The West Virginia Filmmakers Film Festival
Landmark Studio for the Arts
Elk Hotel/Essential Salon
Elk Theater
Evens Chevron
Jaguar Educational
Town of Sutton
Braxton Democrat
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The Café CiminoWest Virginia State University
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SymbolArt
Verbatim, Inc.
Michael Gioulis
Days Inn Conference Center
And special thanks to...
Braxton County Middle School
Steve Fesenmaier
Lydia Mong
Richard Ndunguru
Sutton Volunteer Fire Dept.
Braxton Motor
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Shawn Bennett
THE BATTLE OF LOCAL 5668
2007 54 min.
battleoflocal5668.com
Access: shawn@shawnbennett.net
Shawn Bennett grew up in Parkersburg, studying film at Pittsburgh Filmmakers and studying under Julia Reichert (’ÄúUnion Maids’Äù) His father Joe worked at The Ravenswood Aluminum plant for years, and was part of the famous lock-out that took place for almost two years starting in 1990. Using historic footage, TV news broadcasts, and interviews with people who took part in one of the most important labor struggles in recent American history, he presents a compelling story of global capitalism vs. devoted workers. The United Steelworkers and fellow union members traveled around the country and world, protesting the inhumanity of the corporate leaders in a model campaign for justice. Marc Rich, an international criminal pardoned by President Clinton during his last day in office, was the man at the top.
Barbara Kopple, double Oscar winner for ’ÄúHarlan County, U.S.A’Äù and ’ÄúAmerican Dream,’Äù made a short film about the same labor struggle, ’ÄúLocked Out in America.’Äù See also the book, ’ÄúRavenswood: The Steelworkers' Victory and the Revival of American Labor by Tom Juravich and Kate Bronfenbrenner Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1999. $29.95
The West Virginia Labor History Associated inducted the entire local into its Hall of Honor in 1993. Bethel Purkey, a UMWA member, who was active in the event, was also inducted for his lifetime of organizing in 2005. His wife, Elaine Purkey, sang one of the songs used in Kopple’Äôs film.
