Salem Film Festival: Gordon and The Institute for Public History Sponsor Civil Rights Documentary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT
Jo Kadlecek
Office of College Communications
978.867.4752
[email protected]

WENHAM, MA--Organizers of the second annual Salem Film Festival are giving local residents an opportunity to see the world--through film. Of the 22 documentary films chosen for the festival that runs from February 26 through March 5 at Cinema Salem  (1 Church Street), all include stories from across the globe, including Chile, Australia, the Amazon, China and more.

One in particular, though, is focused a little closer to home. Sponsored by Gordon College and the Gordon College Institute for Public History, Brick by Brick: A Civil Rights Story is a 60-minute film that follows three families through Yonkers, New York, as they confront the politics and laws of racial discrimination in housing and schools. The New England premiere of Brick by Brick is scheduled for Friday, February 27, at 4:15 pm. It will also be screened Tuesday, March 3, at 6:00 pm and members of the Gordon community are encouraged to attend. Bill Kavanagh, the film's director, will aattend and will be available during question and answer time following the film.

Gordon College Provost Mark Sargent--who runs the Provost Film Series on campus--says the themes in Brick by Brick are important for the Gordon community.

"The story in Brick by Brick reminds us of how important it is, and yet how difficult it can be, to work toward racial justice," said Sargent.

Kristina Wacome Stevick '98, co-director of Gordon College's Institute for Public History (IPH), headquartered in Salem's Old Town Hall, also believes it is a film consistent with the themes IPH explores, especially through History Alive! Gordon's professional acting branch.  History Alive! produces the longest running show on the North Shore, Cry Innocent and has been featured on the Discovery Channel, the Travel Channel, A&E, Nickelodeon, TLC, NPR, BBC, CNN and MTV.

Paul VanNess, a Gordon graduate from the class of '73, filmmaker and co-owner of CinemaSalem, is a member of the Salem Film Festival planning committee.

For more information, visit www.salemfilmfest.com/brickbybrick.html or contact the Office of College Communications 978.867.4752.

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