Join us at the world’s only libertarian film festival as we bring you two dozen films and panels celebrating individuality, choice, and accountability. Here is our agenda for 2018: _______________________________________________________________________________________ WEDNESDAY JULY 11 _______________________________________________________________________________________
1:00 pm PANEL: “Why Freedom Films Aren’t Free: A Conversation About Freedom-Messaging, Filmmaking, and Financing” Sean Malone, Scott McRae, Lana Link, Adam Guillette, Helen Straight, Drew Tidwell (mod.) ________________________________________________________________________________________
2:00 pm SWEDEN: LESSONS FOR AMERICA? (57 min.) James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty, dirs. Would Americans be better off if the United States was more like Sweden? Join Swedish native and scholar Johan Norberg as he explores his homeland’s economic rise from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the most prosperous. Learn key ideas that sparked the reform and continue to help Sweden maintain its lofty economic position, including free press, free trade, new technology companies, crazy jobs and even an old Swedish superhero.
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3:00 pm PANEL: “Sweden’s Not-So-Socialist Success Story” John Fund, Barbara Kolm, Hunter Hastings, Veronique de Rugy; Bob Chitester, mod. _______________________________________________________________________________________
Opening Night Film! 8:00 pm, directly after the cocktail reception, in Versailles 3:
SKID ROW MARATHON (85 min.) Mark Hayes, dir. A criminal court judge started a running club on L.A.’s notorious skid row. The club’s members, including homeless drug addicts, a recovering single mom and a convicted murderer, considered themselves among those least likely to succeed. But as they train together to run marathons, they learned to dream big and become re-acquainted with their own dignity. This inspiring true story will amaze you.
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THURSDAY JULY 12 _______________________________________________________________________________________
9:00 am THE INCONSIDERATE HOUSEGUEST (16 min.) Letitia Capili, dir. This amusing and insightful comedy asks the question, “What happens when someone invades your space and refuses to respect your personal boundaries?” The answer might surprise you. Although the film can be enjoyed as a lighthearted odd-couple comedy, lurking beneath the surface is an allegory with a very specific message. However, audiences rarely agree on what that message is. Some believe it is obviously a commentary on immigration. Others think it is definitely about civil rights. Unfortunately, we can’t be of assistance. We don’t believe in telling people what to think. So you will just have to watch it and decide for yourself!
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9:30 am MOVING VIOLATION (13 min.) Laura Waters Hinson, dir. “This is Us” star Milana Vayntrub plays TARA, a tightly-wound optimist who has just been deserted by her fiancé ten days before their wedding. Meanwhile, the city erects a trigger-happy speed camera across the street from her house, which quickly becomes the unwitting lightning rod for Tara’s pent-up wrath. MOVING VIOLATION follows Tara on a riotous journey to discover true catharsis as an empowered, single woman.
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10:00 am ARE YOU VOLLEYBALL? (15 min.) Mohammad Bakhshi, dir. A group of Arabian speaking asylum seekers arrive at an English speaking country border and can’t keep going. They engage in conflict with border soldiers everyday until a deaf-mute child becomes a catalyst for better communication between the two groups. A kid’s game at a refugee camp turns border wires into a volleyball net, creating walls of peace and friendship with the soldiers.
“Can We Win the War in the Middle East? And What Does ‘Win’ Look Like?” Ed Rush
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10:30 am (Coffee Break) RYDE OR DIE (5 min.) Mia Frampton, dir. In our current age, it has become acceptable for perfect strangers to pick us up and drop us off at our desired location. But how perfect are those strangers? Hoping to attend a family barbecue, Luke is in for a surprise when his Ryde driver turns out to have a different plan for his afternoon. _______________________________________________________________________________________
12:00 (Lunch) SABER ROCK (30 min.) Matthew and Thomas Locastro, dirs. A flamboyant, fiercely loyal Afghan interpreter helps turn the tide against the Taliban. As his successes mount, so do the threats against him.
1:00 pm PANEL: “A People Divided: Is the “Wall” About Rule of Law or Racism?” Tom Locastro, Lesley Skousen, Letitia Capili, Jim Green, Saber Rock, Steve Sanchez, Ken Schoolland, mod.
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2:50 pm – 4:10 pm (Begins during Coffee Break) HUMAN ZOOS (55 min.) John G. West, dir. Shockingly, thousands of indigenous peoples were coercively put on public display in America in the early decades of the twentieth century.
4:10 pm – 4:55 pm PANEL: “The Danger of Totalitarian Science” George Gilder, John G. West, Richard Weickart
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6:45 pm – 7:45 pm Filmmakers Reception and Master Class _______________________________________________________________________________________
8:00 pm THE HOUSING BUBBLE (78 min.) Jimmy Morrison, dir. The Housing Bubble is the first of two films to ask those who predicted the crash, why it happened, and what could be next. Ron Paul is joined by renowned investors like Jim Rogers, Marc Faber, Peter Schiff, & Doug Casey, as well as financial writers like Jim Grant & David Stockman. From the Great Depression to 2008, THE HOUSING BUBBLE reveals not only why we’ve had one crash after another, but why they’re getting worse.
PANEL: “Money, Interest Rates, Inflation, and YOU” Doug Casey, Jim Rogers, Peter Schiff, Hunter Thompson, Gena Lofton, Jimmy Morrison; Gene Epstein, mod. _______________________________________________________________________________________
FRIDAY JULY 13 _______________________________________________________________________________________
8:30 am THE WORLD IS MY COUNTRY (84 min.) Arthur Kanegis, dir. The true story of the daring, controversial World Citizen #1 Garry Davis. A song-and-dance man, desperate to stop a war, pulls off an act of political theatre so gutsy and eye-opening that it sparks a huge movement—drawing Albert Einstein, Albert Camus and a cast of thousands into a story that Martin Sheen calls “a roadmap to a better future.” This riveting story inspires audiences with the key to how we can shift our culture and build a world that can outlaw war. It empowers us to invent the people-powered governance tools we need to harness humanity’s great creative genius and solve the vast problems threatening our future.
9:15 am PANEL: “We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Passports” Arthur Kanegis, Doug Casey, Jeff Berwick, Jose Cordeiro, Vit Jedlicka, Adam Kokesh; Jeffrey Tucker, mod. _______________________________________________________________________________________
10:30 am (Coffee Break) MRS. SCHNEIDER (11 min.) Michael Matheson Miller, dir.
Growing up in 1950s Brooklyn, a young Father Robert Sirico discovers the haunting past of his Jewish neighbor in this poignant short film.
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11:00 am WANDA WOS LORENC (12 min.) Hawk Jensen, dir.
Wanda Wos Lorenc fought in the Polish underground army against both Nazis and communists, surviving concentration camps and state oppression only to finally escape to America. To freedom.
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11:15 am THE PECULIAR ABILITIES OF MR. MAHLER (29 min.) Paul Philipp, dir.
East Germany, 1987: Special investigator Mahler is said to have paranormal abilities. The police assign him to solve the case of 6-year-old Henry Kiefer, who has been missing for weeks, before this issue leads to political tensions with the West.
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12:00 PANEL: “Stories from Behind the Iron Curtain” Gabi Hayes, Lee Edwards, Jan Fijor, Li Schoolland; Hawk Jensen, mod. _______________________________________________________________________________________
1:00 (Lunch) Discussion and Films: “Out of the Darkness: Fighting Communism in Cuba, Venezuela and North Korea” Yeonmi Park, Ji Seong-hi, Jose Cordeiro; Hawk Jensen, mod.
1:25 pm ROSA MARIA PAYA (9 min) Hawk Jensen, dir. The daughter of Cuban human rights activist Oswaldo Payá continues her father’s work to fight for free and fair elections in Cuba against an oppressive Communist Cuban regime.
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1:35 pm GRINGA (14 min.) Claudia Murray, dir.
An overworked Cuban-American millennial rushes to pack for a trip to Havana. When her eccentric Abuelo drags her on a last-minute hunt for a rare car part, she confronts her own privilege in a race against the clock.
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2:00 pm AMERICA UNDER SIEGE: ANTIFA (38 min.) Judd Saul, dir. The communist movement known as Antifa (short for Anti-Fascist Action) has sparked violence across the nation. The vast majority of Antifa violence isn’t targeted at genuine fascists, but mainstream conservatives and civilians.
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3:00 pm PANEL: “The Rise of Violence against Free Speech and Civil Rights” Jake Klein, Trevor Loudon, Ari Cohn, Jennifer Grossman, Bill Whittle; Dave Sussman, mod. _______________________________________________________________________________________
3:50 pm (Coffee Break) #EnvyIsEvil (5 min.) Patrick Reasonover, dir. A primal force as old as man, Envy takes us on a journey from his origins as a pitiful vice that hid in the shadows of the Virtues through his assent and triumph as a god of our modern era. Q & A with Jennifer Grossman
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8:00 pm FROM THE GROUND UP (70 min.) David Lasdon, dir. The origin of the angry voter and how to influence an election from the ground up.
Post-screening PANEL: “The Rise of the Angry Voter” Gunnar Hardy, Jeff Hewitt, Craig Bowden, Tim Huelskamp, Steve Nemorovski, Jenny Beth Martin, David Lasdon; Adam Brandon, mod.
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SATURDAY JULY 14 _______________________________________________________________________________________
7:45 am (Breakfast time) OFF THE GRID WITH THOMAS MASSIE (36 min.) Matt Battaglia, dir.
An intimate look at a Congressman’s quest for a self-sustainable life on his farm in eastern Kentucky.
Q&A with Congressman Massie, Matt Kibbe, Terry Kibbe, Matt Battaglia
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8:45 am KATIE CRUEL (13 min.) Andrew Herwitz, dir.
On an isolated ranch in 1871 Wyoming Territory, Katie violently struggles to free herself from the men who dominate her life.
PANEL: “The Libertarian Response to the #MeToo Movement” Avens O’Brien, Victoria Hill; Kat Murti, mod.
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9:30 am CYBORGS AMONG US (76 min.) Rafel Duran Torrent, dir. Cyborgs are human beings with electronic devices implanted in their bodies to extend their senses and/or enhance their physical and cognitive capabilities. Technology with the potential for human enhancement is already available, but its use is strictly restricted to remedial (medical) applications. However, the first cyborgs are already crossing the boundaries of their human limits.
10:50 am PANEL: “The Bionic Woman and the Six Million Dollar Man: How Technology Is Enhancing the Human Experience” Tom Borelli, Zoltan Istvan, Jose Cordeiro, George Gilder; Ed Hudgins, mod. _______________________________________________________________________________________
11:50 am SKID ROW MARATHON (85 min.) Mark Hayes, dir. A criminal court judge started a running club on L.A.’s notorious skid row. The club’s members, including homeless drug addicts, a recovering single mom and a convicted murderer, considered themselves among those least likely to succeed. But as they train together to run marathons, they learned to dream big and become re-acquainted with their own dignity. This inspiring true story will amaze you.
PANEL: “Redeemed from the Streets: A New Approach to Re-entry and Rehabilitation” Mark Hayes, Rafael Mangual, Pratik Khandhadiya, Rafael Cabrera (a Skid Row marathoner) Gabi Hayes; Jo Ann Skousen,mod.
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2:00 GANDHI VS JUSTICE (25 min.) Pratik Khandhadiya, dir.
A middle class man with evidence clearly in his favor must wrestle the Indian Judicial system of massive delays due to red tape, court dates, adjournments, lackadaisical or shark like lawyers.
PANEL: “Finding Justice in an Unjust World” Pratik Khandhadiya, Rafael Cabrera, Rafael Mangual; Jeffrey Tucker, mod.
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3:00 pm NO SAFE SPACES (70 min.) Justin Folk, dir. Trigger warnings and safe spaces are proliferating on college campuses, and this disturbing movement is now extending beyond colleges and into the real world. The First Amendment and intellectual freedom are disappearing. How long until we are all punished for thinking dangerous thoughts? With the help of a wide range of thinkers and personalities from Ben Shapiro and Dave Rubin to Jordan Peterson and actor Tim Allen, Adam Carolla and Dennis Prager will take the insanity head on, while having a few laughs along the way. This is a work-in-progress screening where you, the audience, will provide valuable feedback to the producers as they prepare the film for distribution. _______________________________________________________________________________________
7:00 pm The Anthem Awards Banquet and Reason Media Awards. Reserved seating for filmmakers on the left side of the dance floor. Additional tickets may be purchased for the discounted price of $125.
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MEET OUR SPONSORS!
Neil Benton Arts & Entertainment offers industry leading insurance, risk management and business consulting products for all levels of film, media, and live event clients, provided through modern, on-demand sales and service channels. We support the ongoing success of those in the creative industries, which leads to More…. more great films, more educational documentaries, more inspired performances, more engaging entertainment, more beautiful art, and more creative design.
Music for Liberty, formed in 2015 by composers Scott McRae and Ryan Rapsys, has the express intent of providing high-quality, engaging music for media of all kinds that explore and celebrate human liberty. Since that time, they have written music for the feature film Little Pink House (which received the award for Best Score at the Anthem Film Festival in 2017), the documentary Can We Take a Joke?, and provided music for media from organizations such as Taliesin Nexus, the Moving Pictures Institute, We the Internet, the Institute for Justice, Smock Media, and others.
Passing Lane Films is a full service film and video production company located just outside of Washington DC, offering personalized service and high production values. We creatively select the team, tools, and talent, in order to craft high-quality visual media with an artistic vision that remains true to your message, and in a way that shapes your identity, and resonates with your audience. We are dedicated to our clients and their vision. Each video is different. Each client is unique.
Smock Media is a documentary film production company dedicated to producing empathetic films that positively impact public discussion on freedom and human rights related subjects while protecting the creative expression of our artists. Our goal is to capture and present the true stories of amazing individuals whose life experiences exemplify the very best of the human struggle for dignity.
Anthem and Cynthia Blanchard have been providing the $500 AnthemVault prize for Best Original Score since 2014.
The Anthem Libertarian Film Festival is part of FreedomFest, “the world’s largest gathering of free minds.” All Anthem films and panels are included in your FreedomFest ticket. If you prefer to spend all of your time at the film festival, a four-day FilmLovers Pass is available for $149. It allows access to the opening night cocktail reception, the FreedomFest exhibit hall, and all films and film panels in Versailles 3. Single day and single event tickets are available as well. www.anthemfilmfestival.com/tickets/ For information about FreedomFest go to www.freedomfest.com or call 1-855-850-3733.
