MONDAY July 13
12:30 pm GET OFF Teymour Ghaderi, dir. (13 min) A city, a bike, a girl…
In her country, girls are not allowed to ride bikes in public. How can she get her new bicycle home when her friend, a boy, is not available to ride it?
12:45 pm INNER SELF Mohammad Hormozi, dir. (15 min) In this story about talent, repression, and opportunity, a violinist may not enter an administrative building to receive her performance credential because she lacks the formal hijab. As she waits with other women in the waiting room, she is inspired to write a new piece. This film has chilling timeliness as politicians worldwide consider imposing health certificates, passport limitations, and face coverings.
1:00 Discussion: Health Certificates, Social Passports, and Face Coverings: For the Greater Good? Joel Wade, Lisa Sparks, JoAnn Skousen
1:35 pm THE TELEIOS ACT Evan Matthews, dir. (12 min) In the not-so-distant future, the Teleios Act dictates whether a baby is “perfect” enough to be born into a perfect society. It’s “for the best,” right? But when the beloved Teleios spokesmodel conceives after a decade of infertility, a clerical mix-up threatens their lives.
2:00 The March of History: Mises vs. Marx John Papola dir. (11 min)
Is history marching inevitably toward centrally planned socialism, as Karl Marx proclaimed? Or is the best path to progress and prosperity the liberal democratic capitalism as recommended by Ludwig von Mises? The future of the free world depends on which approach wins the debate. From the co-creator of the world-renowned Keynes vs Hayek rap videos, John Papola, and the creative team at Emergent Order in collaboration with the American Institute for Economic Research, comes this musical masterclass in the economic debate of our times, pitting the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises against the godfather of socialism, Karl Marx. It’s a rap battle that spans more than 150 years of history, philosophy, and economic theory. The debate between socialists and capitalists is just as topical today as it was in 1848–so, which side are you on?
2:15 SEIZE THIS HOUSE Keith Wahrer, dir. (6 min) (comedy) SEIZE THIS HOUSE is an HGTV-inspired satire about two bureaucrats who flip homes and make big money…for their local government. They find homeowners behind on their property taxes (even for amounts as low as $8), kick them out, then sell the homes at auction. The profits (aka the homeowner’s life savings) all go to the county coffers. What a silly idea. There’s no way something like this could actually happen…
2:40 pm IRIC Sandra Tamkin, dir. (12 min) Aging out of the foster care system, a homeless young man struggles to find his place in the world and make sense of a traumatic childhood.
3:00 pm WHERE THE DIRECTIVES GROW Tomasz Agencki, dir. (38 min) (subtitles) A young polish politician and libertarian, Dobromir Sośnierz, had a chance to be A MEP (Member of EU Parliament) for a year. Without any party affiliation he could afford to say things that a regular reelection-oriented politician would never dare to do. Now, at the end of his term, he takes us on a witty and delightful trip behind the scenes to show how the machinery of European democracy really works. If you think that European Parliament is a sensible democratic institution that represents the European population and promotes reasonable solutions to real problems through dialogue, you must watch this movie. And if you know that isn’t true, you will love this movie!
8:00 pm Opening Night Feature!
MISS VIRGINIA Daniel Hanna, dir. (102 min) Based on a true story, MISS VIRGINIA stars Emmy® winner Uzo Aduba as a struggling single mother who is losing her fifteen-year-old son to the rough streets of Washington, DC. Unwilling to see him drop out and deal drugs, she places him in a private school. But when she can’t afford tuition, she launches a movement to change the system that is destroying him and thousands like him. Attacked and threatened by those who don’t want change—from corrupt politicians to the local drug lord—Virginia must discover depths of strength she never knew she had. The stellar cast includes Vanessa Williams, Amirah Vann, Adina Porter, Niles Fitch, and Matthew Modine.
PANEL “School Choice: Demanding a Seat at the Table” Corey DeAngelis, Kerry McDonald, Daniel Hanna
TUESDAY JULY 14
9:00 am THOMAS SOWELL: COMMON SENSE IN A SENSELESS WORLD Kyle Clark, dir. (57 min) How did an orphan from the Jim Crow south who never finished high school and didn’t earn a college degree until age 28 become America’s foremost social commentator? This is the little known story of a remarkable American Thomas Sowell who, against all odds, became one of the most accomplished economists and prolific authors of the 20th century. The one-hour public television documentary includes glimpses of Sowell’s personal life that shaped him and led him to pursue his mission of verifying, through research, the lowest quantile of American citizens have been sold a false bill of goods; that social policies from Washington – even with good intentions – have not advanced the well-being of that population. Join The Wall Street Journal columnist and author Jason Riley as he guides viewers through interviews with Sowell, providing a personal perspective for the biography.
PANEL The Lasting Influence of Thomas Sowell Casey Given, Phil Magness, Doug Casey; Rob Chatfield, mod.
10:35 Coffee Break THE TELEIOS ACT Evan Matthews, dir. (12 min)
In the not-so-distant future, the Teleios Act dictates whether a baby is “perfect” enough to be born into a perfect society. It’s “for the best,” right? But when the beloved Teleios spokesmodel conceives after a decade of infertility, a clerical mix-up threatens their lives.
11:10 PANEL “Tips for the Documentarian: Do You Really Need That Expert Interview?” Ian Reid, Josh Oldham, Steve Oldfield, Drew Tidwell, Rob Montz; Jaclyn Boudreau, mod.
12:10 THE BIG SKIM Molly Dedham, dir. (19 min) Union greed knows no bounds as the SEIU colludes with the US Government to fill union coffers by robbing family care givers of Medicaid support intended to compensate them for the time and money spent providing care for the elderly and disabled. The unions’ fiendish scheme of forced unionism is exposed by a team of enterprising policy experts, attorneys, and parents, who must battle the dual leviathan of Big Government and Big Unions, to stop the theft, and dismantle corrupt Obama-era legislation.
12:40 THE FALCONER Ian Reid, dir. (5 min) For Peter, the bond with his falcon, Ares, is as powerful as anyone’s bond with a pet, perhaps more powerful. The commitment it takes to earn the trust of a wild bird instills a special relationship between animal and man. But in order to keep their licenses, falconers must allow unannounced, unwarranted searches of their private homes – in direct contradiction of the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unlawful search and seizure. When Peter’s best friend was detained by armed Fish and Wildlife agents in a surprise raid, he decided enough was enough. With PLF’s support, Peter is suing to get falconers’ rights back.
12:50 QUOTA Josh Oldham, dir. (10 min) In Hartford, minority children are being denied seats in their neighborhoods’ world-class magnet schools. Why? Because the government is forcing the schools to reserve seats for suburban white children who don’t even want them. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund says “there are no empty seats” and “there is no quota.” Hartford parents are being told they aren’t seeing what they know they’re seeing. QUOTA shows their fight, in their words.
1:20 pm RUSH TO JUDGMENT: ENCOUNTER AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL Steve Oldfield, dir. (89 min) RUSH TO JUDGMENT looks at a brief encounter at the Lincoln Memorial that resulted in a viral video that brought death threats and hate directed at teenagers from Covington Catholic who came face-to-face with adult protesters. Libertarian filmmakers Steve Oldfield and Ryan Anderson have been working on the doc since the day the story broke in January, 2019. After a year of digging, they uncovered a story with several surprising elements that have never been revealed in the news media. The filmmakers also scored an exclusive interview with Nick Sandmann, the boy in the MAGA hat.
3:00 pm THE POLITICALLY INCORRECT GUIDE TO JOURNALISM Patrick Reasonover, dir. (15 min) Michael Malice and historian Thomas E. Woods reveal little known facts and stories about history, culture, and social movements, purged from today’s mainstream education system. In this episode the examine the foundations of journalism and how it lost its way.
3:15 PANEL Just Add Outrage: Virtue Shaming, Social Media, and the Corrupting Power of Instant Journalism Tom Woods, Michael Malice, Steve Oldfield, John Fund; Sean Malone, mod.
4:20 pm ARCHITECTS OF WOKE Rob Montz, dir. (8 min. each) “Howard Zinn, Hollywood, & the Fairy Tale of American Evil” covers the influence of the late Howard Zinn, a historian and far-left political activist best known for authoring “A People’s History of the United States,” one of the most influential history books in both secondary and higher education. A member of the Communist Party USA at the time when Stalin was enslaving half of Europe, Zinn ignored that colonialism as he focused “A People’s History of the United States” on the supposed horrors in American history from Columbus onward. Zinn’s narrative painted a false and simplistic caricature of America’s origins that has spread throughout Hollywood and our culture…
“The 1619 Project’s Fake History” covers the New York Times Magazine’s 1619 Project, which attempts to reframe our understanding of American history by alleging the central event in the founding of the United States was the first importation of enslaved Africans to Virginia in 1619 and not the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The project has been notably criticized by esteemed historians for its factual errors. Despite this, schools across the nation have embedded the 1619 Project into their curricula, perhaps endangering our nation’s understanding of its founding for generations to come.
PANEL: Exposed: Unpacking the New History of Howard Zinn and the 1619 Project Phil Magness, Ed Stringham, Rob Montz; Jake Klein, mod.
6:30 pm Filmmakers Reception and Master Class (ticket required) “How to Create Greater Authenticity in Character Development” Joseph Kast, Jaclyn Boudreau, Ryan Rapsys, Daniel Hanna, Geoff Marks. Entertainment provided by singer-songwriter Jill Riley and Cynthia Blanchard
8:15 pm SPEED OF LIFE Liz Manashil, dir. (76 min) In a not-so-distant future, Edward falls into a wormhole created by David Bowie’s death while having a heart-to-heart with his girlfriend June. (No explanations are needed.) In a bright but dystopian future 24 years later, June still mourns Edward’s disappearance while facing the dark reality of being imprisoned due to her age (the future’s solution to the problem of caring for the elderly). June is planning her escape when Edward suddenly reappears in her life.
WEDNESDAY JULY 15
9:00 am WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER? Sigal Erez, dir. (18 min) An emotional connection is made between a Holocaust survivor and an African American kid as they sit together on a park bench, and a lesson in history is shared between the two when the boy notices the man’s “boring tattoo” on his forearm. When the boy’s mother and the survivor’s son arrive at the park, the four of them share a warm moment. We learn that each one of us indeed, has a number.
9:30 am HOW TO LOVE YOUR ENEMY: A RESTORATIVE JUSTICE STORY Sam Martin & Matt Battaglia, dirs. (43 min) A city in Colorado tries a different kind of justice system powerful enough to change the incarceration game of the U.S. Instead of locking up non-violent offenders, these advocates focus on the challenging but rewarding process of apology, forgiveness, and redemption that radically shifts our idea of justice and our part in it. Q&A with Matt and Terry Kibbe.
Coffee Break 10:40 am IRIC Sandra Tamkin, dir. (12 min)
Aging out of the foster care system, a homeless young man struggles to find his place in the world and make sense of a traumatic childhood.
11:10 am PANEL Police Choice: A Libertarian Solution for a Safer, Freer Society Corey DeAngelis, Carla Gericke, Dan King, Jay Holder; Tom Woods, mod.
12:05 pm MY NAME IS HONG KONG Patrick Reasonover dir. (4 min) Hong Kong is personified as a young girl reminiscing about her former abundance and saddened by her country’s recent return to communist rule in this animated “draw my life” series produced by the Atlas Society.
12:15 pm THE POLITICALLY INCORRECT GUIDE TO COMMUNISM Patrick Reasonover, dir. (15 min) In this animated series, podcaster Michael Malice and historian Thomas E. Woods reveal little known facts and stories about history, culture that have been purged from today’s mainstream education system. This episode focuses on the history, agenda, and attraction of communism.
12:30 pm PANEL How to Recognize and Counteract the Appeal of Communism Tom Woods, Michael Malice, Li Schoolland, Jennifer Grossman; Patrick Reasonover, mod.
1:20 pm METRICS Grant Bergland, dir. (15 min) Bouncing between an unfulfilling personal and professional life, Tom Ford buys a virtual assistant. Out of the box, Marta leads Tom to choices he never imagined while selling him more products. Angered by his loss of privacy, Tom is about to discard Marta when something happens that changes his buying habits forever. Featuring the celebrity voice of Johnny Brennan, founder of The Jerky Boys.
Discussion Never Normal: When Social Distancing Leads to Social Isolation Grant Bergland, Joel Wade, Jo Ann Skousen
1: 40 ELEVATOR Adel Masoumian, dir. (12 min)
What have we learned from isolation? A man who values his individuality discovers that he doesn’t want to live alone. You never know what people hide behind their silent faces — not in an elevator, and not in any other place.
2:15 pm Cleats Abdullah Sahin, dir. (11 min) In this story of friendship and sacrifice, Ilyas and Ahmet are two young boys who befriend Emir, a refugee their age. Ilyas wants to make the tryouts for a local football team and saves money to buy new cleats. Emir wants to try out too. After seeing his father pays the debts of Emir’s family at the grocery store, Ilyas gets an idea. CLEATS has won numerous awards at festivals around the world.
2:30 pm BASSIL’ORA Rebecca Basso, dir. (84 min) (subtitles) Fiction and reality are closely intertwined in this haunting story of war and peace. Giuseppe Bassi, a vivacious 100-year-old man, tells his story about being held prisoner in Russia during World War II to Katerina, a Russian woman living now in Italy whose grandfather fought on the Russian side during that war. From 1942 to 1946 Giuseppe was a prisoner in several different camps, including Tambow, Oranki and Suzdal.While Giuseppe and his story are real, Katerina, the reporter who interviews him, is a fictional character played luminously by actress Karina Arutyunyan. As they come to know each other, each achieves a sense of peace.
4:20 Our Favorite Libertarian Films for a Political Pandemic Doug Casey, Jimmy Morrison, John Papola, Sean Malone; JoAnn Skousen, mod.
8:00 pm MONDO HOLLYWOODLAND Janek Ambros, dir. (90 min) Move over, Rocky Horror Picture Show—there’s a new midnight movie cult classic for the 21st Century (filmed on a high-def smart phone, no less). “Mondo” is a meditation on Hollywood, power, ambition and free will. Are we condemned to put up with rats in the attic and the slings and arrows of cosmic fate? Or can we, with a little help from our friends (and a few magic mushrooms) stand up against the manipulative forces of evil (in the guise of Nixon and Trump Svengali Roger Stone), take back our lives, and find our missing cat?
THURSDAY JULY 16
9:00 am THEY SAY IT CAN’T BE DONE Michael “Oz” Ozias, dir. (72 min) THEY SAY IT CAN’T BE DONE is a documentary that explores how innovation can solve some of the world’s largest problems. The film tracks four companies on the cutting edge of technological solutions that could: Promote animal welfare; Solve hunger; Eliminate organ wait lists; Reduce atmospheric carbon. Innovation never comes without risk and often brings consequences that can impact our health, safety, and environment. That is why our regulatory system is designed to protect and serve the public interest. In the fast-paced world of technological development, however, even well-intentioned regulations can inadvertently hamper beneficial progress. Each company in the film has the potential to solve some of our greatest challenges, but all face a common roadblock: a regulatory system that could impede their pathways to success. Is it time for us to imagine a new regulatory approach?
PANEL: Industry, Innovation and Necessity = Success! Patrick Reasonover, Oz Ozias, Jon Entine, Jennifer Grossman; JoAnn Skousen, mod.
10:40 Coffee Break MY NAME IS CHIP WILSON Patrick Reasonover dir. (7 min) Chip Wilson, founder of LuLuLemon, shares his background and reveals the role Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” led to the success of his international exercise clothing company. Q&A with Jennifer Grossman
11:10 am SEIZE THIS HOUSE Keith Wahrer, dir. (6 min) (comedy) SEIZE THIS HOUSE is an HGTV-inspired satire about two bureaucrats who flip homes and make big money…for their local government. They find homeowners behind on their property taxes (even for amounts as low as $8), kick them out, then sell the homes at auction. The profits (aka the homeowner’s life savings) all go to the county coffers. What a silly idea. There’s no way something like this could actually happen…
11:20 am THE MARCH OF HISTORY: MISES VS MARX John Papola dir. (11 min) Is history marching inevitably toward centrally planned socialism, as Karl Marx proclaimed? Or is the best path to progress and prosperity the liberal democratic capitalism as recommended by Ludwig von Mises? The future of the free world depends on which approach wins the debate. From the co-creator of the world-renowned Keynes vs Hayek rap videos, John Papola, and the creative team at Emergent Order in collaboration with the American Institute for Economic Research, comes this musical masterclass in the economic debate of our times, pitting the Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises against the godfather of socialism, Karl Marx. It’s a rap battle that spans more than 150 years of history, philosophy, and economic theory. The debate between socialists and capitalists is just as topical today as it was in 1848–so, which side are you on?
PANEL Music, Media and Messaging: Is Comedy All That Different? Joseph Kast, Rob Montz, Keith Wahrer, Jason Rink, John Papola
12:00 pm CRYSTAL CITY Geoff Mark, dir. (12 min) CRYSTAL CITY is a teenage romance, set in a WWII US Internment Camp. It tells a nearly forgotten slice of our history: when Japanese Americans were locked up in military prisons in the US, so were Germans and Italians. Ben is Japanese-American, Betty is German-American. They were both born in America, and are both locked away in the west Texas Internment Camp named Crystal City. In the morning she will be sent to Germany, a country she’s never seen, for a prisoner exchange. He will be sent to the front lines, to fight for the country that rounded up him and his family. Tonight, our heroes must face the most difficult choices in their young lives with the vast, unstoppable war coming closer every minute. The most important question they must face is this: what is liberty without personal responsibility?
12:20 pm KOREMATSU VERSUS US Matt Wood, dir. (25 min) Seventy-five years ago, the Supreme Court issued one of its most controversial decisions–in Korematsu v. United States–upholding the conviction of Fred Korematsu who refused to report to an assembly center during the relocation and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. What were the events that led up to the relocation of approximately 120,000 immigrants and citizens? How and why did the Court decide the way it did? Could it happen again?
12:45 pm PANEL Lock Up or Lock Down: When Governments Overreact to Emergency Ed Stringham, Geoff Mark, Sigal Erez, Caleb Trotter; Matt Wood, mod.
2:40 pm MONEY MACHINE Ram Denison, dir. (78 min) Every year, millions lose billions in Vegas, but after Stephen Paddock opens fire on a crowd of 22,000 and kills 58 people, the town’s image as a safe adult playground is put in jeopardy. With billions on the line, the corporations that run Vegas use their power to get America’s mind off the shooting, leaving the victims feeling forgotten. Money Machine exposes a rigged game of corrupt policing and corporate cover-ups and shows how the deadliest mass shooting in US history became one of the most forgotten.
