Show Raucous caucus on political issues Diana Joy Jones Arts Reporter On Friday October 24 through Sunday October 26 The Salt Lake Film Center presented its Raucous Caucus Weekend The event featured films with political agendas powerful messages and strong voices Several films were shown in inthe inthe inthe the spirit of curre current t political concerns Phil Donahue Michael Kirk and Naomi Wolf were in attendance They each had hadan hadan hadan an influential hand in one or more of the films that were shown including original inspiration production and direction All of the films were shown at the Rose Wagner Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Salt Lake City The politically charged weekend opened with Body of War a film written produced and co- co directed by legendary talk show host Phil Donahue The film was introduced by Rocky Anderson Body of War traces the personal journey of war veteran Tomas Young Donahue was strongly impressed by Young when he came across him at atWalter atWalter atWalter Walter Reed Army Medical Center Young was shot in inthe inthe inthe the spine and paralyzed after being in Iraq for only a few days I IThe The film profiles Youngs Young's daily tribulations The people of this country do not see or feel the sacrifices that are being made by thousands of have sent young men and women to this so-called so war Donahue said Soldiers have returned with injuries that have turned lives of the entire family upside down That is what out film shows the pain the harm harmin in harms way that you are not not seeing in mainstream media Body of War has already won several awards including the National Board of Review Best Documentary for 2007 Donahue has been pleased with the reception for the film thus far Through Youngs Young's personal plight the film echoes a political message which is strongly stated This is not an ambiguous film This is a non war Iraq film The people in our film believe that one more death in Iraq Iraqis is morally unacceptable Donahue said Young wanted a political film so did I without the politics this is poor lad how sad Tomas didn't want that kind of film and I admired him for that He wanted a film that had bite and we think this one does Also as a part of Raucous Caucus Weekend Michael Kirk and Naomi Wolf came cameto to Salt Lake City Kirk is isa isa isa a former fOlmer producer for the PBS show FRONTLINE He has won several awards for his documentary filmmaking Wolf is a well- well known political speaker and author of many books including The Beauty Myth and The End of America Kirks Kirk's films embrace contemporary topics related to war and politics The Lost Year in Iraq briefly speaking documents the United States' States struggle during 2004 2003 to push democracy into Iraq Three other films produced by Kirk were also screened End Game Law and The Choice 08 All four films were followed by a question and answer session with 1 Kirk Closing the weekend The End of America was shown on on- Sunday October 26 The film inspired by Wolfs Wolf's book The End of America Letters to a ayoung ayoung ayoung young patriot looks back at Americas America's history in order to uncover what Wolf argues is a decline in the United States democratic order today Prior to the screening Wolf was in attendance for signings and discussions Democracy cant can't protect us if we dont don't protect democracy Wolf said I teach people to write op- op eds I teach people how to start political movements to help your congressmen so that we can take power back Presented entirely for free The Film Centers Center's Raucous Caucus Weekend presented a rare forum for democratic discussion and thought-provoking thought films As well the weekend offered an opportunity for insight from prominent figures |