It's been a long slog since we first reached out to you for your help finishing Battle for Brooklyn.  It's also been a big week.

On Tuesday, a group of workers filed suit against Build and FCR, claiming that they had been promised Union Books for taking an apprenticeship course.  Instead they were forced to work on a private home for no pay and ended up with no jobs.  FCR then quickly released renderings of their first buildings.  Ugly- modular- and claimed they had no resources to build affordable housing.

At least the week ended on a high note.  Battle for Brooklyn was short listed for an Oscar today.  Out of 124 films that qualified, only 15 were short listed and 5 will be nominated.

Hello All

Lots of exciting news to report:

DVD's went out this week to those of you who responded to our request for addresses.

Battle will have it's last screening at BK Heights this MONDAY (not Wed. this week ) as we need the print for Los Angeles- though it should run again soon- we will update you about that- it's been doing well enough to keep running for a long time.  We will be there for q and a and we will have posters for sale!!! Those just came in.

We are geaing up for our visit to LA to launch Battle.  The film runs at the Laemmle Music Hall in Beverly Hills.

Daniel, Shabnam, Suki and I will be at the Friday and Saturday
720 screenings- we will also likely be at the 5:00 ones as well.

Fri: 5:00, 7:20 & 9:45
Sat: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20 & 9:45
Sun: 12:20, 2:40, 5:00 & 7:20
...Mon-Thu: 5:00 & 7:20

Please help us spread the word. LA is a tough town we know- but this film is more relevant than ever with the City Council's recent approval of a Stadium Deal based on ridiculous financial and job projections.
out of 750 articles about the deal- only 1 I found was anything but a press release restatement.

Looking forward to seeing you all.
More great reviews coming out all the time.- check the facebook page or battleforbrooklyn.com

Battle for Brooklyn starts a one week run tonite at BK Heights Cinema at 70 Henry St.  in Brooklyn (where it ran as opening night of the Brooklyn Film Festival)

The film runs nightly at 7:15 - tonite and tomorrow we will do q and a with Daniel Goldstein.

Exciting News, Michael Moore has invited the film to his Traverse City Film Festival in Late July. This will really raise awareness of the film in the documentary world.

More dates are lining up all the time

Thanks for your support.

Michael, Suki, David

We had a strong weekend at CV once again- and it's mostly people who are new to the story showing up now. 
It will stay on the screen at Cinema Village for another week (twice daily 3:05 and 7:10 starting Friday)  - Cinema Village is on 12th St. near University Place in Manhattan

We are working to get a new film print made in order to open the film at Brooklyn Heights Cinema on July 6th.  We'll let you know if we get it made in time.

Brownstoner ran this nice deleted scene today.

Please check Battleforbrooklyn.com for updates

and become a fan on facebook

Thanks to an overwhelming response on Sunday- we had a strong weekend and Battle for Brooklyn will continue till at least July 1st- with 5 showings a day at

Cinema Village

12th St between University Place and 5th Ave (closer to Uni)

We are also booking more cities everyday

Providence RI-(cable car cinema)  run starts Aug 5 (suki and I will be there Aug 6th)

LA- (Music Hall)  run starts Aug 19th (suki and I will be there)

Seattle - (NW film forum) Oct 7

Portland - tentative (will confirm soon) Oct 8

Please continue to spread the word

http://battleforbrooklyn.com

We have gotten unbelievable press - and support for the film.... and still it's been hard to get bodies to the theater.  The theatrical viability of the film depends on the turnout tomorrow at Cinema Village.

This is a film that is meant to be seen in theaters- in the glory of the communal immersive experience. 

We know that many of you already saw the film at the Brooklyn Film Festival or already came to Cinema Village.  Frankly, while we have had a great turnout and response, not enough people have come to ensure that the film will be picked up by other theaters.

If you haven't seen the film yet- PLEASE COME TOMORROW- If you have- then you know it's an emotionally charged experience that others need to experience.

We know you are busy, and we appreciate the support that you have already shown the film. If you have it in you please call or write 5 friends who haven't seen the film and urge them to see it tomorrow so that others have the opportunity to see it.

If you don't believe us- take it from Chris Smith at NY Magazine and Andrew O'Heir at Salon. 

Battle for Brooklyn opens today June 17th at Cinema Village in Manhattan and for one screening a day at Indiescreen in Brooklyn.

visit http://battleforbrooklyn.com  for tickets and reviews

and facebook.com/battleforbrooklyn for the most up to date news on the film

Thanks again for your support.  Suki, David, Daniel, and/or I will be at almost every screening this weekend so stop by and help us get this film seen all over.

Critics pic in the NY Times and a glowing reveiw on NPR are some of today's highlights.

Battle Backers-

If you haven't migrated to the Battle for Brooklyn page on Facebook- please do- that's the best place to get instant info about the film

We are also on Twitter @bfbrooklyn

and

http://battleforbrooklyn.com

The opening at BFF was amazing- and I know a lot of you were there.  We got rain dampened in the park - but the show went on with rooftop films and Rev Billy rocked the crowd of 50 that grew to 100 as he preached.

Next week we have our theatrical launch at Cinema Village in Manhattan- We will also be doing one screening a day at IndieScreen (noon) because we felt it was important to launch the film in Brooklyn at the same time (but they happen to be having another film festival there)

On this rainy Saturday night the film will have its final screening at BFF- 8pm at IndieScreen. 

While it is vital that we get big crowds at Cinema Village to ensure that we get the film booked around the country I encourage you to come tonight because I believe that those who see the film will urge others to see it as well.

Thanks again for all your support.

Michael Suki and David

rumur

We are writing to you today to let you know that after 8 years of work, David, Suki, and I will launch the theatrical run of "Battle for Brooklyn" on June 17th.  We have had several festival screenings and the response has been far beyond our wildest expectations (a few press quotes below).  Everyone from politicians, to activists, to project proponents have praised the film for it's fairness and powerful storytelling. 

“The movie…has heart, soul and chutzpah…Feisty but fairly reported…The time line that drives ‘Battle for Brooklyn’ makes it as urgent as any Hollywood thriller.”— Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

The Atlantic Yards Odyssey, On Film— L Magazine interview with filmmakers Suki Hawley & Mike Galinsky

Brooklyn’s Ongoing Battle— The Brooklyn Rail interview by Williams Cole, with filmmakers Hawley and Galinsky

Filmmaker Mike Galinsky and protagonist Daniel Goldstein Interview— ABC’s Diana Williams’ “Up Close” (June 5, 2011)

“Don’t miss Battle For Brooklyn, a terrific film version of the sorry tale of Atlantic Yards, a cautionary tale for all cities.”— Roberta Gratz, author The Battle For Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs. Mayor Bloomberg 2003 Appointee NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission

“Nothing depicts the borough’s backbone with more personality and urgency than “Battle for Brooklyn,”…Seven years of footage is edited into a crisp, dramatic and narrator-free 93 minutes, focusing on the remarkable story of neighborhood activist Daniel Goldstein, the last resident in a Pacific Street building marked for demolition through eminent domain.”— Steve Dollar, Wall Street Journal

“‘Battle for Brooklyn’ is a riveting flick that shows how real estate developers use sports to seize other people’s property and enrich themselves with taxpayer subsidies; it is about how corporate interests enlist their allies in government to get what they want, even if that means lying to the public and screwing people who lack deep pockets and political connections.”— Michael O’Keeffe, New York Daily News

“A thoroughly engaging look at the infuriating erosion of individual rights in the interest of corporate concerns and political maneuvering.”— Basil Tsiokos, Indiewire

“Superb storytelling and great characters…a must-see.”— Susan G. Cole, Now Toronto

“Documentary Battle for Brooklyn exposes the corruption lurking behind the push to oust residents for the Atlantic Yards project in an abuse of eminent domain.”— Leslie Stonebraker, New York Press

Coming Soon: “Battle for Brooklyn,” the Atlantic Yards Documentary— Mitchell Trinka, New York Times

“In Battle for Brooklyn, directors Michael Galinksy and Suki Hawley provide a 21st century addendum to the troubling modern history of eminent domain use. Their film shows, up close and dirty, just how large a role developers play in defining the forms and functions of the urban landscape.”— Brett Story, Spacing Toronto

“The dedication that Rumur Inc. has shown to documentary filmmaking and to the borough of Brooklyn has been an inspiration to us for more than a decade, and we believe that their latest work is essential viewing for fans of documentary film and for those who care about the future of their communities.”— Dan Nuxoll, Rooftop Films”

The Daily News  hit it out of the park on Sunday.  In a summer preview about Battle For Brooklyn, and the new Woody Allen film, News film editor Joe Neumaier had this to say.

Early next month will see the perfect combination of movie and event, and not just because of a title. The opening-night selection of "Battle for Brooklyn" at the Brooklyn Film Festival — screening June 3 at the Brooklyn Heights Cinema (and opening at Cinema Village on June 17) — will be a form-and-function moment in which directors Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley's absorbing, important documentary
will unspool in the borough it captures in transition.

The movie, about the fight by Prospect Heights resident Daniel Goldstein and community advocates to halt the Forest City Ratner firm from using Eminent Domain to relocate residents in order to build the Atlantic Yards development has heart, soul and chutzpah. (Insert your own punchline there about the Yards' future tenant, the New Jersey Nets.)

Feisty but fairly reported, "Battle" chronicles not only the resistance to the change but also the origins of an advocacy group − Brooklynite Goldstein's evolution from apartment owner to activist, and the life changes that arrived along with it − and the way New Yorkers rally when it's time to fight.

Like last year's doc "The Vanishing City," about the de facto purchasing of Manhattan blocks by corporate landlords, the movie will resonate with those who worry for the city's soul.

The time line that drives "Battle for Brooklyn" makes it as urgent as any Hollywood thriller. The fact that its real-life ending sits not far from the Brooklyn Film Festival's backyard makes it even more gripping, and gut-wrenching.

Things in Toronto have gone incredibly.  There have been scores of positive reviews and tweets about the film- and we've been told that it's one of the top films in terms of audience reaction!!

As you know- the film will open the Brooklyn Film Festival on June 3rd.

It will then screen at Ft Green Park on June 9th- as a collaboration between rooftop fillms and the Brooklyn Film Festival

The following week it opens at Cinema Village and indie screen in Brooklyn

Rooftop has long been a supporter of ours- and they do incredible work.  I want to alert you to their awesome fundraiser- for very low cost you can get a pass to the entire summer of events- please consider helping them out.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rooftopfilms/filmmakers-aliens-and-wrestlers-on-rooftops