The history of black workers in this country and particularly in Detroit has been consistently ignored by the establishment media. Aware of the importance of this section of the working class, several young film makers are producing a film in cooperation with the League of Revolutionary Black Workers that deals with their struggles.
The film is partially completed and runs approximately 60 minutes having been drawn from some ten hours of material filmed over the last six months around the Motor City. Its central focus is the League, the nature of racism and exploitation in modern industrial society and the forms of organization now emerging for black self-determination and liberation.
The film also addresses itself to white workers and the role they play in the city’s plants and schools.
The filming has been undertaken by three film-makers originally from New York, in association and co-operation with the League. They are Stewart Bird, Peter Gessner, and Rene Lichtman; their combined film experience has included work with “Newsreel” and other independent radical film projects, Time of the Locust, one of the first anti-war Vietnam [war] films to be produced in this country.
The potential audience for the film will include existing national and international distribution networks, as well as the possibilities of educational television, broad community screenings, schools, colleges and union caucuses. It will have an immediate and direct use as an organizing tool in the League’s day-to-day work. The film will be available for distribution within one month.
The film is presently in its last stages of production. In order to reach completion, certain final technical steps remain, and these are costly. Sound equalization and mixing, final negative and laboratory work remain to be done, which when combined with outstanding debts, amount to approximately $1500.
Given the nature of the film, traditional sources of financial support, such as foundations etc., are not open at this point.
The film makers and the League are asking for financial support from the community for this important project. Donations should be sent to League Film Project, 5705 Woodward, Detroit 48202.