PRESS RELEASE: Announcing the Chicago Premiere of
“Free Speech & the Transcendent Journey of Chris Drew, Street Artist” (99 min) 2014, by Nancy Bechtol. an indie feature documentary film made in Chicago.
● EVENT LOCATION: Logan Theatre 2646 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
● November 14, 2014 Friday 6:30 doors open – 7:30 film starts
Nancy Bechtol, an award winning photographer and artist has been documenting social justice and Chicago street artists for 30 years. This film is a departure from anything she has ever done and evolved over 5 years, shot on 5 different formats, including DSLR to cell phones.
Featured throughout is the indie music, courtesy of Hey Now Records, of by Behind the Sun, Andy Alton & David Mansfield.
Chris Drew, who passed away 2012, was the long-time Executive Director of The Uptown Multi-Cultural Arts Center (UM-CAC) located in the American Indian Center.
In 2009, Chris asked Nancy (with 2 friends) to accompany him and document his attempt to get arrested for peddling art patches with messages of social awareness and artistic ideas to challenge Chicago’s Peddler’s Ordinance.
Chris was arrested for selling art patches for $1, (peddling) but since he had a personal tape recorder, charges changed to a felony violation of Illinois’ Eavesdropping Law by Illinois State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, which carried 4-15 years in jail if convicted. In 2009 this law was generally unknown. Two pro bono Attorneys defended him. First, Mark Weinberg challenged on the free speech constitutional ground; then Joshua Kutnick, criminal defense, defended, and won in the courtroom of Judge Sachs, on the felony charges in 2012.
Everything changed. From his arrest, for making an audio recording of his own arrest, to his untimely death from lung cancer, the film tracks Chris’ activism around Free Speech, his connections to the community, his connection to street artists in Chicago and internationally, and his transcendent belief in Free Speech. From interviews with his lawyers and with all kinds of people who worked with Chris from the American Indian Center and elsewhere, and knew him, including lawmaker Rep. Elaine Nekritz who got involved in the struggle to overturn the draconian Illinois Eavesdropping Law film is a colorful trip through Chicago’s Occupy and Anti-War protests, Critical Mass bike rides, and more, as you learn about a real American patriot who believed that art, thought, and free speech were worth fighting for.
Note: The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the Ill Eavesdropping Law, March 2014.
Trailer is on http://www.youtube.com/user/madpalX listed on IMDb Music in the film courtesy of Hey Now Records. “Paper Airplane” Behind the Sun. Andy Alton /David Mansfield http://www.heynowrecords.com
Contact info: nbechtol@ameritech.net
Contact for Tickets/Screening info: Logan Theatre 2646 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647 773.342.5555. at the box office and online
FREE SPEECH & Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness 