Try Revolution @ Cinema

Try Revolution tells the story of how the protests surrounding the 1981 Springbok Tour of New Zealand impacted on South Africa. In this one hour documentary South Africans from Archbishop Desmond Tutu through to ordinary rugby fans talk about how the games, the images, the reports and the conversations that surrounded "The Tour" affected them personally and helped to change the apartheid system.

The 1981 Springbok Tour of New Zealand had been greatly anticipated by the rugby mad white community of South Africa. New Zealand was their most cherished rival and this tour was going to be live on television…a first for South Africa. So when they tuned into the first broadcast, the Hamilton match, and saw hundreds of protesters standing on the field they went into a kind of collective shock.

Try Revolution explores what happened over the ensuing months and indeed years as the impact of the "The Tour" was fully realised. From a prison mate of Nelson Mandela to the Captain of the '81 Springboks, the documentary uncovers how the actions of the New Zealand protesters were perceived, understood, and used to help in the struggle against the apartheid regime.

"To see strife between families in New Zealand and how it really ripped the country apart, well I think that's quite bad and then realising this isn't the way it should be… that was a big eye opener." - Wynand Claasen, Springbok Captain 1981

"You really can't even compute it's value, it said the world has not forgotten us, we are not alone" - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Produced and directed by Leanne Pooley

This is a must see for anyone who was involved in or aware of the struggles by ordinary New Zealanders who could not stand by and accept the Apartheid regime. If you thought it was a wasted effort, watch this film and you will think again. We will have a dialogue circle after this film to share stories and feelings about this event and about protest or civil disobedience as a method of effecting change.

Screening at the morning session time of 10:00am and the evening session time of 7:00pm on Tuesday the 4th of September at the Waiheke Community Cinema in Artworks.

Uncovering the Web

A seniors workshop on getting more out of the internet, by James Samuel

On Wednesday the 22nd of August (from 10am) I am offering a two hour workshop to anyone who wants to learn how to get more out of the internet and use some of the new computer technology to best advantage. These days more and more services are only available online, so it helps to know how to access them. If you can navigate and find your way around the vast information pool we call the worldwide web, it can save you hours of time, and also reveal things you may not have otherwise known. While the web can be overwhelming, with good searches and a disciplined approach, it is possible to get to the information you want quite quickly.

We will visit some Google Maps and see how they are being used to share information in interesting ways. We'll look at YouTube and Google Video, and what they have to offer. We'll go to some news sites and at our local Council pages - you may be surprised at what is available there. We''ll touch on internet phone calls, sharing photos, backing up files, and more.

Why now? It is my sense that there is a growing awareness amongst the seniors in our community, of the overlapping issues of Peak Oil, Climate Change, and Local Governance. I am delighted to observe this and support its growth, because I feel that there is so much that can be offered by you. You have more time to talk with others, to do the work of digging out information that is of help, and you have the life experience of a simpler way of life that will be of enormous benefit to the entire community as we make our way down the slope towards a lower energy future.

How it will be run? The internet will come alive on the big cinema screen so that everyone can follow the process as it unfolds. There will be time for questions at the end of each section, and we will do a short review at the end to see if everyone got something of value from the morning, and find out if any follow up would be helpful. A handout will be given at the end, so you have some reference material to take home with you. Contributions towards costs will be welcome in the form of Koha.

Zeitgeist the movie

"They must find it difficult. Those who have taken authority as the truth,
rather than truth as the authority."

- Gerald Massey

Watching it for the second time the other night with my partner Kim, gave me an even greater appreciation of the gift of this work. The film Zeitgeist was created as a not for profit expression to inspire people to start looking at the world from a more critical perspective and to understand that very often things are not what the population at large think they are. The information in Zeitgeist was established over a year long period of research and the excellent source page on their website reflects this.

We now have the ability to produce films with inexpensive cameras and desktop computers, with these tools and huge databases of film footage, the ability to share information via film has come into the hands of the people. This is significant, because we are no longer dependent on the dominant forms of corporate controlled media. This film is one example of people providing others with knowledge that would otherwise be accessible to only a few privileged individuals. While CNN or TVNZ are not likely to play this documentary any time soon, you and I and our friends can watch it, view it online, and even make copies and share it around.

Throughout the ages small groups of people who had access to knowledge that the masses were not privy to, made decisions which affected the lives of many. Sometimes these rulers, or ruling elite, were wise and benign though some times their decisions make them look less compassionate and generous. Today is no different. Despite today's widespread rhetoric about democracy and freedom, the sad fact is that very few people are aware of how the power structures function in today's society. This film is changing that. It has the potential to rock the foundations of your belief systems so much you will never be the same again. At the very least it will leave you with some questions, and reveal that all is not as we have been told. Either way it is too important to let it pass you by.

Please note this two hour film will start at the winter screening time of 7:00 pm (August 7th). Feel free to bring some food or refreshments to share at the 15 minute intermission.

If you don't make it to the cinema on the night, you can watch it (in lower resolution and without the pleasure of the good company who will be there) on my blog.