Join us to watch this important, just-released film about last year's encampments and the power of student movements.

THE ENCAMPMENTS (2025, Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker, Watermelon Pictures) - Friday, May 2, 6pm, Franklin Patterson Hall, ELH

"When a group of students at Columbia University in New York launch a movement protesting the war in Gaza, they spark a nationwide uprising in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Encampments spring up at hundreds of campuses as students object to their own university’s investment in the US and Israeli arms industry. Featuring detained student activist Mahmoud Khalil, The Encampments takes viewers inside America’s student uprising with incredible intimacy and urgency. Professors, whistleblowers, and student activists shed light on a moment that captivated the nation’s attention and continues to make headlines today."

From Watermelon Pictures, https://www.watermelonpictures.com/films/the-encampments

"An essential document of a moment in time for a story very much still unfolding, The Encampments is a thorough, engrossing portrait of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Beginning in April 2024, the protest was formed by Columbia University students who called for their university to divest from U.S. and Israeli weapons companies that are aiding in the deaths of thousands upon thousands of Palestinian people. With insights from those most directly involved in the protests––including many now fearing for their safety and future as America’s newly instated fascist regime continues to strip rights––the documentary becomes a sobering, infuriating look at the dismantling of free speech and nefarious, calculated ways those in power will go to any lengths to silence those that are of opposing interests. Rather than employing a bleak view of persistent struggle, directors Michael T. Workman and Kei Pritsker find the unfolding story’s hope and inspiration, crafting a powerful, clarifying portrait of collective action. As other universities and organizations drew inspiration, we witness how small acts of courage can cause ripple effects worldwide."

From The Film Stage, https://thefilmstage.com/the-encampments-review-an-inspiring-essential-p...

Community discussion after the film.