillance and subsequent congressional hearings (1971) and the dramatic launch of the women’s movement, which opened doors for women in education, careers and sports (She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry). Another documentary that will be screened is Red Army, which examines how sport mirrors social and cultural movements and parallels the rise and fall of the Red Army team with the Soviet Union. This film is an inspiring story about the Cold War played out on the ice rink, and a man who stood up to a powerful system and paved the way for change for generations of Russians.

The series will kick-off on March 6th, with 1971, opening exclusively in Chicagoland at the ‘Mette, followed by Ballet 44, opening on March 13th, and She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, opening March 20th.

DOC FEST LINE-UP:

1971, opening exclusively in Chicagoland at the ‘Mette, 1971 (March 6th):

The FBI was unaccountable and untouchable until 1971, when a group of ordinary citizens uncovered its illegal domestic spying programs. On March 8, 1971, The Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI, as they called themselves, broke into a small FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, took every file, and shared them with the American public. These actions exposed COINTELPRO, the FBI’s illegal surveillance program that involved the intimidation of law-abiding Americans and helped lead to the country’s first Congressional investigation of U.S. intelligence agencies. Never caught, forty-three years later, these everyday Americans - parents, teachers and citizens - publicly reveal themselves for the first time and share their story in the documentary “1971.” Given the recent disclosures of NSA spying, this story could not be more relevant.

Ballet 422, (March 13th):

Cinematographer and documentarian Jody Lee Lipes crafts an intimate, fly-on-the-wall documentary offering a rare peek into the highly guarded world of professional ballet. The film shadows Justin Peck, the 25-year old choreographer of the New York City Ballet, as he undertakes the Herculean task of creating the company’s 422nd original piece while simultaneously fulfilling his role as a Corps de Ballet member. Lipes chronicles Peck’s creative process from its embryonic stages to its highly anticipated premiere, quietly observing as he balances a roster of musicians, designers, and dancers from this famed institution. Ballet 422 is a powerful celebration of the skill and endurance of Peck and his fellow NYCB dancers-as well as those who remain hidden in the wings.

She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry (March 20th)

SHE’S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE’S ANGRY resurrects the buried history of the outrageous, often brilliant women who founded the modern women’s movement from 1966 to 1971. SHE’S BEAUTIFUL takes us from the founding of NOW, when ladies wore hats and gloves, to the emergence of more radical factions of women’s liberation; from intellectuals like Kate Millett to the street theatrics of WITCH (Women’s International Conspiracy from Hell!).

Additional films to be scheduled throughout the month. For the latest movies and showtimes and to view trailers, please visit: www.wilmettetheatre.com.

About The Wilmette Theatre:

The not-for-profit Wilmette Theater is the premiere multi-arts and performance center anchoring the downtown Wilmette business district by providing vibrant entertainment, education and enrichment for the community. 1122 Central Avenue, Wilmette, IL, 60091. www.wilmettetheatre.com | 847-251-7424.

Community sponsor: North Shore Community Bank

Media sponsor: Make It Better