“9500 LIBERTY” TO PREMIERE ON MTV NETWORKS, PRESS SCREENING TONIGHT
Award-winning film on SB 1070 precursor will reach 100 million homes starting Sept. 26
screening, panel discussion, cocktail reception
NY Times Building
620 8th Avenue (Entrance on 41 street), Time Square}
5:30 to 8:00 pm
- John Quinones, ABC Primetime Anchor
- Annabel Park, 9500 Liberty co-director and Coffee Party founder
- Corey Stewart, Prince William County BOCS Chairman
- Chuck Wexler, E.D. of the Police Executives Research Forum
- Maria Kumar, Voto Latino Co-founder
- Paul Rodriguez, Comedian
- moderated by New York Times reporter Fernanda Santos
9500 LIBERTY is directed by Annabel Park and Eric Byler, founders of the Coffee Party, which holds its first national convention in Louisville, KY Sept. 24-26, the same weekend as the film’s cable premiere.
Park will speak on tonight’s panel along side Tea Party favorite Corey Stewart, a leading figure in 9500 LIBERTY. This will provide an opportunity for the two to reconcile conflicting accounts of events portrayed in the film. For instance, Stewart has publicly denied the vote on April 29, 2008 that removed the most controversial aspect of the law (a key scene in the film), and made claims about immigration and crime that contradict statistics cited in the film.
As Chairman of the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, Stewart used “The Immigration Resolution” as the center of his reelection campaign in 2007. Implemented on March 6, 2008, Stewart’s law required police officers to question people they had “probable cause” to suspect may be in the country illegally. With Arizona’s version pending in federal court and other jurisdictions around the country considering similar measures, Prince William County remains the only jurisdiction in the United States to implement such a mandate. Stewart is now lobbying to revive the law, this time throughout Virginia.
The cable debut of 9500 LIBERTY will be on Sunday, September 26th at 8pm (ET/PT) on MTV2, mtvU (MTV’s 24-hour college network), and Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más (formerly MTV Tr3s) as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“The decisions our elected representatives make on immigration reform now will impact our audience for generations,” said Stephen Friedman, EVP & GM of MTV Networks. “As the national debate rages, MTV is committed to engaging America’s youth as informed and active participants – and sharing this powerful film is a great way to start that process.”
“To compete in the 21st century, America needs a new generation of leaders who have grown up thriving in the richness of diversity,” Park said. “People under 30 know intuitively where we need to go as a nation. We need to hear from them more often.”
“A few years before Arizona passed its new immigration law, a similar law was passed and then repealed in Virginia’s Prince William County. The documentary “9500 Liberty” tells the fascinating story of how that happened, and possibly foretells what lies ahead for Arizona. In Virginia, the law was eventually overturned by a combination of middle-class whites, Republican office holders, the police chief, Latinos and economic reality.”
Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun-Times
“This engrossing documentary traces ugly repercussions in northern Virginia when a resolution is passed requiring cops to
question anyone they have ‘probable cause’ to suspect of being an illegal alien.”
Dennis Harvey, Variety
“With an uplifting turn of events and some extraordinary acts of conscience, 9500 Liberty is as dramatically charged as any fiction movie. And ultimately, it’s as powerful a booster of the democratic process as anything Frank Capra ever imprinted into our collective memory.”
Desson Thomson, The Wrap
Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más, owned and operated by MTV Networks Latin America, reaches 7.4 million Hispanic TV households (58% of US Hispanic Total TV HH) and 39 million total TV households. The network’s programming embraces the trilogy of cultures that represents Latino life – Latin American plus American equals US Latino – through original productions, key acquisitions, and content from MTV Networks’ portfolio of entertainment brands. Tr3s embraces the key lifestyle aspects of Latino identity — milestones, making it and music — as well as social responsibility through its initiative “Agentes de Cambio”, which tackles issues that affect Latinos today. The network also taps into the growing number of Latinos that are digitally connected thru www.tr3s.com.
MTV2, Man’s Best Friend, has the highest concentration of males 12-34 on TV today. A vibrant mix of music, lifestyle and action sports programming, MTV2 has reflected the habits and behavior of young people since its launch in 1996. MTV2’s audience has grown each year and the channel is currently available in nearly 80 million homes. MTV2 is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Come check us out at www.mtv2.com.
Broadcast to more than 750 college campuses and via top cable distributors in 700 college communities nationwide, mtvU reaches nearly 9 million U.S. college students – making it the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S., as well as on cable systems from Charter Communications, Verizon FiOS TV, Suddenlink Communications, AT&T u-Verse and nearly 70 others. mtvU is dedicated to every aspect of college life, reaching students everywhere they are: on-air, online and on campus. mtvU programs music videos from emerging artists that can’t be seen anywhere else, news, student life features and initiatives that give college students the tools to advance positive social change. mtvU is always on campus, with hundreds of events per year, including exclusive concerts, giveaways, shooting mtvU series and more. For more information about mtvU, and a complete programming schedule, visit www.mtvU.com.
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Great. Our county’s image will be defined to many by the amateur propogandists that some of you admire.
Though I’m sure many of the viewers will feel, as I do, that the film is quite obviously biased, and it does send a message that YES WE CAN stand up to illegal immigration in America.
And the 287(g) program is not a bad thing.
Rick, how can a propogandist be amateur? You know this isn’t their first film. Eric has several feature length films out.
I don’t know that the film is biased as much as it has a point of view. If it were biased, I don’t think you would be hearing from Chris, Corey or all sorts of people. If I wanted to make a really slanted film, I can think of all sorts of things I would do to change it.
You are probably aware that one of the strongest negative criticisms of the video is that Eric and Annabel were entirely too generous to Corey.
At any rate, if you don’t want to watch it, don’t. I know you have seen it.
I would be more concerned that our country’s image is defined by Jersey Shore, Housewives of where ever, and big brother (and many more reality tv shows).
Hopefully someone around here will have a viewing party since there are some of us who don’t get MTV2. Hint Hint
Cool, will it be right in between Cribs and Real Life: I’m an obese, steroid-addicted nudist?
Actually I’ll record it so that my wife can see it. After all, my right leg is visible in the film (I think). And the film’s virtue is capturing the anger and passion at Citizen’s Time.
Now the movie will reach millions, people can judge for themselves what happens to rational people when hate is a motivating force.
I wonder if this will be the first time Corey has seen the movie?
“9500 Liberty” to Aired on MTV
So has it aired already, or will it air? (Typo?)
Interesting and kind of weird that MTV picked it up. Does MTV even DO music anymore?
Will the panel discussion tonight be broadcast?
I’ll give Corey one thing – he has more chuzpah than any other politician I’ve ever known. I don’t see anyone else on the panel who seems to me would be a Corey ally. The fellow from the Police Executives Research Forum most likely holds the same perspective as Chief Deane, which is not pro-Stewart. Then there are Latino members of the media, and an activist.
My fear and I’m sure Corey’s hope is that this raises his profile to the national level. I don’t know how we’ll succeed in remaking the Republicans again as the Party of Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan if it becomes known as the Party of Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and Corey Stewart. We’ll have a flash this November and then crash.
I thought the film did a good job to captured what happened during that time. The only thing I didn’t care for was ending the film with Obama coming to speak in PWC/fair grounds before the election like this issue is what brought him to speak and he was here to save the day.
Agreed, RedDawn. The Obama portion should’ve been left on the floor for the final cut. Obama spoke a year after PWC’s resolution. People need to remember “perception is reality”. I’ve never heard the same opinion twice about the movie.
Well, I’ll say this much, the venue makes sense. This is the mockumentary’s target audience.
So this film is still kicking around while the rest of the country is up in arms over illegal immigration. Just like there are still people supporting Obama while the poll numbers keep sliding.
Just lipstick on a pig as I recall someone saying!
For a true representation of illegal immigration watch Border Wars on Wednesday evening.
Slowpoke, I doubt if you have seen the film. Watch it and then call it a mockumentary if you want but not before.
SA, you know, I don’t decide if I support a president or not based on what the polls say.
And thanks for reminding us about Border Wars. What channel again?
Need to know, I have been trying to find out about watching the panel all day long. The TV guide doesnt show it and I haven’t gotten an answer. Maybe it is unknown. Hopefully Jeff filmed it and someone will sneak us a copy.
Red Dawn, I didn’t like the Obama footage either. It has nothing to do with Obama. I just don’t think it fit in.
I will probably watch it now since I can tape and view then it at my leisure. However, I am willing to bet that I have already seen 99% of it on the 9500 Liberty YouTube site.
Lafayette & Moon,
The footage of Obama did NOT belong in the film and what bothers me is that if preception is reality, this makes it about Obama under a FALSE agenda mixed with the Coffee Party that also came later and spinning Corey as a Tea Party patriot? Something to me smells fishy…….and if so, then everyone’s effort was in vein.
Kelly3406,
“However, I am willing to bet that I have already seen 99% of it on the 9500 Liberty YouTube site.”
I would agree until you see the end of the film. The ending was a surpise that has always bothered me and not until the Coffee Party and some other things that I have kept tabs on, I question it.
@Elena
>Now the movie will reach millions, people can judge for themselves what happens to rational people when hate is a motivating force.
Best post of the day. I’ve been laughing for 15 minutes. Thanks!
My last rant -light bulb that is blinking tonight 😉 This is suspect to me:
9500 LIBERTY is directed by Annabel Park and Eric Byler, founders of the Coffee Party, which holds its first national convention in Louisville, KY Sept. 24-26, the same weekend as the film’s cable premiere.
@Ring
Glad I could give you a laugh, probably not hard for those with minds brains easily entertained. Do you also laugh heartily at the jokes on popsicle sticks, my small children do!
Red Dawn, not sure what you are saying…..what is the false agenda?
I don’t think that coffee party has any part in the film or that Tea Party is mentioned in the film.
Kelly, its hard to say whether you have seen it all or not. What I found interesting is the journey. Obviously, since we all lived it, including you, there are no surprises.
Ring, I expect being on MTV the film will reach millions. MTV has a huge audience. It will be shown more than once.
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2010/03/coffee-party-parasite.html
I also noticed that Annabel tried to downplay any hard-line antagonism toward the Tea Party when she announced the Coffee Party campaign. But I must say that those tweets in the link provided by Red Dawn certainly made me begin to think about political covert action. Will the real Annabel please stand up?
Annabel Park has a different political philosphy than the tea party or tea parties. I don’t think her tweets reflect hatred. Furthermore, the writer of this article called her a parasite. That is getting dangerously close to vermin if you ask me. When do we call her dog food? This is perhaps the most hypocritical articles I have ever read.
She is no different than any other activist who wants her side to win.
I believe the real hatred is for the current president of the United States.
Woverine, if those tweets are hard line hate…then I simply do not know what to say, especially after listening to Fox News.
Red Dawn, you know Eric and Annabel personally. I don’t know why you would read or post crap like that. False agenda? Love them or hate them, they are who they say they are.
The real issues are:
Corey is on the MTV panel. He walked into the belly of the beast. Will he be able to hold his own? Corey has often been called to task by this blog for giving false date in the form of statistics. Will he continue to give those when he can be challenged? Any other time he has done it, he has been in a setting where no one could challenge him.
9500 Liberty has been shown to groups all over the United States. How was anyone to know that the AZ immigration issue was going to break when it did and there were Eric Byler and Annabel Park with a newly finished documentary on the experiences of Prince William County.
The fact that a deal has been cut with MTV2, MTVU and MTV-TR3S (spanish speaking MTV) is huge. The events of Prince William County will be seen by young people over a 15-20 year age span all over the United States.
Does 9500 Liberty have a point of view? Sure it does. Any work like that has a point of view. Is it like Oliver Stone’s work? Does it shout at you and then beat you up? NO. At the conclusion, you know how Eric and Annabel feel. That’s not a bad thing.
An activist Annabel surely is, Moon, and a truly adept and avid one at that. But, unless someone can show me evidence of forgery or other similar skullduggery by the author of that piece, I have to accept that those tweets are Annabel’s own words. If anyone can show me differently, fine. “We’re not going to take the tea crap” and “indulging the paranoid fantasies of tea party” are not exactly examples of language which is calculated to win hearts and minds. When the Coffee Party was a major subject of discussion on this blog, including several weigh-ins by Colonel Al, the implication was that the Coffee Party was only trying to channel political debate into a more moderate and less acrimonious channel and that those of a Tea Party inclination would be more than welcome to join in. Didn’t sound too bad at the time. But, if I had seen those tweets simultaneously with that chatter and invitation, I would certainly have begun to think that I was being shucked and jived on the order of the old tale of the spider and the fly.
Wolverine, I don’t think what she said is any more hateful, for lack of a better word, than what I hear coming from the other side. I also don’t know the dates on those tweets.
First off, I am not a coffee party member and never have been. However, I do have somewhat of an inside track to some of the things you mentioned when the coffee party was first getting started. As the various tea parties have had their ups and downs and changes in personnel, so has the coffee party. Things change.
I suppose my snarky response was really at the posting of that …well…frankly…attack…on this Annabel on this blog. Calling someone and their movement a ‘parasite’ is an attack. The person who did it must be bored with life if all he has to do is collect tweets. What does it have to do with the film 9500 Liberty?
And what is the purpose of putting that crap up under the film 9500 Liberty? That shouldn’t be a detractor. The MTV deal is a big deal for them. I had hoped that is what the focus would be. At least I would have liked to have kept it to love the film/hate the film discussion. (and I consider that fair by those who have seen it–I value Rick’s opinion. He has seen it.)
And you didn’t do it so I am not hopping on you, Wolverine. I must tell you though…people who are not tea party really do have not positive feelings about it.
“people can judge for themselves what happens to rational people when hate is a motivating force”
Now, that’s not nice! The only “hate” in my heart is for our dishonorable government officials who deliberately created the immigration “problem” rather than honoring their oaths of office.
“Is it like Oliver Stone’s work? Does it shout at you and then beat you up? NO.”
Stone’s a master filmmaker. I don’t think his movies are as didactic anymore as they once were. I saw “South of the Border” where he tries to show the positive side of Hugo Chavez; I like it a lot. (It’s not a comprehensive picture, but attempts to be a correction to right-wing American propoganda). Also if anyone has seen “W”, I thought that was really good.
I don’t think that anyone could reasonably find Byler and Park to be anywhere near that same category of filmmaking. (“South of the Border” is what you could call a “State of the art” documentary – inventive, imaginiative). It is probably a mistake to mention them within 500 words of each other. Roger Ebert disagrees, but as we’ve discussed he’s pretty unaware of what’s real and what’s not in relation to that film.
@Rick, Actually I was referring to Oliver Stone’s style of shouting his opinions at you and then once you agree or semi agree with his point of view, then he beats you up with a while with those ideas you have already agreed with. I believe its a characteristic of that generation and Stone brings it to perfection.
@Rick, have you see Charlotte Sometimes? That is a Byler film. You can get it on Netflix.
Eric & Annabel have always been respectful and I wasn’t calling them parasites. It was the first link that popped up when I was looking for the story. Anyway, I was just questioning and vocalized my concerns. I would not have thought twice about it if it weren’t for the Coffee Party movement
Oh no, Red Dawn didn’t call them parasites, the author of the article called Annabel and the Coffee Party a parasite. Sorry for the confusion. I had seen that article before and I think it is crap. Admonishing Annabel for political opposition and at the same time calling her and the movement she founded a parasite. Hypocritical on the part of the author if you ask me. Annabel never set herself up as Mother Teresa.
Stone’s changed. Michael Moore is THAT guy now.
Haven’t see Charlotte Sometimes. I’ll put it on my netflix list when I go back on netflix, after football season ends.
Stone’s films have been more considered in recent years.
(having said that, I’ll wait and see if it holds true for the “Wall Street” sequel coming out soon).
Let me know when new “Wall Street” is out. I always think that Stone hits his audience over the head with his viewpoint and then beats them up just to make sure it sinks in. but you are right, he has gotten a little more subtle over the years.
I don’t put Stone and Moore in the same sentence.
“Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps” will be over at Cinema Arts sometime soon.
http://www.cinemaartstheatre.com/film.php?showid=950
Annabel and Eric abused Old Town Manassas by telling a distorted
tale of events in our jurisdiction and grabbing a Manassas City
address to name their “film” (Liberty St. was named by long time
Afro-American residents to honor their freedom from slavery –
and has nothing to do with recently arrived Hispanics, especially
the pompous self styled “Macho Man” Fernandez who, a little
investigation would show, also has much more interest in exploiting
the community than helping it). For Eric and Annabel Old Town
Manassas was a prop to tell the story they wanted to tell to
bring them indie film recognition – to hell with a much more
complex and nuanced truth. And FYI — the street sign isn’t blue —
but that is still closer to reality than most of what was filmed in
Manassas City.
Manassas has the largest percentage of Hispanics of any jurisdiction
in NoVa. and the most recent numbers show a still booming ESL
student population, but Annabel and Eric continue to tout Fernandez
and his vile and hateful attacks on the citizens of Manassas
— “the world capital of prejudice”. Yes, there has been prejudice
and hate — by Fernandez, Annabel and Eric — towards the fine citizens
of the City of Manassas.
Rick, is that the only place it will be playing?
Big Dog, I have to disagree with you, in part. I don’t think Manassas City was abused by Eric and Annabel. I have seen the full documentary twice and I never walked away with a bad feeling about Manassas City. In fact, knowing what I know, the City came out smelling like a rose.
Manassas City ended up being the epicenter of bad public policy created by Prince William County. However, Eric and Annabel did not do that. Guardencio Fernandez did that. The filmmakers simply captured the events of film.
And as for ownership of Liberty–the street, it was Prince William County’s before it was City of Manassas’s. I know because I lived 2-3 blocks from it back when it was very much part of the county in the town of Manassas.
I have seen no indication that Eric and Annabel touted Fernandez to continue attacks on Manassas. I have seen nothing they have done in the film and knowing them personally. that indicates that they encouraged that to happen. In fact, I know for a fact that some folks associated with the film tried desperately to talk him in to stopping with the bad sign behavior and then the marches.
I am no fan of Fernandez and his sign capers. I have said so publically time and time again that I understood, not necessarily approved, of his first and second signs, after that it went downhill. I understood to the point that it was his “blog” of sorts and that he fought back. He didn’t have a bvbl to spew his political opinions.
Regardless of this understanding, it didn’t belong in the City of Manassas. They had not created an Immigration Resolution. That was not Annabel and Eric’s fault. They went to where the action was. Any artist would have done the same.
You don’t go to Williams, Arizona if you want to paint the Grand Canyon. You go to the Grand Canyon. Location Location Location.
Big Dog, I am sorry you have such negative feelings about the film. I think you might feel better if you saw the entire film in one sitting.
Elena and I are going to try to find a restaurant that might be willing to let the Moonhowlings crowd in for a viewing the night it premieres on MTV. I will keep you posted. The Mother of Bartenders will sniff things out.
Is there any place in the city that might take our business with a widescreen TV?
One phone call might have done it.
How many people would be interested in a moonhowlings gathering to watch the MTV Premiere at Hard Times Sept. 26 starting at 7-730? Let me know on this thread or in email. I will see if I can seal the deal.
Hard Times is in the shopping center at Sudley Manor and Sudley Road, near Staples and Burlington Coat Factory.
I too think that Byler and Park are deliberately miscategorizing our region and our people.
Particularly from his writing (“My Heart Is Where the Bottles Fly” or whatever it was) it is clear to me that he has a deep-seated need to root out and to “fight” some type of racial prejudice, and he elected us to be his nemesis.
MH, I’m not sure if Wall Street 2 will be in many mainstream theatres or not. Probably will I would think (Michael Douglas is big; Stone is big; the first movie was a big hit). Comes out September 24 I see.
http://dreamacttexas.blogspot.com/2007/12/eric-byler-on-irrationality-in-prince.html
“My Heart Is Where the Bottles Shatter”
“I am reintroduced to the Chinese American boy I was in 1981 at Kings Park Elementary. I hear the word “chink.” I see my classmates tugging at their eyes.
The bullies are not as distant as I remembered them. I may see the world through a lens, but my eyes are open, and my heart is where the bottles shatter, on the Liberty side of the fence.”
Meanwhile, Byler looks VERY WHITE. As white as white gets. His need to tell everyone he is Asian (or Hapa) and to identify himself as such seems pathological.
“I grew up in Virginia, in a time when Asians and Latinos were less common than Cowboys fans, but since then I’ve frequented more cosmopolitan places such as Los Angeles, Honolulu and New York, places like Virginia is becoming.”
Wow! Nice of him to stop back and check on us simple folk. Hey y’all, check out the[ C -word] fella with the camera in his hand. He’s been to the big city! Tell us what the world’s like out there, please mister. Did you come here on one of them flying machines? What? Do I want to be in a movie? Well, GOLL-ey. Sure I do!
[ed. note: edited at request of the writer. MH]
I probably shouldn’t have used the C word since even though it’s meant as gentle satire it could actually offend him for all I know, maybe even make him cry, or motivate another documentary, sorry but I can’t go back and edit it now.
I have spoken to Eric about this very subject. I told him I would have never known he was bir-racial unless I knew him and his family. He said he looked much more Asian as a child than as an adult.
I think our identities are formed as children. We would have to walk in his shoes to understand. We cannot do it so we much live it through Eric’s experiences. I don’t think we can stand in judgement of him. His life and his feelings are his alone. And for the record, Mrs. Byler is very much a Chinese American. Lovely lady. Some readers might have seen his parents at the viewing at Trinity Episcopal Church in Manassas in summer 2008. (I think)
Rick, I think your politics are interferring with your heart.