During this embryonic stage of identity, we have sought after the historical beginnings and trailblazers who helped shape these ideas. The one thing you notice when researching, is that there isn’t much new material on the subject presented in the 21st century. This is the very reason we decided to launch this site, coupled with self-sufficiency and personal empowerment. The idea of making an updated documentary, or series of videos on the subject in a practical modern sense, is something we are working for in the future as well.

It seems that some other non-statist brothers and sisters have had the same idea, they are seeking to produce a modern documentary on anarchism. We applaud the efforts of Aragorn, Steffi and friends, as they take on this big project.

Please help them in anyway you can to help their idea manifest to a reality that will benefit us all.

Agora! Anarchy! Action!

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Via Anarkismo.net

To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive documentary about anarchism has ever been made. This is a project to create a documentary which is as much a basic introduction to anarchism, as well as a story which looks at anarchism historically and globally.

Anarchism: A Documentary

Fellow anarchists!
To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive documentary about anarchism has ever been made.

Of the often very dated films on anarchist themes that are available, most either misrepresent anarchism (1981’s pro anarcho-capitalist ‘Anarchism in America’), are focused on specific moments in anarchist history (‘Living Utopia’, ‘The Angry Brigade’, ‘Lucio the Anarchist’, etc), or discuss the wider social justice / alter-globalisation movements (‘Fourth World War’).

Such an absence is unfortunate, for we think that now, more than ever, a broad, accessible documentary introduction to anarchism would be of tremendous value to those of us who wish to share the history, ideas and promise of our diverse, protean movement with a general audience.

Instead of complaining though, we’re just going to knuckle down and make it ourselves!

We envisage creating, over the next year or so, an engaging, entertaining, relatively mainstream film that will cover – via interviews with prominent anarchists mixed with archival footage, narration, person-on-the-street discussions and explanatory animations – a historical overview of anarchism, an explanation of the core principles (anti-authoritarianism, anti-capitalism, mutual aid…you know the stuff!) and an exploration of all the contrasting but ultimately complementary views held by contemporary anarchists from around the world.

We’d also like to deliver a message of realistic hope and a call for action in this time of social and ecological crisis.

Being long-time anarchists ourselves, we recognise the importance of a supportive community in ensuring our project succeeds in fairly portraying both contemporary and historical anarchism and does not fall prey to personal biases or prejudices. We will thus be communicating openly and honestly with the broad anarchist community about our progress and underlying vision.

More pressingly though, we also recognise the importance of mutual aid and so, even though we’re soliciting it through capitalist channels, we humbly request your modest donations (at http://www.indiegogo.com/Anarchism-A-Documentary). These will help us with our frugal travel, eating and living expenses, as well as with editing and post-production costs. Those who cannot help financially are more than welcome to offer couches for the night. Shared dinners and good company will also be essential to the completion of this ambitious task we’ve set ourselves, and if you donate some music to the soundtrack we’d be eternally grateful

We eagerly await your participation, your suggestions and your constructive criticisms. We promise to weigh them up fairly as long as you promise not to pepper pie us if, in some cases, we respectfully disagree.

With love and hope,
Steffi, Aragorn and friends

PS: Our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Anarchism-A-Documentary/1…=info
Both pages linked here contain a FAQ section for further information.

Related Link: http://www.indiegogo.com/Anarchism-A-Documentary

Anarchy logo at top of article by anarchia89

The documentary Living Off The Grid: Life On The Mesa, about an agorist minded self sufficient community in the desert, is thought provoking, inspiring, and entertaining. Living off the grid, they form communities that govern themselves, and conduct commerce through barter and black markets. These are novel ideas in our state driven society. What resonated with me the most while watching, was the true sense of freedom these people felt by living on their own means.

However, I would say that this off grid community is not too visually appealing and focuses on some rather sophomoric stereotypical behavior in the beginning. I believe the filmmaker did this for dramatic effect, in order to create a sense of danger and suspense. You could also make the argument, that it was done in order to present these ideas in a way that would inhibit people from doing this themselves. The shabby living standards of the few homes they show, are not a fair representation of what can be achieved by living in a sustainable home. On the other end of the spectrum is the bioarchitecture concept of Earthships highlighted in this post.

Beside the aesthetics of the dwellings presented, the philosophy of agorism is shown throughout the film in several ways. The community doesn’t rely on police or any outside help from state resources. Instead, the community relies on the “moms” to mediate issues, and an elder council to issue decisions on disputes between neighbors, as a final option. Commerce is achieved through the use of bartering and black markets by the people living on the Mesa, and as one guy put it “if you have weed, you can get anything you want.”

Peacefully coexisting with each other without a centralized authoritarian system in place, this film demonstrates another way of living outside the control paradigm of the state.

Video source from SnagFilms.com and content is NSFW.

Synopsis contains spoilers!

Look out the window while you’re driving through the rural American Southwest. You’ll see the stark beauty of the landscape, but what you won’t see is the underground community a few miles in the distance. They inhabit this stunning, yet unfriendly territory. The Mesa has no access to the electricity grid and it’s not patrolled by a police force. There is no official rule of law. However, many residents are extremely patriotic and believe in the basic tenants of the U.S. Constitution.

This post-modern wild west is a haven for American Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Gulf War Syndrome. Teenage runaways are also drawn here for the sense of anarchy, anonymity and freedom. Fueled by the growth and distribution of Marijuana, the Mesa has developed an underground economy all its own. But marijuana’s legal status has brought increasing government surveillance. A recent police raid solidified anti-government sentiment.

Anti-establishment beliefs are tested when a group of rebel runaways called “the nowhere kids” begins to stockpile weapons and steal food from neighboring residents. The community is challenged to find common ground in order to protect themselves against this dangerous faction. Residents form a council, and hold a hearing to deal with the thieves. This self-imposed government is the very thing they have come to the Mesa to escape.

Through interviews with DJs, excursions to perilous rooftops, abandoned naval gun-platforms, and secret studios; Matt Mason explores the history and impact of pirate radio — both past and present.

Part of that history now involves the Internet, and as one of the DJs puts it:

That’s what the internet’s given us — it’s given everyone pirate radio!

This little film paints a very inspiring picture of the human spirit triumphing over the monopolistic state stranglehold on mass-communication media. One generation has pirate FM, the next has the pirate Internet. Only time will tell what comes next; but we can rest assured that there will always be pirates.

This documentary, and others, appear to have been sponsored by Palladium Boots. Head over to their site to see more like it.

You can order Matt Mason’s book, The Pirate’s Dilemma: How Youth Culture Is Reinventing Capitalism on Amazon. Your purchase helps to support JustLive.

As an aside, I’d recommend checking out the film, Pirate Radio (AKA, The Boat That Rocked), for an entertaining dramatization of some of the history discussed in the documentary.

A story about “A multi phobia-plagued single woman who hasn’t left her apartment in six years finds her carefully organized existence disrupted by her hot new ‘on-the-go’ neighbor.” This film mixes clever animation with reality in what looks like a really charming tale of love and friendship.

Unfortunately, the film was also aided by Telefilm Canada, a government corporation tied to the Crown.

Even without this help; however, the production company – Pocket Change Film – was able to raise $42,000 at the time of shooting.

Their success certainly gives me hope that the indie economy – and other forms of microfinance – have a chance at remaining alive (or growing) even as the mainstream economy is tanking.

The Official Trailer:

Note: I have not yet seen this film, but I plan to review it as soon as I do.