See This Film, Please!

Steal This Story, Please! Opens this Week in the US proving again that the country is hungry for progressive/political films.

I immediately fell in love with Steal This Story, Please! at the Woodstock Film Festival last fall. I had the opportunity to sit down with the producer/directors Carl Deal and Tia Lessin and producer Karen Ranucci and do something I love to do with filmmakers - plot distribution strategy! I’ve been a fan of Carl & Tia’s work for years, so it was a thrill to connect - and even more so to sit with a film that feels as urgent and necessary as The Librarians.

We discussed how a shadow ban appears to be on on political films across the studios and global streaming platforms with the often expressed excuse: “There is no audience for political films.” But as we have seen with The Librarians, No Other Land, The Encampments, and many other films, I know this is just not true.

Not only is there an audience for these films, but the best way to engage these audiences who want to gather in community - get out of their tech isolation to connect and discuss and act on ways to preserve and protect our democracy - is through events.

That’s where the real potential lies. When people come together around a film like Steal This Story, Please!, it creates space to discuss essential issues about our democracy openly, collectively, and urgently. It’s a reminder that film still has the power to impact people’s lives both emotionally and politically.

The brilliantly crafted film centers around the work and legacy of Amy Goodman and Democracy Now!, which has been at the forefront of independent journalism for over 30 years. At a moment when media consolidation continues (whether it’s Paramount/Warner Bros. with its potential destruction of CNN via the right-wing Bari Weiss maw) we need alternative media more than ever. We need voices like Amy’s.

What I find so powerful about this film is that it doesn’t just document a media institution: it shows how one person with an idea and a scrappy group of collaborators (it’s as much about the community we build as the actions we take) can build something from nothing. Something that grows, that resonates, that holds real power across the country. It’s a reminder that this kind of impact isn’t just necessary, it’s possible.

There’s also something deeply personal in the film that resonated with me: Amy’s identity as a Jewish woman who is pro-Palestinian, with allies such as Jewish Voices for Peace, and how her Jewish heritage informs a broader humanist worldview. Her moral clarity stays with you.

Importantly, the film conveys Amy’s sense of humor throughout all the traumatic experiences that she and her team (and the subjects of their coverage endure). The screenings are inspiring and full of laughter winning eight audience awards over its extensive festival run.

I was fortunate to help strategize the release and assemble a dream team to support the release under Carl, Tia and Karen’s guidance. We were able to enlist Shepard Fairey to do the incredible poster. Michael Tuckman is booking the film, Dor Dotson is handling organic social. Ian Tarbert is handling paid media and digital strategy, Red Owl and Yennie Lee are handling outreach, and Fusion Entertainment, David Magdael and Associates, PR Collaborative and Karen Larsen and Associates are handling publicity and I have the privilege to help guide the release. (Note - the incredible Karen Larsen is retiring and this will be her last film - I’ve had the pleasure of working with Karen since my SRL days in SF).

This release is expanding rapidly across the US now in over 70 cities, and many of the screenings are already sold out. So run and get your tickets while you can!

Stay for the conversation. Because that’s where this work really begins.

Four Week Workshop: How to Create A Distribution and Marketing Strategy - Now!

The “traditional” distribution landscape is essentially gone - 99% of independent filmmakers are now on their own to find new and creative solutions to ensure their films reach audiences in an impactful way. In this four-part virtual workshop, I will outline fundamental principles and real-world strategies for success in the ever-changing and often-daunting realm of distribution and marketing.

Taking place April 23-May 21.

Live sessions take place on Zoom on Thursdays between 12:00 noon - 1:30 pm EDT.

The first three sessions will be primarily presentation with some time for Q&A. The fourth session will include more time for participant questions about specific projects (and we may add a second final session if there is enough demand from various timezones).

The sessions will also be available as recordings to registered participants through June 30.

Fee: $299.

8 Above Substack members get $50 off - discount code: jonreiss50