Now Showing @ ALA offers free movies, documentaries and opportunities to meet artists

For Immediate Release
Thu, 06/18/2015

Contact:

Heather Cho

ALA Media Relations

Public Information Office

312-280-4020

hcho@ala.org

SAN FRANCISCO – The “Now Showing @ ALA Film Program” offers a variety of free films and documentaries during the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference & Exhibition in San Francisco, June 25 – 30, 2015. In some cases, attendees will have a chance to meet with the film's writer, director or subjects.

The Now Showing @ ALA Film series includes movies of all genres. This year’s highlights include films such as “Regarding Susan Sontag,” a look at one of the most influential and provocative thinkers of the 20th century; “The Homestretch,” a documentary that follows three homeless teens in Chicago; and “Memory of Forgotten War,” which explores the meaning of loss by four survivors of the Korean War. All showings will take place in room 123 (N) at Moscone Convention Center.

Following are highlights from the “Now Showing @ ALA Film Program.” The highlighted films are sponsored by ALA offices, round tables, affiliates or other related groups.

Saturday, June 27

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.          “Regarding Susan Sontag”

The documentary explores Susan Sontag’s life through evocative experimental images, archival materials, accounts from friends, family, colleagues and lovers, as well as her own words. This showing is sponsored by Question Why Films and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Round Table http://www.ala.org/glbtrt/glbtrt.

4 – 5:30 p.m.               “The Great Book Robbery”

This documentary is about the systematic "collection" of 70,000 Palestinian books by Israeli forces (including librarians) before, during and after the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. This showing is sponsored by the Social Responsibilities Round Table http://www.ala.org/srrt/home.

Sunday, June 28

9 – 10 a.m.                  “Dalip Singh Saund: His Life, His Legacy”

This documentary film explores the extraordinary life of Dr. Dalip Singh Saund (1899-1973), while providing historical context of legal and social discrimination against Asians. This showing is sponsored by Heritage Series, LLC and the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association http://www.apalaweb.org/.

10:30 a.m. – noon       “The Homestretch”

“The Homestretch” is a powerful documentary that follows three homeless teens in Chicago as they fight to stay in school, graduate and build a future. This showing is sponsored by the Social Responsibilities Round Table http://www.ala.org/srrt/home, the Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty Task Force http://www.ala.org/srrt/hunger-homelessness-and-poverty-task-force-hhptf, Spargel Productions and Kartemquin Films.

1:30 – 3 p.m.               “Killswitch”

“Killswitch” is about the battle for control over the Internet. Lawrence Lessig, Tim Wu and Peter Ludlow frame the story of two young activists, Aaron Swartz and Edward Snowden. This showing is sponsored by Akorn Entertainment, Cinecity Pictures and the ALA Subcommittee on Telecommunications.

3 – 3:30 p.m.               “Memory of Forgotten War”

“Memory of Forgotten War” conveys the human costs of military conflict through deeply personal accounts of the Korean War (1950-53) by four Korean-American survivors. This showing is sponsored by the Office for Diversity, Literacy and Outreach Services http://www.ala.org/offices/diversity and the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association http://www.apalaweb.org/.

Monday, June 29

10:30 a.m. – noon            “Tested”

This documentary follows a diverse group of eighth graders in New York City as they start the school year, prepare for the Specialized High School Admissions Test, take the test and ultimately get their results back. This showing is sponsored by Bull & Monkey, LLC and the Asian Pacific American Librarians Association http://www.apalaweb.org/.

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.          “CitizenFour”

“CitizenFour” is a real life thriller, unfolding by the minute, giving audiences unprecedented access to filmmaker Laura Poitras and journalist Glenn Greenwald’s encounters with Edward Snowden in Hong Kong. This showing is sponsored by the Social Responsibilities Round Table http://www.ala.org/srrt/home.

A full schedule of films and additional information can be found at http://alaac15.ala.org/node/14032.

With more than 25,000 participants, the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition is the largest conference in the world for library professionals. The event will feature more than 2,500 meetings, special events, tours and programs on various topics affecting libraries and librarians, including community engagement, impact of school library reductions, ebook lending and usability, new technologies, privacy, makerspaces, library advocacy and many others.

The exhibition encompasses the entire library market and includes more than 900 exhibitors and hundreds of authors and illustrators. For more information on the 2015 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition, please visit www.ala.org/annual.

For advance press registration or to schedule interviews, please contact Heather Cho, media relations specialist, Campaign for America’s Libraries, hcho@ala.org  or 312-280-4020.