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Filmmaker Bernadine Mellis is the daughter of civil rights lawyer Dennis Cunningham, who started out his career representing the Black Panthers and the Weathermen.
Judi Bari was an Earth First! leader who was one of the first to place as much importance on the legacy and future of the trees as she did on timber workers' lives and families. But that strategic relationship was too much of a threat. Her car was bombed in 1990, and three hours later, she was arrested as a terrorist--charges that were later dropped. Convinced it was a ploy by the FBI to discredit her and Earth First!, Judi decided to sue.
Cunningham took on Judi's case and after 12 years, Judi Bari v. the FBI finally gets a court date. Knowing this is one of her father's most important cases, Mellis is there at strategy meetings, at breakfast, driving to and from the court, documenting her morally driven, very tired dad. Not your typical “Take your daughter to work day,” THE FOREST FOR THE TREES offers access to a piece of U.S. history that everyday grows increasingly resonant.
This film event is in partnership with Black Lily Film & Music Festival which promotes cutting edge women artists of diverse backgrounds. Bernadine Mellis will speak about her work and film. For more information about this film or the Black Lily Festival, please visit www.blacklilyfilm.org or call 215-925-9914 x 15.
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