On the same day Amazon workers will be protesting in more than 20 countries, they can also watch the documentary about their efforts to unionize in Staten Island, “Union,” on Black Friday for free.
The filmmakers behind “Union,” which won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for the Art of Change at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, are using the platform GATHR to self-release their film direct-to-audiences from Black Friday to Giving Tuesday (that’s November 29 through December 3).
Beginning Friday, “Union” will be available to rent digitally during a five-day window — with Amazon workers having the opportunity to rent it for free thanks to GATHR’s pay-it-forward model. Head to unionthefilm.com to preorder the movie and learn more.
Level Ground Productions supervised a self-distributed release for “Union” back in October, with directors Stephen Maing and Brett Story, along with their producers opening the movie in theaters across 20 markets. “Union” has played at a variety of festivals during its run, including IDFA, CPH:DOX, Sheffield, Visions du Reel, and more.
Producers Samantha Curley and Mars Verrone said in a statement, “The current landscape for independent documentaries means distributing your film is part of making it. We’re embracing self-distribution by finding creative and innovative release strategies that mirror the ethos of the film and the spirit of its protagonists. GATHR is a great option for us because it doesn’t rely on a corporate streamer to reach audiences, we can offer free rentals to Amazon workers, and we can profit-share rental revenue with our partner organizations. At the end of the day, we hope to reach a broad audience, while also providing an important case study for the field at large.”
Last year, Amazon reported $9.8 billion in sales on Black Friday. Amazon workers in the U.S., U.K., Japan, Germany, Turkey, and elsewhere are planning “Make Amazon Pay” demonstrations on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, according to NBC News, to “hold Amazon accountable for labor abuses, environmental degradation and threats to democracy,” per organizers from UNI Global Union and Progressive International.
More about “Union” courtesy of the filmmakers: “Through intimate cinema vérité, ‘Union’ chronicles the extraordinary efforts of an unlikely group of warehouse workers as they launch a grassroots union campaign at an Amazon fulfillment center in Staten Island, New York. Led by the charismatic but underestimated Chris Smalls, the diverse band of workers start the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) and embark on a journey against one of the largest and most powerful companies in the world. The odds are stacked against them, as the group finds itself up against a tech industry giant with unlimited resources, without major support from national unions or politicians, and while navigating internal divisions within their own ranks. Filmmakers Brett Story and Stephen Maing document the struggle from day one, offering a gripping human drama about the fight for power and dignity in today’s globalized economic landscape.”
