Thread City Film Brigade

04/07/2025

02/01/2025

10/26/2024

TODAY at 5 and again at 7 pm, you can watch the new documentary by investigative journalist Greg Palast - VIGILANTES: AMERICA'S NEW VOTE SUPPRESSION HITMEN" at the Storrs Unitarian Universalist meetinghouse, at 46 Spring Hill Road, Mansfield, CT. Admission is free.
The film is about the present danger to legally registered voters by vigilantes intent of preventing them from casting their ballots, especially targeted at voters of color, women, college-age, and new, first-time voters.
Narrated by Rosario Dawson • Produced by Maria Florio (Oscar, Best Documentary)• Directed by David Ambrose • Written & Produced by Greg Palast. With an introduction by Martin Sheen.
The film is hailed by Gerard Griggs, president of the Georgia N.A.A.C.P. as "Horrifying, humorous, heartbreaking."
Chicago Tribune writes: "Greg Palast is a truth hound. His stories...threaten to alter history."

• Synopsis: 40,000 MAGA vigilantes are coming for your vote.
Follow Greg Palast as he hunts down and confronts vte rustlers wh are challenging hundreds of thousands of voters of color, a secretive plan for 2024 first used by the Ku Klux Klan. The vigilantes are weirdly comical – dressed up like cowboys – but dangerous. This is the hidden story of how the Trump gang intends to win... with OR without the voters.

• IF, after watching the film today, you want to show it at your own local venue you can host a free showing before or after Election Day, speak to us after the screening this evening – OR call or text Clay at 860 428-4867 to arrange a showing anywhere in eastern CT. We'll bring and show the film at your location. We bring the DVD player, projector, screen, and audio speaker. You just have to get an audience to show up.

• Preview and Public Service Announcement:

40,000 self-proclaimed vigilante vote-fraud hunters have already challenged the rights of 851,000 voters. Investigative reporter Greg Palast hunts down these...

10/21/2024

Coming for two free showings the same day Saturday, October 26th at 5:00 pm and again at 7:00 pm – Investigative journalist Greg Palast's award-winning new documentary,
"VIGILANTES, INC. - AMERICA'S NEW VOTE SUPPRESSION HITMEN"
The film was just released in September. Narrated by Rosario Dawson • Produced by Maria Florio (Oscar, Best Documentary)• Directed by David Ambrose • Written & Produced by Greg Palast.

The film is hailed by Gerard Griggs, president of the Georgia N.A.A.C.P. as "Horrifying, humorous, heartbreaking."
Chicago Tribune writes: "Greg Palast is a truth hound. His stories...threaten to alter history."

Synopsis: 40,000 MAGA vigilantes are coming for your vote.
Follow Greg Palast as he hunts down and confronts vte rustlers wh are challenging hundreds of thousands of voters of color, a secretive plan for 2024 first used by the Ku Klux Klan. The vigilantes are weirdly comical – dressed up like cowboys – but dangerous. This is the hidden sorty of how the Trump gang intends to win... with OR without the voters.
IF you want o host a free showing at your own vnue befire Election Day, call or text Clay at 860 428-4867 to arrange a showing anywhere in eastern CT.

09/05/2024

The Second Monday Film Series, at the Storrs Unitarian Universalist meetinghouse 946 Spring Hill Road, in Mansfield, CT) has never done a weekly screening before. Since 2011, it's always been a once-a-month film series held on the Second Monday of each month. Just for the next six Mondays, it will be a weekly series. We will present six outstanding documentaries to help keep the focus on what is at stake in this election. The country is being inundated by a tsunami of Trump propaganda. These documentaries counter that with a factual indictment of the clear and present danger he and his cult pose to a democratic republic.
A CRUCIAL ELECTION SIX WEEK SERIES OF MONDAY MOVIE SCREENINGS • Each Monday at 7:00pm from Sept. 9th – October 14th at the Storrs Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse, 46 Spring Hill Road, Mansfield, CT • FREE is Admission • For more Info TEXT anytime to 860 428-4867.

Here are the dates of the films:

SEPT. 9th - "THE BEST DEMOCRACY MONEY CAN BUY:
The Case of the Stolen Election"
Investigative journalist Greg Palast’s exposé of how the 2016 election was given to Trump. No U.S. major media reported the purging of voters
in key swing states. BBC-TV reporter Palest reveals the documented election fraud by Republican operatives. It was election suppression fraud, NOT "voter" fraud. Republicans could not verify ANY cases of voter fraud in the 2016 Presidential election, while delusionally claiming "millions" voted multiple times.

SEPT. 16th - "VIGILANTES, INC."
The latest documentary from Palest, just released this month: the Trump Right’s desperate plan to have 40,000 volunteer vigilantes at polling places in swing states, to intimidate Black, Hispanic, and young voters from casting their vote in this Presidential election, Tuesday, November 5th. They believe that by suppressing Democratic voter turnout, they will win and put Trump back into power – a dangerous anti-democracy ploy.

SEPT. 23rd - "UNFIT: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DONALD TRUMP
Through words and analysis of leading mental health professionals, this documentary discusses DSM-5 disorders, their danger, and the Doctors’ own Duty To Warn. They introduce the syndrome known as Malignant Narcissism and explain how it is responsible for great inhumanity throughout history. They liken its symptoms to Trump’s behavior. The film includes Malcolm Nance, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Justin Frank, John Gartner, Rick Reilly, Bill Kristol, Richard Painter, Suzanne Lachman, Cheryl Koos, Sheldon Solomon and Ramani Durvasula. Directed by Dan Partland (2021)

SEPT. 30th - "GOD & COUNTRY • THE RISE OF CHRISTIAN
NATIONALIST VOTERS"
Documentarian Dan Partland’s long-awaited latest film has just been released on DVD in time for viewers to assess the growing danger of this assault on the Separation of Church and State
that’s been building for years on the political Right. Rather than come off as a grim forecast, the film shows possible alternatives for our country, most notably from Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the minister and social activist who offers a voice of hope and inclusivity that feels genuinely healing. (2024)

OCT. 7th - "DARK MONEY"
“A potent harrowing portrait of Democracy under threat."
– Variety. Winner, Sundance Film Festival 2018 Kimberly Reed’s documentary feels like a political thriller as it examines one of the greatest present threats to American Democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money at an unprecedented level on our elections and elected officials. The film takes us to Montana – a front-line in the fight to preserve elections nationwide – to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court’s deceptively named “Citizens United” decision, uncovering the shocking and vital truth of how U.S. elections are bought and sold.

OCT 14th - "FAHRENHEIT 11/9"
“One of the most urgent films ever made” – David Edelstein, New York magazine. November 9, 2016, Michael Moore’s most powerful film is a provocative and comedic look at the times we’ve lived through since 2016. It explores the two most important questions of the Trump Era: How did we get here, and how do we get out from the chaos, and devastation of the Trump/MAGA regime?
The November 9, 2016, presidential election was a wake-up call to defenders of Democracy, a national wake-up call to save the country, to restore a democratic republic, with liberty and justice for All. Then came something few could imagine would happen: the January 6, 2021, Trump insurrection.
Today in 2024 his cult slogan is “Take Back America!” this prompted his opposition to re-affirm “We’re not going back!" to a pre-Roe, pre-Civil Rights, pre-unionized workers, pre-LGBTQ past.

• AFTER the October 14th screening, the schedule will resume on the Second Monday of each month, starting Monday, November 11th.

• Please share this film series with others on social media. Print it out so you'll have a reminder.
• Bring friends. Free parking is limited at the venue, and there's no parking on Spring Hill Road.
• If you would like an email reminder before future screenings, TEXT to 860 428-4867. You can opt out at any time. Your name, email or phone number are never shared with any other individuals, businesses, or organizations.

07/22/2024

This timeless Earth image and caption was created years ago by Vermont comedian Toni Nagy. Folks have been hollerin', preachin', evangelizin', rantin' and ravin' about The End of the World" long before Skeeter Davis recorded her forlorn brokenhearted love song "The End of the World" in 1962.
Unfortunately this End Times, Apocalyptic Doomsday hysteria will probably be revered because too many people love to capitalize on this maudlin meme, to save souls and manipulate gullible hearts 'n minds. Hysteria mongers over the centuries, right up to current cult leader Donald "Saved-By-The-Grace-of-God" J. Trump with his latest Parable of His Almighty Miracle-Ear have capitalized on the widespread Fear of a Doomsday. Donald's ploy is "Elect Me, or Your Won't Have a Country Left!" and "Only I Can Solve the Problems!" and his devotees believe everything he spews, like it's from the mouth of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

05/01/2024

The student Gaza solidarity encampment at UConn needs your support! Approximately 100 UConn students established an encampment on the UConn campus on Thursday evening, April 25th at the base of the statue between the Homer Babbidge Library and Gampel Pavilion. The encampment is at risk of police harassment if the number of people present gets too low. Your presence and support can make the difference between the encampment lasting through finals or not.

Specific ways you can support:

1. Be there. A critical time to have high numbers is in the morning, but any time of day is a help. Most of the time, being at the encampment consists of standing around chatting with young people about interesting issues. Sometimes there are chants. It's part picnic, part march, part commune. The more you turn out, the more peaceful the encampment gets to stay.
2. Bring things. Needs vary. Lunch is often hard to come by. Caps to protect from the sun might be useful, and ponchos and tarps to protect from the rain. I can put you in touch with the resources committee, or you can stop by and ask.
3. Offer labor and/or knowledge. There is always something that needs to be done, whether it's managing trash, interfacing with the media, or taping up protest signs. Teach-ins are welcome, usually in the afternoon.
4. Talk about it. Spread the word to sympathetic friends. Say sympathetic things to all your friends. Write letters to the editor. Encourage others to show up.

Your physical presence and goodwill are the biggest gifts you can give these young people who are risking their academic careers, and sometimes more, to end the horrible genocide in Palestine.

03/27/2024

Donald's desperate appeal to his cult's base and his evangelical acolytes: his new $60 Bible. Always the con artist. There is a photo of him literally wrapped in the U.S. flag and now his "DONALD ENDORSED" BIBLE! At any other time in American history this would be seen as pure satire, Mad Magazine-style. The grifter hawkng his celebrity status as Fake Billionaire and Fascist Dictator-in-Waiting, to his MAGA Rubes, vigilantes and bottom-feeders.
This, after last month's launch of his $400 golden sneakers! , as "Father" John MIsty would say, it's "Pure Comedy" Here's the Official music video from 6 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKrSYgirAhc The video is even more relevant today (let's called it his "Mammon Version") after Donald's launch of his Holy Bible, at the great price of 60 bucks, to help pay his lawyers as they delay his trials as long as they can get away with it!

03/03/2024

REMINDER: On Monday, March 11th at 7:00 pm, at the Storrs Unitarian Universalist meetinghouse, 46 Spring Hill Road, in Mansfield, the Second Monday Film Series will present a free screening of the 2010 documentary made by former students of Ron Jones' High school history class in the spring of 1967. Forty-three years after they took part in Mr. Jones' classroom experiment in totalitarian obedience, they made this documentary called "LESSON PLAN" in which several former students who took part in the "Third Wave" experiment recount their experience of those unforgettable events. You are welcome to stay after the film for a group discussion of the film. Here is a short preview of the documentary film's website: https://www.lessonplanmovie.com

for more info call or text 860 428-4867

The Third Wave is the original true story behind The Wave and Die Welle stories, told in this documentary film by the original students and teacher Ron Jones

02/29/2024

GAZA PEACE DEMONSTRATION!

SATURDAY, MARCH 2nd, 2:00 PM. Willimantic, CT. Jillson Square, at the corner of Main and Jackson Streets, directly across from the Frog Bridge.

There will be a Worldwide Action for Gaza on Saturday, 2 March, with demonstrations being held in a great many cities and towns. Willimantic has a long history of working for peace and justice and it is appropriate that we should speak out on this critical issue, calling for an immediate end to all hostilities between Israel and Palestine and a release of all hostages held by both sides. This will be a non-violent action. While it is perfectly legitimate to speak out against the actions of the Netanyahu government and those of Hamas, any language that is either anti-Semitic or disparaging of the Palestinian people should not be a part of this demonstration...
***PLEASE SHARE THIS NOTICE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE

10/17/2022

Come to a free screening at the Storrs Unitarian Universalist meetinghouse, 46 Spring Hill Road, Mansfield, CT (presented by the Second Monday Film Series on the Fourth Monday for the first time ever!) Monday, October 24th, 2022 at 7:00 pm – an Unprecedented Double Feature pre-Halloween presentation!

7:00 pm - "BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD" the 2013 documentary making of / backstory about the iconic 1968 classic, that birthed the zombie horror genre, "Night of the Living Dead". George A Romero, a young college dropout who directed a low-budget horror film that shocked the world, became an icon of the counterculture and spawned a zombie movie genre. This film shows how Romero gathered an unlikely team of Pittsburghers –policemen, iron workers, ad execs, housewives, and a roller-rink owner – to shoot a revolutionary film, guerrilla-style, at the height of race riots and the Vietnam War, that went on to become a cinematic landmark at a singular time in American history. 76 min.) THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK magazine wrote: "Absolutely gripping! Fascinating behind-the-scenes details. A thrilling examination of the little horror film that could."

Trailer for the documentary: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2507128/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
. . followed by . . .

8:30 pm - An unprecedented simultaneous dual screening of BOTH the Black & White original 1968 film, "NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD", together at the same time on the same 12-foot wide screen with the 2004 COLORIZED version of the 1968 original, using the soundtrack from only one of the DVDs, to avoid having to synch the audio perfectly for both DVDs. As far as we know, a screening like this has never been done before. Do not miss this one-of-a-kind screening! Admission free. Limited seating. Free limited parking on-site. No parking on the street. Refreshments will be available.
You can "Like" and "Follow" the Second Monday Film Series page: www.facebook.com/Second Monday Film Series. You can also sign on to the monthly email reminder of the upcoming screenings of the Second Monday Film Series and any other one-off social presentations like this one) by calling or texting me at 860 428-4867. You can opt out of the monthly email reminders at any time. We also never share your name or mail with other persons, places or businesses. The film screenings are an independent, all-volunteer project since 2011

Birth of the Living Dead: Directed by Rob Kuhns. With George A. Romero, Fred Rogers, H. Rap Brown, Mark Harris. A documentary that shows how George A. Romero gathered an unlikely team of Pittsburghers to shoot his seminal film: Night of the Living Dead (1968).