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Coffeehouse films offer viewers 'the whole story' By Jennifer Nitson Ashland Daily Tidings The hosts of the Wide Awake Film Forum held at Evo's Java House in Ashland are hoping to inspire a revolution. "Inform yourself! Get active! Fight back in the spirit of total resistance!" proclaims the latest Film Forum flier. The forum presents films on issues and topics that are often ignored or glossed over in the media - United States foreign policy, environmental degradation, civil rights and humanitarian issues. "People are reading the newspaper, watching television, and watching the president give his speeches and people are realizing they're not getting the whole story," said Evo's manager and Film Forum host Paddy Halleran. "I think it's important for people to inform themselves and make decisions on their own. We're trying to offer alternatives to newspapers, television and magazines so people can make their own choices." The Film Forum began in July and has been consistently drawing an audience of 20 to 50 people. "We get teens, seniors, anarchists, communists, Democrats. All sorts of people come here," Halleran said. "Mainly people with open minds who want to learn the truth about what's going on." The featured films spark discussion, debate and sometimes organizing around issues of both global and local consequence. "We're trying to create a forum for political work to be done," Halleran said. During post-film conversations participants have discussed possible actions and demonstrations, and tactics of how to spread the word about the issues. Often the talk turns to local concerns - the upheaval in the public school system, the problems and needs of Ashland's growing homeless population. "The more we tie into one another the stronger we become," Halleran said. "We're trying to create that space where people are inspired to do more. It's not just about watching a movie. It's about realizing our potential to give back to the world." Jacob Squirrel of Ashland attended a Film Forum movie about World Trade Organization protests in Quebec City, Canada. "I thought it was really positive," Squirrel said. "I really enjoyed it. It was extremely informative. I didn't hear anything about Quebec in any of the larger news fields. I met a couple of people who were fairly interesting there. I could see how it would lend itself very well to community collaborations." At 7 p.m. on Saturday the Wide Awake Film Forum will present two short films exploring the effects of U.S.-led economic sanctions against Iraq. "Genocide by Sanctions" documents the effect of the blockade on Iraqi children and explains some of the history behind the sanctions. "Let Iraq Live" shows the efforts of 84 Americans who risked imprisonment to bring aid and millions of dollars worth of medicine to post-Gulf War Iraq. For more information on the Wide Awake Film Forum, ask for Paddy Halleran at 482-2261. Evo's Java House is located at 376 Main St., across Granite Street from the Ashland Public Library. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -