Holler BACK: Not Voting in an American Town

Holler Back: (Not) Voting in an American Town

Directed by Lulu Friesdat

Truth and Justice for Some Series August 15 – 7pm


Click here For Film Trailer

First-time filmmaker Lulu Friesdat captures voter (and non-voter!) anger at a corrupt and unresponsive system.

The film -- which recently won First Prize at the 2008 Sunscreen Festival -- examines what motivates people to become involved (or not) in U.S. elections. The film digs into the underbelly of American democracy and gives voters (and non-voters!) a chance to HOLLER BACK on the eve of the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

Friesdat will attend screening and discussion to follow.

For more infomation: http://www.ppactruro.org/
Payomet Box Office: 508-487-5400 General Admission
Single Ticket $10.00 Student, Teachers, Seniors, Truro Residents & Union Members $5.00

Reviews:
By KYRA GOTTESMAN - The BuzzArticle Launched: 08/07/2008 SACRAMENTO -- Local freelance editor and producer lulu Fries'dat's first full-length feature film "Holler Back -- [not] Voting in an American Town," a documentary that explores why more young people don't vote, will play at 7:15 p.m. Aug. 11 at the Sacramento Film and Music Festival at the Crest Theater, 1013 K St. (as well as here on Cape Cod this coming Friday, August 15th at 7:00pm in Truro at The Payomet Performing Arts Center)

"I grew up in Oroville, and am excited that a film I directed is going to be playing near my home turf. Being so close gives a lot of people I grew up with the chance to see my work," said the 1981 Oroville High School graduate who changed her birth surname, Freistadt to a "more phonetic spelling." The film, four years in the making, takes place in Allenstown, Pa., during the 2004 presidential election. Based on in-depth interviews with, mostly, young people from a broad spectrum of socio-economic and racial backgrounds, the film reveals the anger and frustrations that have lead them to consciously become non-voters.

"A lot of times people assume it's laziness or apathy that has people not vote. But once you establish a dialogue with these people, you find out that they actually have a lot to say and that they are really very frustrated with our political system including the electoral college to easily hackable voting machines to the registration process and lying candidates and the money behind it all," said Fries'dat, who has produced and edited for MSNBC, NBC, PBS and FOX on shows including "Dateline," "The Today Show," "Conan O'Brien" and many others.

The fast-paced 76-minute film with its dynamic sound track that includes The Teddybears, Moby, Stroke 9, The Magnetic Fields and Cody Chesnutt, has played to sold-out houses at film festivals across the country.

It was awarded Best Documentary at the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Fla., in March.
In addition to the non-voters, Fries'dat also spoke with their opposites. People she describes as "fervent activist" dedicated to getting people to vote. And she consulted "experts," including Kathleen Hall Jamieson, the Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor of Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication; Walter and Leonore Annenberg, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania; Avalon Foundation professor in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania and noted author Michael Eric Dyson; and Curtis Gans, director of the Center for the Study of the American Electorate at American University.

"Depending on the election, whether it's state or local, 40 percent to 80 percent of our national community is not voting," Fries'dat said. "That's a big part of the country and an important missing piece that keeps things from functioning correctly. The film is a blunt, honest and direct dialogue with these people representing a big part of our country. I really hope everybody comes to see it." For more information about the film and the festival, visit www.hollerbackfilm.com and www.sacfilm.com.