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Indicted in 2005 for arson, Daniel McGowan was labeled a terrorist by the US government, but not for plotting to kill civilians or for targeting government officials. McGowan was called an “eco-terrorist” for participating in illegal acts while he was a member of the Earth Liberation Front. Thirty eight year old McGowan is now serving a seven year sentence in a federal prison. He and the law enforcement officials who prosecuted him are subjects of the Oscar nominated documentary “If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front.” Directed by Marshall Curry, the film documents the formation and break-up of the Earth Liberation Front and the federal operation that swept up McGowan and many of his peers, branding them domestic terrorists. If A Tree Falls is skillfully filmed documentary, interweaving the narratives of activists and law enforcement to examine some of the most pressing issues facing social movements today in terms of tactics, and the fact that the planet’s future is at stake. The activists featured in the film discuss their motivations, aims, and internal disagreements. Law enforcement officials open up to the camera and explain why they believe the Earth Liberation Front was a domestic terrorism group and detail how they were able to turn activists into cooperating witnesses who turn against former friends and allies. If A Tree Falls ultimately questions the government’s readiness to brand dissident groups as terrorist organizations and scrutinizes the methods used by law enforcement to limit and deter peaceful public protest. The film presents a striking and timely story of dissent, betrayal, and the erosion of civil liberties.

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If a Tree Falls – DVD – $100

Uprising DVD Super Pack – $500 – includes: Bonsai People, Money Driven Medicine, The Purity Test, If a Tree Falls, and talks by Michelle Alexander and Noam Chomsky

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