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June 25: Rooftop and BAM CinemaFEST present “William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe”

He might have been the most hated and most beloved lawyer in the world, but did anyone really know William Kunstler? Join Rooftop Films and BAM CinemaFEST for the screening of this critically acclaimed film, previously featured in DocuClub (October 2008). There will be an open bar after party following the screening for all in attendance.

Venue: Outdoors across from BAM Cinematek
Address: Parking lot across from BAM @ Fulton and Ashland (Ft. Greene, Brooklyn)
Directions: 2/3/4/5/B/Q to Atlantic Ave or D/M/N/R to Pacific St.
Rain: In the event of rain the show will be held Tuesday, June 30. Check www.rooftopfilms.com or call 718-417-7362 on the day of the event if the weather seems questionable.
8:00PM: Doors open
8:30PM: Live music presented by Sound Fix Records
9:00PM: Film
11:00PM–12:30AM: After-party: Open Bar on-site, courtesy of Radeberger Pilsner
Tickets: $11 at the door or online
Presented in partnership with: BAM CinemaFEST. Cinereach, New York magazine, IndiePix, Shooting People, Council Member David Yassky & Automotive High School

No refunds. In the event of rain the show will be held Tuesday, June 30. Check www.rooftopfilms.com or call 718-417-7362 on the day of the event if the weather seems questionable. Seating is first come, first served. Physical seats are limited. This means you may not get a chair. You are welcome to bring a blanket and picnic.

Bam CinemaFEST “Expertly put together and never less than compelling.”
-The Hollywood Reporter

“A perfect balance of the personal and the public.”
- Salt Lake City Weekly

“Might just help reawaken viewers to find their own Goliaths and slingshots.”
- The Jewish Journal

William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe (Sarah and Emily Kunstler | New York | 1:25:00)
The late civil rights attorney William Kunstler was one of the most famous and controversial lawyers of the 20th century. He represented civil rights and anti-war activists, as well as accused terrorists and murders. In the 1960s and 70s, Kunstler fought for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr., and represented activists protesting the Vietnam war. When the inmates took over Attica prison, or Native Americans stood up to the federal government at Wounded Knee, they asked Kunstler to be their lawyer. To his daughters, it seemed that he was at the center of everything important that had ever happened. But when they were growing up, Kunstler represented some of the most unpopular members of society: people accused of rape, terrorism, organized crime and cop killing.

In William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe, filmmakers Emily and Sarah Kunstler explore their father’s life, from middle-class family man, to movement lawyer, to the most hated lawyer in America. Weaving together home movie footage, abundant archival footage, and interviews with countless iconic figures, the filmmakers create an honest and compelling portrait of one of the most influential and perplexing figures in American legal history and try to answer fundamental questions about his life.

Who was William Kunstler? Why did he choose the life he did? And where do his daughters fit into that choice?

An impeccably made and deeply personal film, featuring many of the most influential figures of the last 50 years, including Herman Badillo, Dennis Banks, Harry Belafonte, Clyde Bellecourt, Father Daniel Berrigan, Jimmy Breslin, Alan Dershowitz, Ron Kuby, Yusef Salaam, Bobby Seale, Barry Slotnick. and many others.

About BAM CinemaFEST:
BAM CinemaFEST is a brand new festival featuring eighteen new films, artist Q&As, outdoor screenings, an all-night movie marathon, and much more. Screenings start June 17th. Find out more at www.bam.org.

William Kunstler: Disturbing The Universe will hit theaters in New York and beyond in the fall. Check Arthouse Films for updates.

About Rooftop Films:
Rooftop Films is a non-profit organization whose mission is to engage and inspire the diverse communities of New York City by showcasing the work of emerging filmmakers and musicians. In addition to our Summer Series – which takes place in unique outdoor venues every weekend throughout the summer – Rooftop provides grants to filmmakers, teaches media literacy and filmmaking to young people, rents low-cost equipment to artists and non-profits, and produces new independent films. At Rooftop Films, we bring the underground outdoors. For more information and updates please visit our website at www.rooftopfilms.com.

Date	June 25 2009
Homepage	http://rooftopfilms.bside.com/2009/films/williamkunstlerdisturbingtheuniverse_rooftopfilms2009
Contact	info@rooftopfilms.com
Issues	Criminal Justice, Economic Justice, Family & Society, Human Rights, Politics/Government, Legal Reform, Racial Justice, Youth

Posted on June 23 2009 in by austra