DOCNZ: Documentary New Zealand Trust
The Morgan Spurlock produced What Would Jesus Buy has already elicited controversy before it’s screening at this year’s Documentary Film Festival.
The documentary, focusing on materialism and the commercialization of Christmas amongst it’s many other socially-aware points, has seen a lack of distribution deals in North America and Starbucks, formerly one of the sponsors for American documentary festival Silverdocs, withdraw it’s sponsorship after the continual targeting from activist/performer Bill Talen through the film.
Talen performs as ‘Reverend Billy’ who, with the backing of the fictitious ‘Church of Stop Shopping’ choir, embarks on a nation wide voyage of North America, preaching and singing songs which have anti-shopping and anti-corporate sentiments. Their message against the perceived evils of patronizing retail outlets and large corporate chains saw Talen receive a court order barring him from entering any Starbucks premises in the California area. Though they’ve withdrawn their corporate logo from the festival, they have allowed their money to be kept — instead focusing on a Latin American film festival.
What Would Jesus Buy is one of many documentaries this festival that are both thought-provoking and controversial.
The Academy award nominated My Country My Country shows the life of Iraqi citizens under U.S occupation, the story of former KGB officer and later Russian dissident and writer Alexander Litvinenko who died of suspicious circumstances, and the 48 hours leading up to the Trinity atomic test in 1954 are documented with Wonders Are Many.
They join celebrated documentaries such as Buddha’s Last Children which shows the life of Buddhist monk Khru Bah Neua Chai Kositto as he helps orphaned children in the Golden Triangle area of northern Thailand and Please, Vote For Me, an experiment in democracy in which a school in China holds an election to select a classmate.
Auckland Sept 27—Oct 10, Dunedin Oct 11—21, Christchurch Oct 25—Nov 4, and Wellington Nov 8—21.
For more info on the movies, cinemas and screening times visit www.docnz.org.nz.
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Contact publicist Michelle Lafferty:
elephantpublicity@paradise.net.nz, +64 368 4180.