International Working Class Film and Video Festival (Night 7)

International Working Class Film and Video Festival (Night 7)
July 23 (Friday) 7:00 p.m. $5
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
2868 Mission St. at 25th St., San Francisco
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"Thank You for Your Patience"
A film by Yahia Mahamdi, 2004 (53 minutes)
This film chronicles the struggles of workers who were injured at work, who were denied benefits by their employers and insurance companies, and who have spent years negotiating the maze of the workers' compensation bureaucracy. The film investigates the crisis of workers' comp through a range of testimonies, primarily from injured workers, but also from lawyers and law students who work pro bono to advise workers on their cases. The film is a tribute to these workers, chronicling their physical and emotional pain as they struggle to regain their lives and claim the rights that are due them.
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"Bridge Builders: Celebrating the Al Zampa Bridge"
A film by the California Building Trades and Debra Chapman, 2004 (9 minutes)
This short documentary covers the history of the opening of the Al Zampa Bridge, which is the first major bridge in the world named after a bridge builder.
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"Three-Minute Videos"
A film by the Japan LaborFesta (30 minutes)
This collection of three-minute videos gives a slice of the lives of Japanese working people. The Japan LaborFesta has brought together films about the lives of workers and their families as they fight against increasing exploitation and downsizing.
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"Eyes on the Fries: Young Workers in the Service Economy"
A film by Casey Peek and Jeremy Blasi, 2004 (21 minutes)
Low wages, erratic schedules, no health care, work-school conflicts -- this film looks beyond the stereotypes of carefree and undeserving youth to uncover a reality that millions of young working people know all too well. No matter how hard you work and how well you do in school, it can be difficult to stay afloat when you're coming of age in a "McJob" economy. But there are ways to improve things, and young people are taking the lead.
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LaborFest 2004 is a month of film, music, poetry, theater, talks, tours, and other events celebrating labor, our history and future. Held every July since 1994, LaborFest commemorates San Francisco's 1934 General Strike. For a complete schedule, visit http://www.laborfest.net