NEWARK DENIED AGAIN BY WEALTHY ELITES
Dateline Los Angeles 4-13-2013
On Thursday we found out Newark's only movie theater, Cityplex-12, the ownership of which includes Shaquille O'Neal and Boraie Development, a theater that symbolizes the redevelopment of Newark and which has been championed by Mayor Cory Booker, suddenly CANCELLED our film about Mumia Abu-Jamal, pulling it from their schedule. With this act they have effectively blocked Newark citizens from seeing the film and witnessing Mumia's powerful story.
After an attempt today to get a comment from Boraie Development on this decision, we were simply deferred to the theater manager, who has been unavailable and likely had no role in the matter regardless. We have yet to get an official statement on why the film was cancelled. But, as we know well, the history of attempts to silence Mumia Abu-Jamal, his voice, his writings, and now his life story, has long been motivated by a narrow political ideology.
And these narrow minds, who refuse to consider Mumia beyond the scope of his case and conviction, who further refuse to acknowledge the gross injustice behind that conviction, seem incapable of allowing the screening of a film that their own customers, the people of Newark, may wish to see... a story that speaks to racial and class injustice... a story that speaks to the positions of power that seek to silence those voices who criticize power. And therein may be the answer. Because our film does not deal with the controversy of Mumia's case. But it does deal with the efforts that have been made to silence his powerful voice, which we see repeated today in this decision made by the ownership of Newark's Cityplex-12.
But Mumia Abu-Jamal has never kept quiet. And neither will we.
Stephen Vittoria, Director
Street Legal Cinema / deepimage
8265 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90046
