Howard Zinn: Voices of a People's History of the United States

(2006)

★ 6.4 IMDb · 101 votes

Genres: Documentary

Year: 2006

Runtime: 90 мин

Director: Olivier Azam, Daniel Mermet

Cast: Джон Сейлз, Уоллес Шон, Paul Robeson, Лили Тейлор

Plot

An impressive roster of celebrities -- including Lili Taylor, Paul Robeson, Sarah Jones, Brian Jones, John Sayles and Wallace Shawn -- lend their voices to this performance of readings inspired by Howard Zinn's best-selling book. Segments bring to life Tecumseh's speech to the Osages, Frederick Douglass' thoughts about July 4 and Paul Robeson's Unread Statement before the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

With the tremendous success of his book, A People's History of the United States, Howard Zinn radically changed the way Americans see themselves. His friend Noam Chomsky says that Zinn litteraly transformed a generation's conscience. Zinn talks about those who have no voice in the official History : Slaves, Indians, deserters, textile workers, union men. On two occasions in Paris and Boston we were lucky enough to meet and film him. Towards the end of his life, Howard Zinn said , ''I want to be remembered as someone who enabled people to experience hope and power something they never did before.'' That is exactly the reason why we want to make this film.