What was it about Emily in Paris that got it nominated at awards season over shows like I May Destroy You ? Why does The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air have lasting power after neon jackets and the Carlton have gone the way of the fax machine and VCR? In this episode of Justice of Motion , we speak about representation in coming of age narratives, specifically with regards to cultural and inter-generational identity. This episode is hosted by our two 2021 SJFI film fellows, Eva Bryner and Sowyma Kannan...
Nov 02, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 19
ACTIVATE | REFUGE, the 2021 Social Justice Film Festival is in just two days! Have you gotten your tickets yet? You can check out our program of over 50 genre-bending social justice films, buy tickets, and RSVP for our live panels at socialjusticefilmfestival.org . In this episode of Justice in Motion, SJFI film fellow Eva Bryner sat down with SJFI Advisory Council member and documentary filmmaker Sam Hampton to talk about the judging process for the social justice film festival, as well as advi...
Oct 05, 2021•20 min
Yesterday was Labor Day, and to celebrate and honor the American labor movement and its contributions to the United States, Daniel sat down to talk with two representatives from SAG-AFTRA, the world's largest performer's union, to find out more about labor unions, the work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure working standards and collective bargaining needs are met in the entertainment industry, and union representation in Hollywood. This month's guests are Dee Dee Escobedo (she/her) and Se...
Sep 07, 2021•48 min•Ep. 17
Monday, August 9th, is National Book Lover's Day , the official holiday to celebrate bibliophiles, reading, and literature. To commemorate, Daniel sits down to talk with Tiffany Douglas, resident book-lover and patient spouse (his words, not ours), to talk about social justice book-to-film adaptations, justice-oriented nuances that can get lost in adaptation, and the continuing impact of classic works of literature on modern storytelling tropes and the way we view ourselves. We hope you enjoy! T...
Aug 03, 2021•49 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Continuing our series of conversations with the SJFI Advisory Council around the question "What is a Social Justice film?" this month on Justice in Motion Daniel talks with close friends of the Institute Rhenda Meiser and Lauren Taubman to discuss film, social justice lenses, and hopeful futures of technology and cooperation in the Middle East. We hope you enjoy!
Jul 06, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 15
With the prospects of nation-wide vaccination teasing a better summer than the one we had last year, the question on our minds is when can we go to the movies again? Quite apart from being the best way to beat the sweltering summer heat, seeing a movie in theaters is a treasured communal experience whose emotional ties hearken back to the ancient Greek theatre. For this month's episode of Justice in Motion , we welcome back to the podcast Dr. John Trafton , Seattle University Film Studies profes...
Jun 08, 2021•43 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Today, May the Fourth, is Star Wars Day ! Our thanks to the machinations of the marketing genius that came up with that. To commemorate this glorious hybrid holiday of cinema enthusiasm and nerddom, Daniel goes deep on the side of of Star Wars lore and culture that doesn't usually get mentioned: the socially-focused beginnings of the tale that began a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away; and the progression of Disney/Lucasfilm's storytelling approach that has led to the creation of the most ...
May 04, 2021•38 min
In this episode of Justice in Motion we discuss the stories behind told surrounding the recent shootings in Atlanta, Georgia. As part of its recent event celebrating Communities Against Hate, Social Justice Film Institute Executive Director Aurora Martin invited Advisory Council members Vivian Hua, Glenn Morey and Andy Chan to discuss their experiences as AAPI storytellers and their vision for how film – particularly who is in front of and behind the camera – can bear witness and elevate voices ...
Apr 06, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 12
This month, we bring you Part 2 of our conversation with the SJFFI Advisory Council, an intrepid crew of filmmakers and activists blending art and social change to talk about the joys and challenges of filmmaking, and to ask ourselves 'What is a social justice film?' This panel was led by Daniel Swan. Panel members: Giovanni Coda , Glenn Morey , and Gilda Sheppard ....
Mar 02, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 11
There's no more glowing recommendation for a prospective film festival than "they gave me a free breakfast." This is one of the many pearls of wisdom we gleaned in our talk with independent filmmaker and Institute Advisory Council member Michele Noble. Michele directed and produced the short documentary Reclamation: The Rise at Standing Rock , which won the Tulalip Cares Prize at the 2018 Social Justice Film Festival, and we were lucky enough to sit down with her to learn how a filmmaker can put...
Feb 02, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 10
It's 2021! To commemorate the end of a year that opened our eyes to injustice around the world while living in isolation from each other, we decided to bring together some of the members of the inaugural SJFFI Advisory Council! This special episode of Justice in Motion is Part One of a two-part series in which we meet some of our intrepid crew of filmmakers and activists blending art and social change to talk about the joys and challenges of filmmaking, and to ask the question 'What is a social ...
Jan 05, 2021•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 9
In this episode of Justice in Motion , Daniel talks to disability rights activist and small business owner Annie Carl. Annie's journey as a social justice advocate began when, as a lifelong book-lover and bookshop owner in Edmonds, Washington, she discovered that diversity in the disability community didn't get the representation it merited from booksellers. Daniel and Annie covered a lot of ground in this conversation, including topics like the Fries Test for disability representation, tokenism...
Dec 01, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Before we move forward, a quick reminder to show up at the polls today (Tuesday, November 3), and VOTE! A vote cast is a voice heard, and more than any other this election is a chance to envision that another world is possible. Visit www.vote.gov to learn how to cast your vote and change the world! And now back to our regularly scheduling podcasting. Let's face it: 2020 has been a bear of a year. How's that for an understatement? And now the 2020 General Election is upon us, so for this month's ...
Nov 03, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In a world full of so much real horror, sometimes it can be easier to stomach to escape into a world of make-believe horror. And now that we've reached October (we can hardly believe it ourselves), we can kick back and pop in (or stream) some of our favorite spooky Halloween films! This month on Justice in Motion, Daniel passes the mike over to Alanna Huntman and Marisa Reyes-Pacheco for an interview with Dr. John Trafton , a lecturer in film studies at Seattle University, and the author of Movi...
Oct 06, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this second part of a 2-parter about police on film and in TV, Daniel looks at the ways media portrayals of police have impacted the way we look at crime, the justice system, and society itself. Being the latter half, Daniel starts around the time of The French Connection and makes his way up through the days of big-budget Hollywood blockbusters Die Hard and Robocop , to today, where on-the-street footage capturing police violence has shown the public that the police aren't just there to get ...
Sep 08, 2020•24 min•Season 1Ep. 5
What do the Keystone Cops have in common with the Southern Pacific Tree Frog? In Episode 4 of the Justice in Motion Podcast, Daniel does a deep dive on the ubiquitous presence of police on film. This episode is Part I of a two-part series on this topic, in which Daniel covers the way police were portrayed in the early days of Hollywood, and the birth and influence of the Hays Code. Remember to follow the Justice in Motion and the Social Justice Film Festival and Institute on all social media pla...
Aug 05, 2020•19 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Maggie Budzyna's community engagement began at age 11, when she started a nonprofit organization to bring performance opportunities to underserved communities. As Maggie (@maggiebudzyna) puts it, 'I feel like it's my responsibility to use my privilege to help other people and lift up other peoples' voices... I make films because that's my contribution to the world, and my way of bringing to light stories that are important to represent. And we all need to do that in our own lives.' We Are the Ma...
Jul 07, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3
'Young people can't not do anything' says Kasha Sequoia Slavner, founder of Sunrise Storytellers and the filmmaker behind 'The Sunrise Storyteller.' Kasha (@globalsunrisers) was interviewed by Daniel for Episode 2 of the Justice in Motion podcast to discuss the differences between equity and equality, the mission of climate justice, and the perks of using mom as a production assistant and logistical lifesaver. Kasha also shares some stories about crowdsourcing her film, practical tips for emergi...
Jun 09, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In response to protests around the country and around the world following the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police, we at the Social Justice Institute feel it important to honor the social justice moment we’re living in right now. As such, we've compiled a document intended to share films and reading inspired by the mission of social justice and racial equity, as well as organizations to donate aid to in the fight for black lives and in protest of police brutality. You ca...
Jun 02, 2020•4 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Daniel welcomes comic book writer Janet Harvey ( @janetharvey ) to talk superheroes in the first episode of Justice in Motion . Topics covered include where Superman came from before he left Krypton (hint: it’s not what you’re expecting), what the creator of Wonder Woman was rejecting in society, and why some of your favorite Saturday morning cartoons might just have their roots in social justice. Janet and Daniel also share some laughs and provide some insight into why we tend to recoil at the ...
May 05, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 1
