The workers at the Vio.Me. Factory in Thessaloniki, Greece have quickly grown into a symbol of self-management internationally. After going on strike and occupying their factory, on February 12, 2013 they re-opened the factory and started production under worker’s control. For many, the factory represents a new potential way forward for unemployed workers in Greece – seizing the means of production, running factories without bosses, producing only goods that are needed, and distributing them through solidarity networks.

“Every extra profit we make will be given out to people who need it. Our plan is to offer help to unemployed people or others who are in great need,” says Dimitrios Koumasiouras, a worker from Vio.Me.

This film tells the story of how the worker’s re-opened the factory under self-management and looks to where the factory is headed now.

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Two years after the revolution in Egypt began, unrest continues across the country as the political and economic situation worsens. As the current government consolidates its power, the demands of the revolution may seem further away than ever. Still the revolution has opened up new spaces for political action, spurring public debate on issues that have gone unacknowledged and unresolved for too long.

This short documentary looks at some of the reasons motivating revolutionaries to keep taking the streets, the obstacles that they are facing, and the tactics that they are using.  It looks into the current economic and political problems facing Egyptians, the growing independent union movement, black bloc tactics, and the response of women to sexual assaults.

Since the dawn of the most recent crisis of capitalism in 2008, there have been uprisings all over the globe. Around the world, advocates for a different world and different social relations have engaged in strikes, riots, and occupations, while simultaneously creating networks of solidarity and mutual aid.

Filmmaker Brandon Jourdan and researcher Marianne Maeckelbergh have been documenting these revolts as they unfold, reporting from Greece, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, the UK and the US as part of their online film series at http://www.globaluprisings.org.

Their reports have been featured on news outlets and websites like Democracy Now, Grit TV, Adbusters, Salon, Reflection On A Revolution, Stir, and CounterPunch. They’ve collaborated with various filmmakers and media collectives including Mosireen in Cairo, David Martinez in Oakland, Carlos Delclos in Barcelona, and most recently with Luhuna Carvalho, a filmmaker and activist based in Lisbon, Portugal

Filmmaker Brandon Jourdan will join us for a salon and retrospective of some of his most recent mini documentaries together with a discussion about the evolution of the economic crisis and how people are organizing in response to the crisis.

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This is a rush edit of some selects from the general strike in Portugal. A more detailed report of the strike and of the situation in Portugal will be online soon at http://www.globaluprisings.org.

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This short documentary looks at the current social crisis in Greece, the growth of alternative economies, general strikes, and the rise of the anti-fascist movement in response to violent attacks by the far-right. After six years of recession, the situation in Greece is growing increasingly dark. As the unemployment rate continues to rise and salaries continue to drop, the country has descended into an increasingly unpredictable situation.

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Donate to Anti-Fascist Arrestees

Produced By Brandon Jourdan, Marianne Maeckelbergh, and Carlos Delclós

This short film chronicles the events of the past week in Spain where
hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demand
the resignation of the government and an end to police brutality. Many
of the protests ended in clashes with the police. Since the stand off
began on September 25th , the images of police brutality have
travelled the world over, shocking and inspiring people across Europe
and leading to an international day of action on September 29th. This
film tells the story of why so many people took to the streets and
follows these events as they unfolded.

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The following is a report that Global Uprisings producers Brandon Jourdan and Carlos Carlos Delclos completed for Democracy Now!

By Brandon Jourdan and Marianne Maeckelbergh

From Sept 15-17th Occupy Wall Street gathered in lower Manhattan to commemorate one full year of actions. The three days where broken up into a day of education, a day of celebration, and a day of liberation.

Occupy Wall Street participants used the anniversary to show that they are still active, organizing actions everyday all across the city. This is a short documentary which highlights some of Occupy Wall Street’s recent accomplishments, its broader influence, and where it is headed.

Occupy Tactics: Violence and Legitimacy in the Occupy Movement and Beyond from brandon jourdan on Vimeo.

A Debate between Chris Hedges and the CrimethInc. Ex-Workers Collective on Tactics & Strategy, Reform & Revolution

Why a debate?
Since Occupy Wall Street took Zuccotti Park in September 2011, there has been a resurgence of social movement activity in the United States. As momentum has increased, age-old questions over tactics, strategy, and goals have returned to the fore.

What is violence? Who gets to define it? Do illegal actions have a place in our movements?
This discussion never takes place in a vacuum or on a level playing field; rather, it occurs within the context of a struggle that is already in progress, where every statement has immediate ramifications for the participants. Differing tactical approaches often reflect fundamental differences in strategy and goals.