FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         September 2, 2004
Joan Kirby, AFI, 301.495.6747, jkirby@AFI.com
Katherine Isaac, 202.234.0040, KISAAC@DJDINSTITUTE.org
Chris Garlock, 202.857.3410, cgarlock@dclabor.org

                                              -- Media Advisory --

AFI SILVER THEATRE AND CULTURAL CENTER TO HOST DC LABOR FILMFEST SEPTEMBER 10-12

Presented by DC Metro Council AFL-CIO, Debs-Jones-Douglass Institute and AFI

4th Annual Film Festival features Premieres &
Filmmakers Live On Stage, Plus Saturday Reception, Concert &
2004 AFL-CIO Award Presentation by John Sweeney

Silver Spring, Maryland, September 2, 2004-The AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center will host the 4th Annual DC Labor FilmFest - a Festival of films that explore working life. Opening Friday, September 10 with a special 15th Anniversary presentation of ROGER & ME, Michael Moore's documentary on corporate ethics, the Festival continues through September 12 with new films about workers from the American heartland to the farthest reaches of the globalized community.

2004 Festival highlights include the world premiere of TELL US THE TRUTH: THE DOCUMENTARY, the chronicle of a musical tour challenging global trade and media consolidation issues, and two Washington, DC feature premieres-HUMAN ERROR, director Robert M. Young's existential comedy about two workers in a multinational conglomerate; and TAKE OUT, the story of an illegal Chinese immigrant's travails as a deliveryman for a New York City Chinese restaurant. All three premiere presentations feature special live on-stage filmmaker appearances. Musicians Jill Sobule, Lester Chambers (The Chamber Brothers) and Boots Riley (The Coup) will appear with TELL US THE TRUTH: THE DOCUMENTARY; director Robert M. Young (DOMINICK AND EUGENE, TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRIT, EXTREMITIES) will introduce and discuss HUMAN ERROR; and directors Shih-Ching Tsou and Sean Baker (FOUR LETTER WORDS) will appear with TAKE OUT.

Other exceptional presentations include MONDAYS IN THE SUN, a powerful portrait of out-of-work shipyard laborers in Spain; BLIND SHAFT, an award-winning story of Chinese subversive mine workers' schemes to get out of the mines; and the newly-restored Italian version QUEIMADA! [BURN!] director Gillo Pontecorvo's (BATTLE OF ALGIERS) epic tale of a Caribbean colonial slave revolt commandeered by Britain's William Walker-portrayed by the late Marlon Brando.

Saturday night's highlighted Festival activities include the presentation of the 2004 AFL-CIO Arts and Activism Award by AFL-CIO president John J. Sweeney. The award will be presented to the musical artists featured in TELL US THE TRUTH: THE DOCUMENTARY, and accepted by Jill Sobule, Lester Chambers and Boots Riley on behalf of the artists before the film screens. A special reception and concert will follow the screening.

The 2004 DC LABOR FILMFEST is organized and presented by the Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO, the Debs-Jones-Douglass Institute and the American Film Institute. A Festival schedule is detailed below.

WHAT: 4th ANNUAL DC LABOR FILMFEST
WHEN: Friday, September 10 through Sunday, September 12
WHERE: AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland
TICKETS: Available at the AFI Silver box office and On-line at www.AFI.com/Silver

The 2004 DC Labor FilmFest Schedule:

OPENING NIGHT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
7:30 p.m.
Special 15th Anniversary Screening of
ROGER AND ME Director Michael Moore's documentary on corporate ethics. 1989, 91 minutes.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
1:00 p.m.
MONDAYS IN THE SUN [Los Lunes al Sol]
A powerful portrait of out-of-work Spanish shipyard laborers. The winner of five Goya awards. In Spanish with English subtitles. Rated R. 2002, 113 minutes.

3:15 p.m.
TAKE OUT - THE WASHINGTON, DC PREMIERE
Directors Shih-ching Tsou and Sean Baker will appear live on stage with this "day in the life of" tale of an illegal Chinese immigrant's travails as a deliveryman for a New York Chinese take-out. In English, Mandarin and Spanish with English subtitles. 2004, 87 minutes.

5:30 p.m.
HUMAN ERROR ["BELOW THE BELT"] - THE WASHINGTON, DC PREMIERE
Director Robert M. Young and Producer Joel Ehrlich will appear live on stage with this quirky, existential comedy about two workers in a multinational conglomerate. 2004. 95 minutes.

8:00 p.m.
SPECIAL EVENT! WORLD PREMIERE, AWARD PRESENTATION, RECEPTION & CONCERT TELL US THE TRUTH: THE DOCUMENTARY
Before the screening, AFL-CIO president John J. Sweeney will present the 2004 AFL-CIO Arts and Activism Award to artists Jill Sobule, Lester Chambers (the Chambers Brothers) and Boots Riley (The Coup) on behalf of all the artists featured in this chronicle of a 2003 musical tour challenging global trade and media consolidation issues. Other artists featured in the film include Billy Bragg, Steve Earle, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine) and Mike Mills (REM). A special reception and concert will follow the film. 2004, screening time: 97 minutes. Tickets are $15

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
6:00 p.m.
BLIND SHAFT [Mang Jing]
An award-winning story of Chinese subversive mine workers' schemes to get out of the mines in China. Winner of the Silver Bear award, 2003 Berlin Film Festival. In Mandarin with English subtitles. 2003, 92 minutes.

8:00 p.m. - BY THE DIRECTOR OF BATTLE OF ALGIERS!
QUEIMADA! [BURN!]
The newly-restored Italian version of director Gillo Pontecorvo's (BATTLE OF ALGIERS) epic tale of a Caribbean colonial slave revolt commandeered by Britain's William Walker-portrayed by the late Marlon Brando. 1969, 132 minutes.

All tickets may be purchased on line at www.AFI.com/Silver.
Except where noted, all tickets are $8.50 for general admission, $7.50 for seniors, students and AFI members.
The AFI Silver Theatre is locate at 8633 Colesville Road, in Silver Spring Maryland.
For recorded programming information, call 301-495-6700; for general information 301-495-6720.

A complete listing of all 2004 DC Labor FilmFest screenings is available at www.djdinstitute.org/film

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