Santa Monica Public Library presents ‘The Political is Personal’ Film Series, a summer series of monthly documentary screenings. Each screening begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Main Library’s MLK Jr. Auditorium, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard.
The series begins on Wednesday, June 19, with the showing of “A Place at the Table” (2012, 84 minutes).
Fifty million people in the U.S. – including one in four children – don’t always know where their next meal is coming from. This 2012 documentary examines the issue of hunger in America; shows how it poses serious economic, social and cultural implications for our nation; and reveals how it could be solved if the American public decides that making healthy food available and affordable is in the best interest of us all.
On Wednesday, July 17, the series continues with “We’re Not Broke” (2012, 81 minutes).
The U.S. is in the grip of a societal economic panic. Lawmakers claim that the country is broke as they cut budgets and lay off teachers, police, and firefighters, crumbling our social fabric and leaving many Americans scrambling to survive. Meanwhile, corporations such as Exxon, Google, and Bank of America are making record profits. And while the deficit climbs and the cuts go deeper, these corporations – with intimate ties to our political leaders – are concealing colossal profits overseas to avoid paying U.S. income tax.
This engaging documentary is the story of how U.S. corporations have been able to hide over a trillion dollars from Uncle Sam, and how seven fed-up Americans from across the country take their frustration to the streets, and vow to make the corporations pay their fair share.
The series concludes on Wednesday, August 21, with “Wonder Women!” (2012, 54 minutes).
This engrossing film traces the fascinating evolution and legacy of “Wonder Woman.” From the birth of the comic book superheroine in the 1940s, to the blockbusters of today, Wonder Women! looks at how popular representations of powerful women often reflect society’s anxieties about women’s liberation.
The film goes behind the scenes with Lynda Carter, Lindsay Wagner, comic writers and artists, and real-life superheroines such as Gloria Steinem, Kathleen Hanna and others, who offer an enlightening and entertaining counterpoint to the male-dominated superhero genre.
These events are free and open to the public. Seating is limited and on a first arrival basis. The Santa Monica Public Library is wheelchair accessible. For special disabled services, call Library Administration at (310) 458-8606 at least one week prior to event. For more information, visit smpl.org or contact the Santa Monica Public Library at (310) 458-8600.
