Final 24 Hour Bonus Round!!!  Everyone at the $50 level or more gets a Signed Festival Screener DVD - $100 or more gets an Official DVD with Bonus Tracks!

What's it About?

BARBERSHOP PUNK is an independent feature length documentary directed by two women and inspired by the journey of one man who challenged the status-quo and showed us all what it means to be "Punk," and push back against the system. Filmed all over the country and edited in our living rooms, it's the little-film-that-could, approaching the Net Neutrality and Media Consolidation debate on a personal level, and questioning the authority of behind-closed-door agreements that directly affect your free speech, first amendment, and access to unfettered information rights on the internet. BARBERSHOP PUNK features interviews with Damian Kulash of OK Go, Janeane Garofalo, Henry Rollins, Ian MacKaye, Jim Ladd (KLOS), John Perry Barlow (EFF), the Christian Coalition, NARAL Pro Choice America and many others.

The Current Status & Why we need YOU

Emboldened by a hard fought and award-winning festival run (SXSW, AFI Silverdocs, Denver STARZ, IFF Watch Docs, AFI Fest, Sidewalk, Vermont to list a few), we've realized that the free speech / democratized communication issues raised by this film are big and need to be brought to the attention of a MUCH larger audience.

We need YOU to make this happen.

Our master plan - the big picture :) - is that we are shooting for commercial distribution and a national theatrical release - we think your mother should be able to stream our little documentary on Netflix.

But for this to happen we need to secure a limited theatrical release in targeted cities to garner press and the attention of those who can take our DIY Documentary to the national level.

This is where YOU come in. The fees for a limited theatrical release come out of OUR own pockets - but it's a gamble we HAVE to take. By contributing a pledge, you are insuring screenings of BARBERSHOP PUNK in one of the selected cities thus helping to guarantee the success of this phase of the film. And if you aren't in one of these cities, your help is still critical. By contributing. you'll give us a chance at making this film accessible to a much broader audience and eventually coming to a city near you. The more individual funds we raise, the more cities we can add. Or get together a group and add yourselves to the tour.  

The issue is heating up - we have a window to screen on Capitol Hill before it's too late.  Please don't let the telecommunications and cable lobby keep this film and issue out of the mainstream public eye.

It's time to be heard and raise your voice.  B Punk. Protect your Freedom of Speech. Donate now!

Spread the word:

• BarbershopPunk.com
• Find us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter @BarbershopPunk

Barbershop Punk in the Media

Listen:

NPR’s Kojo Nnamdi talks with Georgia Archer, Robb Topolski, and Damian Kulash

Read:

• Film Review in The Hollywood Reporter by Sheri Linden
• Film Review in Variety by Eddie Cockrell

Watch:

Rosa Clemente speaking with Georgia Archer on Free Speech TV at the National Conference for Media Reform

Bart Weiss discusses Barbershop Punk and issues around Net Neutrality.

In her Doc Talk interview with the Documentary Channel, Georgia discusses the film and the issues it raises about freedom of speech on the Internet:

Who are the Punks?

Barbershop Punk features interviews with:

• Damian Kulash of OK Go
• Ian MacKaye
• U.S. Congressman Chip Pickering
• U.S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn
• Michele Combs– Christian Coalition
• Michael Bracy — Future of Music Coalition
• Stephen Wildstrom — BusinessWeek
• Ted Miller–NARAL
• Janeane Garofalo
• Henry Rollins
• John Perry Barlow — EFF Founder, Grateful Dead Lyricist
• FCC Commissioner Adelstein
• Jim Ladd–KLOS DJ, Author
• Mike McCurry –Arts and Labs
• Scott Cleland / NetCompetition.org
• Jack Burkman
• Ben Scott– Free Press
• Markham Erickson / Open Internet Coalition

Our Festival Run

We've been thrilled to be official selections and awardees in a number of prestigious national and international film festivals. Here are some highlights - visit our film festivals page for the complete list:

• SxSW - Official Selection: Emerging Visions
• AFI Silverdocs - Official Selection
• Sidewalk Film Festival - Winner "Special Programmer's Award"
• Vermont International Film Festival - Sponsored by Free Speech TV
• Watch Docs - Human Rights In Film/Helsinki Foundation, Warsaw Poland
• AFI FEST - Presented by The International Documentary Association
• Denver STARZ Film Festival - Presented by the ACLU & The League of Women Voters
• Portland International Film Festival - Presented By Public Radio
• Atlanta International Film Festival
• Sacramento International Film Festival - Winner "Best Picture, Grand Jury Prize"
• National Conference for Media Reform, Boston, MA
• Future of Music Coalition Policy Summit, Washington DC