Film explores '71 raid on draft board
MonmouthUniversity'sGlobalUnderstanding Conventionwill host a free public screening of "The Camden 28"April 9 at 2:30 p.m. at Pollak Theatre.

The film will be followed by an hour-long panel discussionwith filmmakerAnthonyGiacchino, historian Howard Gillette Jr., and Camden 28 defendants Eugene Dixon and the Rev. Edward "Ned"Murphy, S.J.

The event is a collaborationwithP.O.V., the independent nonfiction filmseries on the PublicBroadcastingService (PBS), theuniversity's Department ofHistory andAnthropology, and the GlobalUnderstanding Project.

Recounting a 1971 raid on a local draft board office by Catholic Left activists responding to the Vietnam War and its effect on urbanAmerica, "TheCamden 28" explores the story behind the arrest of the protesters - a provocative tale of government intrigue and personal betrayal - and the ensuing legal battle that Supreme Court Justice WilliamBrennan called "one of the great trials of the 20th century." Thirty-five years after the acquittal of the conspirators, the film reflects on the motives, fears and costs of their activism and its relevance toAmerica today.

The inspiration tomake "TheCamden 28" was born 12 years ago, according to Giacchino, who grew up in suburban Edgewater Park. He and cinematographer Dave Dougherty had been looking for a local historical subject that would make an interesting film, and a family friend encouraged Giacchino to talk to his priest, the Rev. Michael Doyle, of the Church of the Sacred Heart, about his role in the Camden 28.

According to Giacchino, what he heard made him understand how a war halfway around theworld can impact a city like Camden, and there are important lessons to be learned today from the group's actions and the government's ensuing reactions.

The filmfeatures archival footage as well as contemporary interviewswith noted scholars, law enforcement officials andmany who took part in the aborted break-in. Judge Clarkson S. Fisher, a veteran officer of the Monmouth County courts, presided over the landmark trial of the defendants portrayed.

In 2007, "TheCamden 28"was nominated for a Documentary Screenplay Award by the WritersGuild ofAmerica. It received both the Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2006 Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF), the first such dual honor bestowed by the PFF. "The Camden 28" in 2006 was also selected for screening by the Human Rights Watch International FilmFestival, a leading venue for distinguished fiction, motion picture and videos that engage human rights themes.

The film runs approximately 87 minutes and is a production of ECCMedia LLC.