Ever got a free Christmas turkey... from a chemical plant? Eboni Cochran and Renee Murphy talk about living in west Louisville in what locals call the "Vulnerable Zone." The "Vulnerable Zone" aka "Rubbertown" is a mostly African-American community in Louisville, KY, which got its name because of all the chemicals plants that were constructed in the area during World War II. At one point Louisville was the leading producer of rubber in the USA.... official selection of the 2010 Atlanta Film Festival. [youtube id="fk0kSuH30LA" width="560" height="340"]
Distribution Days
This week I've been reading Jon Reiss' book Think Outside the Box Office, which producer and friend Sergei Krasikau recommended to me. Sergei and I are trying to come up with an innovative marketing and distribution plan for our documentary "Toxic Soup," which was named an official selection of the 2010 Film Festival (April 15-23rd).
From what I've read so far the key to spreading the word out about "Toxic Soup" is simple: Schedule as many screenings as possible. The reviews will follow. Last week we arranged for a sneak preview of "Toxic Soup" at the University of Maryland School of Law, and we have another sneak preview in the works for West Virginia State University. By building up a grassroots network of community support, we hope to bring about pollution and chemical reform.
Also this week I was contacted by Alyssa Martin, an archivist who works for Oscar nominated director Mark Kitchell is working on a new doc "A Fierce Green Fire." Alyssa requested a copy of "Toxic Soup" on Kitchell's behalf and will arrange a sneak preview of "Toxic Soup" in San Francisco. Again this is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more.