This film, shot by 100 amateur camera operators, tells the story of the enormous street protests in Seattle, Washington in November 1999, against the World Trade Organization summit being held there. Vowing to oppose, among other faults, the WTO's power to arbitrally overrule nations' environmental, social and labour policies in favour of unbridled corporate greed, protestors from all around came out in force to make their views known and stop the summit. Against them is a brutal police force and a hostile media as well as the stain of a minority of destructively overzealous comrades. Against all odds, the protesters bravely faced fierce opposition to take back the rightful democratic power that the political and corporate elite of the world is determined to deny the little people.
Editing
Seamless stitching of 100 amateur sources into coherent narrative.
Practical Effects
Real tear gas, real arrests, real courage — no reenactments.
Sound
Protest chants and police radios create visceral soundscape.
Director
Jill Friedberg
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This footage became evidence in multiple lawsuits against the Seattle Police Department, resulting in $250,000+ in settlements.
Susan Sarandon recorded her narration for free after seeing rough cuts; she had been planning to attend the protests herself before scheduling conflicts.
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