Archive of films Commune / Commune

USA
2005, 78 min

Section: Forum of Independents - Competition
Year: 2005

1968. A group of young artists and activists moves to the remote mountains of northern California to create a new, free world. The Black Bear Ranch hippie commune is born. However, each person in the commune has his own idea of what freedom is. The first documentary to explore the concept of “being together” as envisaged in the sixties and seventies.

Synopsis

1968. A group of young artists and activists moves to the remote mountains of northern California to create a new world with a new creed: “Free Land for Free People” - including free love and common property. Financed by money from Hollywood and rock stars, the founders of this future commune purchase land deep in the wilderness and build up a rough homestead. And so the Black Bear Ranch hippie commune is born. However, each person in the commune has his own idea of what freedom is. Their would-be utopia is further complicated by an extremely severe winter, FBI surveillance, the births of children, and a sect which tries to take the commune’s funky tribalism to an excessive level. Today a new group of young people are living on the land. Commune is the first documentary to explore the concept of “being together” as envisaged in the sixties and seventies. It also examines what became of the people who once lived there.

About the director

Jonathan Berman (b. 1962, Brooklyn, New York) grew up on Long Island, studied in Montreal, and worked in Europe and the Middle East as an agricultural worker and pianist. He debuted with the documentary The Shvitz (1994). His next, award-winning documentary My Friend Paul (1998) was screened in Karlovy Vary in 1999. The film was screened at numerous film festivals all over the world, it went into distribution and was shown on many TV networks. Commune (2005) is his third film.

Contacts

Five Points Media
305 Hillcrest Dr#1, CA 92024, Encenitas
United States of America
Tel: +1 917 687 7166
Fax: +1 760 875 6446
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.fivepointsmedia.com

CS Associates
200 Dexter Avenue, MA 02472, Watertown
United States of America
Tel: +1 617 923 0077
Fax: +1 617 923 0077
E-mail: [email protected]

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About the film

Color, BETA SP

Section:	Forum of Independents - Competition

Director:	Jonathan Berman
Screenplay:	Jonathan Berman
Dir. of Photography:	Tamas Bojtor, Alan Deutsch
Music:	Elliot Sharp
Editor:	Michael Taylor, Marisa Simpson
Producer:	Jonathan Berman
Production:	Five Points Media
Cast:	Peter Coyote, Michael Tierra, Elsa Marley
Contact:	Five Points Media, CS Associates

www:	www.fivepointsmedia.com

Guests

Jonathan Berman

Film Director

Zed Frick

Producer