Writer’s Choice

Film, discussion offers insight into regaining the media

The setting is a small collective in Buenos Aires, grappling in its first year with assassinations, a collapsing economy and other political upheavals.

The subject is the relationship between media and power.

The vehicle is film.

The film is “i.”

This special screening at UW–Madison on Saturday, Oct. 7, is part of a film series sponsored by Community Action on Latin America. Spike Appel, a senior majoring in political science and history, is on the committee that books the films. He says the goal is to acquaint audiences with struggles around the world that affect us all.

“Working on this series certainly has helped me become more connected with the community here in Madison as well as with global issues,” he says. “We hope to inspire and empower people by introducing them to some of the newly evolving and growing social movements of our time.”

“i” tells the story of how members of the international Indymedia collective in Argentina are “hyperlinked” internally and externally to the forces surrounding them.

“In this country, mass media have been consolidated,” Appel says. “As a result, messages have become homogenized. It is increasingly difficult for local voices to be heard through the corporate filter of broadcasters who take the story straight from the mouth of the wolf. People must work actively to become informed about the struggles we face today. Folks need to come together and share their stories so we can learn how to help each other.”

Appel says that Indymedia, the group shown in “i,” provides the perfect primer in how media consumers can take back the media.

“Indymedia is available to anyone with an Internet connection. It provides a forum for presenting text articles, audio and video recordings and photographs. There is a Web site in almost every major city in America, where people can share their stories,” he says. The Madison site is at madison.indymedia.org.

“i” filmmakers Raphael Lyon and Andres Ingoglia will be present for a discussion following the screening of their film. Appel says that their presence will ensure that audience members do not become passive observers.

“To that end, we hope to bring a lot of filmmakers to Madison this year. One possibility is David Martinez — he has a brand new film about Iraq titled ‘500 Miles to Babylon.’ We’re also working on bringing filmmakers who have been in Mexico documenting the recent uprisings this spring and summer,” he says.

Although “i” will be presented on a Saturday night, other screenings are on Mondays, and all are at 7 p.m. in the Mosse Humanities Building (check Today in the Union for exact room location).

Other titles in October include:

• “Our Brand is Crisis,” Oct. 9, recounting an American campaign consultant’s effect on the Bolivian presidential election of 2002.
• “Sir No Sir,” Oct. 16, about anti-Vietnam War actions undertaken by soldiers. “Truly an untold story,” Appel says.
• “Still We Ride,” Oct. 23, celebrating Critical Mass bike activism.
• “Land and Freedom,” Oct. 30, about the Spanish Civil War.

All films are free and open to the public. For more information, call 256-5135 or visit http://www.calamadison.org/#FILM.