Free Documentary Screening of Tulia, Texas - a HIT at this year's SIFF January 24, 2009

FILM EXPLORES HOW THE WAR ON DRUGS CAN TEAR APART A COMMUNITY
LOCAL ACLU OF WA ATTORNEY WHO WORKED ON THIS CASE SPEAKS AFTER FILM

A special preview screening of the hit documentary of the 2008 Seattle International Film Festival TULIA, TEXAS will unspool on Saturday, January 24 at SIFF Cinema at Seattle Center at 3:15 PM followed by a discussion with local civil rights pioneers. There is no charge to attend this event. It is open to the public and all are welcome.

“This is a story about how our idea of justice gets corrupted when we declare war on something.” —Jeff Blackburn, Texas Criminal Defense Attorney

A product of the nation’s “war on drugs,” narcotics agent Tom Coleman was hired to work undercover in a now-infamous drug sting operation in Tulia, Texas. Ten years ago, Coleman executed one of the biggest drug busts in Texas history; by the end of that blazing summer, dozens of residents of the small farming town of Tulia had been rounded up and thrown behind bars. Of the 46 people accused of selling drugs to Coleman, 39 were African American.

TULIA, TEXAS directed by Cassandra Herrman and Kelly Whalen is co-presented in Seattle by the Langston Hughes African-American Film Festival, the Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas, and the ACLU of Washington.

Named “Texas Lawman of the Year” for his investigation, Coleman’s arrests led to quick trials and severe sentences. But it soon became clear that there was more to Coleman than met the eye, and revelations came forward calling into question many of the arrests. Years later, as lawyers fought to clear the names of the victims and residents of Tulia joined forces to tackle prejudice within their community, another story emerged.

Speakers following the film include ACLU of WA lawyers who worked on the actual cases in Tulia and local civil rights scholars.

Community Cinema Seattle is presented by KCTS9 Television Seattle, KBCS 91.3 FM Community Radio, The City of Seattle Office for Civil Rights, and the Seattle International Film Festival.

Community Cinema Seattle was named "Best Film Series In Seattle" by Seattle Metropolitan magazine in July 2008, and we're still 100% free.

WHAT: Special screening of TULIA, TEXAS with discussion after
WHEN: Saturday, January 24, 2009 at 3:15 PM
WHERE: SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer Street, Seattle, 98109
WHO: ITVS, KCTS, KBCS FM, SOCR, LHAAFF, CD Forum, ACLU/WA & SIFF
HOW: Free. For more information visit http://communitycinema.org/

About the national Community Cinema program in 50 cities:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/getinvolved/

Official Website: http://communitycinema.org/