On 1 April 2022 a group of ordinary workers made history when they did what everyone thought was impossible: they successfully won their election to become the very first unionised Amazon workplace in America. This feat would be extraordinary for any union, let alone the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), who did it with no prior organising experience, no institutional backing, and a total budget of $120,000 raised on GoFundMe.
Heralded as the most important win for organised labour since the 1930s, this documentary captures the ALU’s historic grassroots campaign to unionise thousands of their co-workers. Described by ALU President Christian Smalls as the “N.W.A. of the organising world”, the group’s persona and strategies are highly unconventional: from wearing Money Heist costumes at press conferences to distributing free marijuana to workers.
A core emotional arc arises out of the journey of the worker-turned-organisers through a series of political battles, pivotal strategic events, and interpersonal tensions that test their commitment and their solidarity. Up against a corporate superpower and with legal protections at a drastic low for workers, all odds are against the ALU. Yet our protagonists remain unswayed in their belief in collective action and the dignity and power of the working-class.
2024 / 98 mins / USA / English
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Filmmaker - Stephen Maing & Brett Story
+ Do You See What I See? (10 mins) Director: Ashley Morris
In 2024 shoplifting is on the rise. The cost of living crisis continues to push people further into deep poverty. DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? interweaves women’s stories of hardship against the backdrop of a society in decline, gaining an understanding of why they are resorting to breaking the law in order to survive.
A social poetic documentary addressing the cost of living crisis and the effect this has on mothers living in poverty in Derby. The film observes the rhythm and heartbeat of Derby through the dirty windows of the city centre, capturing the movement and moments of a society in decline.
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