18.8 C
Byron Shire
March 28, 2024

David Bradbury premieres new documentary, America and Me

Latest News

Man charged over domestic violence and pursuit offences – Tweed Heads

A man has been charged following a pursuit near Tweed Heads on Monday.

Other News

Bay FM community radio celebrates digital upgrade

Volunteers from Byron and across the Northern Rivers celebrated nearly $100,000 worth of new studio equipment at Bay FM Community Radio station on the weekend.

Man charged over domestic violence and pursuit offences – Tweed Heads

A man has been charged following a pursuit near Tweed Heads on Monday.

Mullum pods

They look so uninviting and dismal. It would not cost a lot to change the name to ‘tiny homes’...

Save Wallum finalist in NSW 2024 environment awards

The Save Wallum campaign has been named as a finalist in the Nature Conservation Council of NSW Environment Awards 2024. The award ceremony will be held in Sydney tonight, and Save Wallum spokesperson and ecologist James Barrie will be attending with Tegan Kitt, another founding member of the group.

Roller derby rocks the Cavanbah Centre

The Red Kennedys have once again dominated the Northern Rivers Revolt Roller Derby Tournament held at the Cavanbah Centre over the weekend of March 16-17.

Adaptive Surf Pro winds up in Byron

A week of mixed weather had seen almost 100 adaptive surfers take on the beaches of Byron Bay in the Byron first international adaptive surfing event to be held in Australia – the 2024 Australian Pro.

A maced ‘Earth Protector’ gets medical help at Standing Rock in the US last year. Photo Louis Fisher
A maced ‘Earth Protector’ gets medical help at Standing Rock in the US last year. Photo Louis Fisher

America and Me is the latest film by local activist and twice Oscar-nominated filmmaker David Bradbury.

It will have its world premiere in Mullum at the Old Drill Hall November 8 from 7pm and former ABC journalist Kerry O’Brien will host the screening, which includes a Q&A afterwards.

Bradbury says America and Me’s premiere screening ‘is timed for the first anniversary of the election of the world’s most powerful monarch, King Donald.’

America and Me shows how 40 years of what is sometimes called globalisation, sometimes called neo-liberalism, has left the US morally and financially bankrupt.

‘But the film also shows hope because it highlights activists still fighting the good fight, standing up to power 40 years after Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher introduced the right-wing economic theories of Milton Freidman and his infamous Chicago Boys. 

‘It’s a very personal film that gave me the chance to explore my relationship with the US and its reach,’ says Bradbury.

‘I’m very excited to be showing it first locally before I take it back to the US at the end of November for coast-to-coast screenings.

‘I’ll show it in the US to the anti-war activists, the Veterans for Peace, the homeless, the radical Christians I interviewed, the “Earth Protectors” at Standing Rock whom I made it with and about.

‘One year on, they need encouragement and emboldening to keep up the struggle in the face of Trump’s election,’ Bradbury says. 

‘After facing an uncertain future here with the ABC and an SBS gutted by Canberra and running scared to show the sort of films I make, I went to the US last year hoping to find work with the new social media giants, Netflix, Amazon, Stan etc. When I could see that wasn’t going to happen, I decided to make a film instead, set against the backdrop of the race between Tweedledum Hillary and Tweedledee Donald,’ Bradbury says.

Bradbury says he was at Standing Rock for election day in the US.

‘Standing Rock was the big protest action of 2016 where native Americans and environmental activists from all over the country combined to oppose a fracked-oil pipeline bulldozed through the sacred sites of the Lakota tribe in North Dakota.

‘I was so inspired by young and older activists joining together with the First Peoples of America to oppose the dinosaur fossil-fuel pipeline.’

Bradbury says he is having two screenings the same night of November 8.

‘The Old Drill Hall screening will be a fundraiser so I can take the film back to the US late November.’

A free screening will be held at the Mullum Uniting Church hall from 7.30pm ‘for the homeless, those suffering from mental illness and anyone who cannot afford to see the film because they have no work or just can’t afford it. Free cuppa after.’


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Where should affordable housing go in Tweed Shire?

Should affordable and social housing in the Tweed Shire be tucked away in a few discreet corners? Perhaps it should be on the block next to where you live?

Making Lismore Showground accessible to everyone

The Lismore Showground isn’t just a critical local community asset that plays host to a number of major events each year, but has also been used as an evacuation centre during past natural disasters in the region. 

Iconic Lennox beach shed upgraded –  not demolished

Lennox Park and the shelter shed has now been upgraded and reopened.

Govt cost-shifting ‘erodes financially sustainable local government’

Byron Shire Council looks set to add its voice to the growing chorus calling on the state government to stop shifting responsibilities and costs onto local government.