Please take a moment to click on the link below and sign a digital petition to remove flavored milk from the LAUSD. High fructose corn syrup is detriment to developing bodies and minds and plays a huge roll in early onset childhood obesity.

Get Flavored Milk Out of the LAUSD

When and Where:

Tomorrow! October 7th (2:30 pm) at Los Angeles Unified School District Headquarters (330 S. Beaudry Ave, Los Angeles, CA).

Bring your picket signs and noise makers for the October 7th Nationwide Strike and Day of Action to protest budget cuts to Education and Social Services! Join others to stand up and fight for:

- Free, quality education for all.
- Tax corporations and the wealthy to fund social services.
- Reinstate laid off and furloughed workers.
- Full legalization for all.

This is an interesting Op-Ed from the New York Times (8.20.10) that discusses common misconceptions within the Locavore movement. Please take a minute to read it, and let us know what you think. Does the author make a convincing argument about energy waste / consumption or is he trying to make us complacent?

Math Lessons for Locavores by Stephen Budiansky

Exciting news for Garden fans overseas! Scott will be traveling to London and Ireland in the next few weeks, and The Garden is coming with him!

The UK Premiere of The Garden is June 23rd at 7pm! The film will be screened at Riverside Studios in London through the non-profit documentary organization DocHouse and in collaboration with our UK distributors, Dogwoof. The film will be followed by a Q&A and DVD signing with Scott. This is an event not to be missed! Tickets are available online.

After the UK Premiere, The Garden will travel to Ireland, where Scott will again accompany the film.

On June 27th at 4pm, The Garden will appear at University College Cork and a Q&A with Scott will follow. Before the screening, however, he will be teaching a Master Class in Independent Documentary Production. This is an exclusive event, and space is sure to fill up fast. The screening is open to the public, but for a seat in the Master Class, please visit their website.

The last screening of the international tour of The Garden is July 11th, at Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry, Co. Cork. The Grain Store at Ballymaloe is holding a dinner with the filmmaker, followed by a screening of the film. The next morning there will be a Bucks Fizz Brunch with the filmmaker as well! The festivities start at 6pm on July 11th and continue at 10am on July 12th. For tickets and more information, please see their website.

Thank you all so much for your continued support of FAME HIGH! If you’d like to donate and haven’t yet, please go to www.blackvalleyfilms.com.

Black Valley Films is hiring!

Here’s our job description:

Academy Award nominated filmmaker looking for Office Manager/Personal Assistant for independent film production company based in Los Angeles (Silver Lake area).

Duties in this position include marketing and PR of the films, scheduling educational and festival screenings, coordinating home use and educational DVD sales, managing website, and general office tasks such as faxing, copying, mailing  scanning, and personal errands. Manager will work closely with filmmaker and oversee office intern(s). Knowledge of Mac computers, Microsoft Word, and Excel a must.  Knowledge of WordPress, Photoshop, DVD Studio Pro and Final Cut Pro a bonus.

Would appreciate candidates especially interested in DIY production and distribution of films. Possibility of collaborating with the filmmaker on future projects.

Flexible hours (3 to 4 days a week).  $10-14/hr with possibility of sales commission. Qualified candidates should email a resume and cover letter to publicity@blackvalleyfilms.com and CC veronica@blackvalleyfilms.com. Subject should read: BVF Job Application.

Thanks so much, and good luck!

Important news!! This past Saturday marked a triumph for the South Central Farmer’s Cooperative. A generous donation from an anonymous source gave 80 acres of land in Buttonwillow, CA. Produce from this garden will be sold at various farmer’s markets. For a better understanding of this situation, previous events are documented in the Academy Award nominated documentary, The Garden. Everyone from The Garden would like to thank supporters and advocates of the South Central Farmer’s Co-Op and local farmers in general for continuously fighting for justice. Our efforts have reaped awards with the new installment of the Buttonwillow garden!

An article about the Buttonwillow garden may be found here
(Link address: http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/A-garden-of-hope-moves-to-Buttonwillow/Z3gFqGF0C0KdleHu2ZhWfA.cspx)

Save the Date: Farmchella, June 12, 2010

Join the South Central Farm for its Grand Opening in Buttonwillow, CA

SCF Mission Statement:
It has been 18 years since the first seed was planted on what is now known as the South Central Farm. For almost two decades the Farm and those who worked it served as a community gathering space, an urban oasis, and a source for local organic produce. When the Farm was destroyed in 2006, the need for these resources did not disappear nor did the struggle to save the farm end.
Please RSVP for this event on their website.

Dhondup Wangchen, Tibetan filmmaker, sentenced to 6 years for subversion in China

The following was sent to me by
Professor Mark Freeman, School of Theatre, Television, and Film
San Diego State University

In too many places in the world, documentary filmmakers are imprisoned for their work.

Dhondup Wangchen is a Tibetan filmmaker recently sentenced to 6 years for subversion in China.  Amnesty International fears that he is being tortured.

Wangchen’s 25-minute documentary, Leaving Fear Behind (www.leavingfearbehind.com), shows Tibetans in the Amdo region expressing their views on the Dalai Lama, the Beijing Olympics and Chinese legislation.

I’m hoping that you will consider signing the petition below  and urging others to do so as well.

Reporters without Borders
http://www.rsf.org/en-petition33442-Dhondup_Wangchen.html

More Information:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa18909.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/world/asia/31tibet.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Dhondup%20Wangchen&st=cse

The following was sent to me by
Professor Mark Freeman, School of Theatre, Television, and Film
San Diego State University

In too many places in the world, documentary filmmakers are imprisoned for their work.

Dhondup Wangchen is a Tibetan filmmaker recently sentenced to 6 years for subversion in China. Amnesty International fears that he is being tortured.

Wangchen’s 25-minute documentary, Leaving Fear Behind (www.leavingfearbehind.com), shows Tibetans in the Amdo region expressing their views on the Dalai Lama, the Beijing Olympics and Chinese legislation.

I’m hoping that you will consider signing the petition below and urging others to do so as well.

Reporters without Borders
http://www.rsf.org/en-petition33442-Dhondup_Wangchen.html

More Information:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa18909.pdf

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/world/asia/31tibet.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Dhondup%20Wangchen&st=cse

The Garden will be distributed through OSCILLOSCOPE starting in Los Angeles at the NuArt, and then expanding to theatres and other cities. Confirmed cities so far include: San Francisco, NYC, Washington D.C. Please join our mailing list for updates!