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OC opens with the first of our four SCRITTI POLITTI specials this Spring, a timely look at explosive issues around resource-extraction in the American Midwest. Ivy Jeanne McClelland and Pablo Calderaro return from the Standing Rock encampment with their 25-min. slide-show on the Sioux’ struggle to stop the Dakota pipeline from tainting their tribal water and ground*. Their inspiring account is supported by a handful of doc shorts, many by Native makers on the scene: Shiye Bidziil’s Black Snake, IEN’s We’re Still Here, Peter Mettler’s Petropolis, et al. In the show’s second half, Frisco ex-pat Mark Street flies back with a revelatory report on the new boom/bust displacement in North Dakota, a land and a people rolled over by the imperatives of Big Oil.

politti1:dakota pipeline

This feature documentary presents the heroic yet tragic story of Victor Jara: from his rise to prominence as a noted theater director, to his years as a folk-inspired troubadour, finally to his horrific execution in 1973 at the hands of a fascist military regime — a junta responsible for summarily executing or ‘disappearing’ thousands of Chilean citizens. Weaving together powerful interviews (Bono, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger), rare archival materials and a generous helping of Jara songs, the film reveals why Jara’s values and music transcend multiple generations, remaining a powerful cultural symbol in the ongoing global struggle for human rights and social justice.

Also included: interviews and performances by such legendary Chilean music groups as Quilapayun, Illapu, and Inti-illimani, plus many younger musicians, among them Luis LeBert of Chile and Leon Gieco of neighboring Argentina. The Resurrection of Victor Jara chronicles a tragedy of the past that still echoes ominously today.  Directed by John Travers, 88 min, 2015.

Plays with the short film, The Boombox Collection: Boots Riley (TRT: 10 min.), by local filmmaker Mohammad Gorjestani.  The Boombox Collection is a series of short doc portraits of underground hip-hop artists.  This episode features Boots Riley, frontman of the politically-radical hip-hop group, The Coup, as he takes us on a poetic drive through East Oakland and reflects on his career, his future, and explains his relentless war against capitalism.

Ticket Link: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1411121

Website: http://www.vjvive.com/

Trailer:  https://youtu.be/PzXFY7pNRNQ

Kyaw Kyaw, a 25-year-old Burmese punk, pursues the dream of seeing the punk scene take off in Myanmar. The former military dictatorship carried out a few democratic reforms, but he remains sceptical: In his opinion, the country hasn’t changed yet. Along with the members of his punk band, he tries to raise the awareness of his people about the persistent violation of human rights. By way of his music and the demonstrations in the streets, he criticizes the ongoing civil war and the persecutions of ethnic minorities. He travels across the country to promote his philosophy among the young generations: A symbiosis of Buddhism and punk that rejects religious dictates and political doctrine.

Plays with the short film, The Boombox Collection: Zion I (TRT: 10 min.), by local filmmaker Malcolm Pullinger.  The Boombox Collection is a series of short doc portraits of underground hip-hop artists.  In this intimate portrait and performance piece, Zumbi, the frontman of the prolific underground hip-hop duo Zion I, reflects on his legacy and the question of artistic integrity vs. mainstream success. Dir: Andreas Hartmann, 68 min, 2016.

Ticket Link: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1411108?utm_medium=1098158

Website: https://www.facebook.com/mybuddhaispunk/

Trailer:  https://youtu.be/JgYELpWMPCY