The Fair Trade Movie Blog

Wow, another free screening of the film this week, courtesy of Ten Thousand Villages, Salem. Here are the details (also here on 10k Villages’ website):

FREE MOVIE SHOWING
The Fair Trade
Thursday, October 30, 2008 7:00 p.m.
Grand Theatre, 187 High Street NE, Salem, OR

Sponsored by Ten Thousand Villages
Suggested donation:  canned food for Marion Polk Food Share

We’re really excited that people have embraced this story of hope and social action. Thanks to Ten Thousand Villages for getting behind it…

The Fair Trade movie screened last week on the campus of Loyola University Chicago. Tamara traveled there to answer questions and tell everyone about fair trade. Here is her re-cap:

Chicago was great. The weather was cool, which was a nice break from the Southern California heat! At the screening, Fair Trade Chicago was in attendance in addition to Oxfam and the Student Trade Justice Campaign. The Fair Trade screened well and I was privileged to be able to speak to the group afterwards and give a more in-depth look into fair trade and how it works. There were several great questions from people in the audience as well as people who approached me after the event, one of whom said that because of the film she will now start looking for fair trade items when she shops.

I’d like to thank Paula Bui for hosting me and coordinating the event and to the rest of the Loyola University community for allowing me to speak on behalf of fair trade in celebration of Fair Trade Month.

Thanks, Tamara, for the update!

Thanks to our new friends at the Viento y Agua Café & Gallery in Long Beach, The Fair Trade movie will screen in Long Beach on Saturday, November 1, at 7 p.m.

In addition to the screening, the band No Little Kindness will perform, and they will have a benefit raffle with handmade prizes. If you have already seen the movie, this is a perfect time to introduce a friend to the story of Tamara and fair trade.

Viento y Agua Cafe & Gallery
4007 E 4th Street
Long Beach, CA
(corner of 4th and Termino)

Way back when we started this film, nearly our whole team met with John and Ed Priddy of Priddy Brothers Entertainment at the Los Angeles premiere of their documentary 51 Birch Street. Just recently John had occasion to view the final result of The Fair Trade, and wrote a beautiful e-mail in response. Very satisfying to receive such encouragement from our peers—an excerpt:

What a beautiful work of art! Cinematically gorgeous with a compelling storyline. What I love most about The Fair Trade is the theme of how in suffering we can be guided to a place of healing, calling, and fulfillment. I like the broad appeal of fair trade with Anti-Body’s particular endeavor—how selling soap can change the lives of a few women and beyond. I, too, believe that commerce has a unique ability to solve tremendous social ills. It is not about capitalism run amok, but about good, healthy, and intelligent commerce.

Thank you for the brave effort to make this film and especially to Tamara for opening up her life to the world. Just amazing…..

John Priddy, Priddy Brothers Entertainment

As promised, we have more pictures from BendFilm Festival 2008. And I forgot to mention: the previous set of photos was courtesy Tamara, and these are from Rayne. Thanks to both of them!

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Producer Tamara Johnston McMahon and Associate Producer Rayne Roberts traveled up to BendFilm Festival this past weekend, and joined cinematographer Denise Klitsie to represent The Fair Trade movie at the festival in Bend, Oregon. We got pictures! One set today, and another set tomorrow.

Tamara said the movie was a smashing success:

It’s good to be back, but Rayne and I had a fun time and especially enjoyed the snow and cold weather! Everyone was extremely hospitable. The time was well spent and the screening went very well with a packed audience (not bad for 10 a.m. on a cold Saturday!). There was a standing ovation and a Q&A following the screening. Our very own Denise Klitsie and her friend Luanne were in attendance, as were Tom and Jane of Ashland Independent Film Festival and Laura Purkey (Matthew Diederich’s mom).

We want to thank everyone who came out to see the screening, and hope your lives were touched by it.

Photos:

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BendFilm festival begins tonight. The Fair Trade movie screens on Saturday morning, and Tamara, Rayne, and Denise will be there to support the film, as well as our wonderful friend Jamie from FilmBaby!

Got a note from Martin at Souled Out U.K., and he was thrilled at the response to the screenings of The Fair Trade Movie at Encounter 2008:

“It was a great option for us to add screenings of The Fair Trade to our programme at the convention center in Aberdeen. Thank you so so much for allowing us to show the film. You really blessed us.”

Martin J. Clarke
Encounter 2008

Thanks, Martin, and thanks to all who checked it out in Aberdeen. Remember, if you want to support our efforts to keep making films like this, run over to the website, or FilmBaby, or any online retailer that stocks the movie!

Thanks to these wonderful folks for spreading the word about The Fair Trade, on blogs and websites and such:

• Ten Thousand Villages of Austin: They have been watching and commenting on the screenings at other 10k Villages stores.
• The Pyrmont Community recommends The Fair Trade movie in their list of ways to find out more about Fair Trade and support the movement.

We appreciate the mention and links!