'Granny Power' documentary about the Raging Grannies finished at last

The feature-length documentary GRANNY POWER, a rollicking feel-good film about the Raging Grannies - hip older women who use song and satire to protest injustice, demonstrate against war, and promote peace - is finally finished.

GRANNY POWER was started 10 years ago by the late Magnus Isacsson, a Swedish born, Canadian documentary film maker who won awards all over the world for his powerful films on environmental, political and social issues. Magnus found in the Raging Grannies the mix of politics, activism, and art that inspired much of his work. Criss-crossing the US and Canada in search of the most outrageous, unstoppable women of peace, the film features the original anti-nuke activists who established the Raging Grannies 26 years ago, some of the 18 Grandmothers arrested for trying to enlist for the Iraq war in New York in 2006, and present-day Raging Grannies who continue to fly the flag of human rights and dignity for all.

That this documentary exists at all is due in equal part to the vision of Magnus (who is best described as "an accomplished filmmaker and tireless advocate of social justice" according to Canada's own National Film Board), and to his producing partner and wife Jocelyne Clarke, who has persisted in the face of deep difficulties and many obstacles, including Magnus' death to cancer in 2012, to see the film finally finished. It was Magnus who first encountered the Grannies while shooting for another documentary View from the Summit (2002) and believed the incredible activists he had met at the Summit of the Americas merited their own film. But it was Jocelyne who picked up the pieces that had been shot over a decade worked with our wonderful editor Susan Shanks to stitch together a moving narrative that will have you laughing and crying, and now is pressing on to usher this beautiful film out into the world.

Along with the Montreal Raging Grannies, we are hosting a pre-release screening on June 26th in Montreal, to coincide with the Grannies bi-annual Unconvention.

The major concern is help the film find its audience. We are looking for people in every city in Canada and the U.S. that has a gaggle or a chapter of engaged women activists, to help with distribution of the film after the premiere. If you know someone, or ARE someone willing to be a point person and organizer to get this film into schools, theatres, community screenings, universities and libraries, please contact Jocelyne Clarke at jc [at] pleiades.qc.ca. We really really need/would love your help!

We also need passionate donors who will contribute to the physical costs of finishing the film. We still need about $30,000 to cover the final costs of the film. One way we hope to raise at least $10,000 - with your support and encouragement - is with a campaign on the popular crowdfunding website Indiegogo, where we will pre-sell the documentary and hope to raise the needed funds to release the film theatrically. The campaign runs June 16th - July 30.

For further background and the latest news on the documentary journey: http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/taniaehret/2014/05/smash-system-granny-power

Here is a clip featuring a founder of the Grandmothers Against War, one of the 18 women arrested, Molly Klopot, who is featured in the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZgoWqCb8mE

A demo and more information can be found at http://www.grannypowerthefilm.com. Please email us with ideas and contacts and encouragement - thank you!

Tobi Elliott, Associate Producer, GRANNY POWER
grannies.project [at] gmail.com