March 27th, 2009

FARMINGTON, ME (March 27, 2009)--University of Maine at Farmington is proud
to present Social Justice Cinema: the Second Annual Farmington Film
Festival, an offering of interesting and informative documentary films and
expert speakers focused on current social issues. Sponsored by the UMF
Culture Committee, the festival events will take place from March 31 --
April 16, 2009, and are free and open to the public.

FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:

Week One Topic: Inequality & Race / Militarism & Media

7 p.m., Tuesday, March 31
Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
"Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North" - Filmmaker Katrina
Browne discovers her ancestors' role in the U.S. slave trade and gains a
new perspective. Walter Sargent, UMF assistant professor of history will be
speaking on the film's subject.

8:45 p.m., Tuesday, March 31
Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
"Tulia Texas" - This film shows how the war on drugs has become a war on
due process waged against African Americans.

11:45 a.m., Thursday, April 2
Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
"Independent Media in Time of War" -- In this film, independent journalist
Amy Goodman speaks about the media coverage of the 2003 Iraq War. Luann
Yetter, UMF faculty member, and Lance Tapley, award-winning journalist,
will be speaking on independent journalism.

7 p.m., Thursday, April 2
Thomas Auditorium, UMF Preble Hall
"War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death" -- In
this film, Norman Solomon's shares his insights into government strategies
used to promote their agendas for war.

Week Two Topic: The Economic Crisis

11:45 a.m., Thursday, April 9
Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
"In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Burst" -- This film
investigates why so many Americans are being strangled by debt. John
Messier, UMF assistant professor of economics; and Kristina Wolff, UMF
assistant professor of sociology, will be speaking on the current economic
crisis.

7 p.m., Thursday, April 9
Thomas Auditorium, UMF Preble Hall
"Capitalism Hits the Fan" -- In this film, renowned economics professor
Richard Wolff explores the root causes of today's economic crisis.

Week Three Topic: The Water Crisis

7 p.m., Tuesday, April 14
Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
"Thirst" -- This film is a look at the global corporate drive to control and
profit from the world's water resources.

8:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 14
Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
"The Water Front" - The film tells the story of an American city in crisis,
and the uncertain future of shared public resources.

11:45 a.m., Thursday, April 16
Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
Speaker Ruth Hill, fluvial geomorphologist, will present "What's up with
Water? A Flowing Conversation About the Global Water Crisis." Hill's talk
will highlight the important work that is being done by global activists
from the shores of the Ganges River to Maine.

7 p.m., Thursday, April 16
Thomas Auditorium, UMF Preble Hall
"Flow" -- In this award-winning documentary, director Irena Salina
investigates the world water crisis.

# # #

For more information, please contact Kristina Wolff, UMF assistant
professor of sociology at 207-778-7433, or kristina.wolff@maine.edu; or
John Messier, UMF assistant professor of economics, at 207-778-8172, or
john.messier@maine.edu.