William Greaves' IN THE COMPANY OF MEN on 16mm

229 East 9th Avenue,Homestead PA 15120

24 March, 2023

Description

IN THE COMPANY OF MEN by William Greaves (1969, 52 min) In the Company of Men illustrates Bill Greaves’ decision to use film as an activist would — as a consciousness-raising tool. To depict and affect prejudice between white factory foremen and Black workers (termed by management as the “hard-core unemployed”), he brought a psychodramatist into an auto plant so that both sides could improvise common interactions. The film documents the impact of this remarkable technique. The actor he chose to lead the exercises, Walter Klavun, had been trained by the founder of psychodrama, J.L. Moreno. Bill Greaves remained interested in the power of psychodrama to change entrenched attitudes throughout his career. IndieCollect recently completed a new 4K restoration of In the Company of Men, but we will be showing an original 16mm print from the collection of the University of Pittsburgh, with the permission of distributor Criterion Collection /Janus Films. Doors open at 7:30. Films start at 8:00. BYOB Accessibility note: The street-level entrance to the screening space has at 2-3 inch lip at the door, which we'll be very glad to assist with. Stairs are not required. Details and contact info will be emailed to registrants.