Coming soon

To a theatre near you! Or maybe not. It opens in New York on 30 March, so it might be a while yet. I can’t see anything about it on the Dendy site.

When I see in the newspaper today how certain immigrants are treated in this country, it makes me realize that in many ways not much has changed since the days of Sacco and Vanzetti. If you're from "somewhere else" and have an accent, or a different skin color, you most likely have to endure discrimination, resentment, and even violence. And when I hear about government policies that cut back on civil liberties in the name of protecting our freedom, I’m reminded of the disastrous “red scare” that set the scene for the Sacco and Vanzetti trial. Peter Miller, Director

From the website:

SACCO AND VANZETTI brings to life the personal, political and legal aspects of the heartbreaking story behind Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, two Italian immigrant anarchists who were accused of a murder in 1920, and executed in Boston in 1927 after a notoriously prejudiced trial. It is the first major documentary film about this landmark story.

The ordeal of Sacco and Vanzetti came to symbolize the bigotry and intolerance directed at immigrants and dissenters in America, and millions of people in the U.S. around the world protested on their behalf. Nearly eighty years later, the story continues to have great resonance, as civil liberties and the rights of immigrants are again under attack.

The powerful prison writings of Sacco and Vanzetti are read by actors John Turturro and Tony Shalhoub. A chorus of passionate commentators propels the narrative, including Howard Zinn, Arlo Guthrie, Studs Terkel, and a number of older people with personal connections to the story. Artwork, music, poetry, and feature film clips about the case are interwoven within the narrative.

Through the tragic story of Sacco and Vanzetti, and the inspiring images of those who keep their memories alive, audiences will experience a universal – and very timely – tale of official injustice and human resilience.

Peter Miller also directed a short documentary about the Internationale.