GENERATION E, Screened & Acclaimed at Campuses & Conferences Nationwide!!! 86 mins, Color, © 2004
View the DVD cover design below
The DVD was featured at DanceSafe.org as a fundraiser during 2005 and 2006. It is no longer available, but anyone wishing to obtain a sample copy for screening can email me.
The Harm Reduction Coalition & Training Institute,
Electronic Music Defense & Education Fund,
DanceSafe,
Skills Recordings,
San Francisco Late Night Coalition,
PartySafe,
Youthline,
American Civil Liberties Union,
San Francisco Youth Commission, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Oakland City Council, & many more! For more historical and legislative background on the R.A.V.E. Act,
please visit the site of the Drug Policy Alliance and run a search for "rave act."
Watch clips from the film, including my intro
Brooke Kelley, author, Austin, TX
Marc Brandl, executive director of DanceSafe, Berkeley, CA
From a message received June 6, 2005:
Hi, I just wanted to say thank you. I'm DanceSafe's graphic designer, I'm
sure you've seen the harm reduction cards, etc. I'm writing you because I
just watched your "generation e" dvd and felt compelled to write you and
congratulate on creating such an incredible video. This is by far the best
video I've seen on these issues. The leading voices throughout are people
of color, transgendered, highly intelligent, with strong political
backbone. I'm most impressed by how your speakers relate harm reduction,
dance culture and the war on drugs with the larger social and environmental
justice issues and movements. If this culture is going to survive and
transcend the corporate and government vultures who want to take over and
destroy it, it must have powerful political backbone and intelligent,
diverse grassroots organizing. I'm pleased to see this is happening. Thank
you for making such an important film, I hope it is seen far and wide...
...rock on,
j
A review of Le Sheng Liu’s Generation E
"...Liu changes the formula by sidestepping the usage of narration, opting instead to allow his subjects to narrate through conversation...At some times it feels as if we are listening to the opinions of the interviewees rather than being presented facts...“Generation E” gives us a view of those behind the scene, those making the scene..."
When the RAVE (Reducing America’s Vulnerability to Ecstasy) Act was passed into law on April 30, 2003 in a gross mis-use of our law system, I knew that music of all kinds, not only Electronic music, was going to be under the gun of the D.E.A. and other government groups from then on out. I had spent a long time campaigning against the RAVE act, passing out flyers, spreading word, and sending petitions. But, unfortunately, the RAVE act was passed, and without the knowledge of much of the American people. Some, if not most, of our Political “leaders” didn’t even know what it was. Le Sheng Liu’s documentary film, “Generation E”, sets out to change that.
The film follows a tried-and-true method of documentary filmmaking; interview, present facts, interview some more. However, Liu changes the formula by sidestepping the usage of narration, opting instead to allow his subjects to narrate through conversation, adding a personal touch to each meeting. Liu works to meld information on what the RAVE act is and what it means for everyone in America, while bringing it’s effects closer to home by talking to musicians and people involved in their own scene. There are some great conversations here, especially those with Liam Shy of the San Francisco Youth Commission (who works to explain that even in San Francisco you have to fight for your right to party) and Lani Riccobuono, formerly of the ACLU. Coupled with interviews with bystanders (The film begins with Liu asking patrons waiting in line at a club, “Do you know what the RAVE act is?”), club security guards and musicians and DJs, there is a lot of film to be had here.
In a way however, that is a restriction in and of itself. There are tangents here, and they get in the way of the true point of the film at times. One such interview with a man recounts his destruction of his body with liquor, but it comes at the wrong time in the film; it feels as if it was tossed in as filler space, rather than to add to the point of the film. At some times it feels as if we are listening to the opinions of the interviewees rather than being presented facts, and facts are the driving force behind documentaries. The editing could have cut some of this material down and kept more to the point; that the RAVE act is not doing all the good it was supposed to have done. Liu would also do well to subtitle the subjects with their names and titles, as throughout most of the film I had no idea who was talking, and you can’t be sure someone is from the ACLU just because there is a stack of books behind them.
Overall, I really enjoyed the film. There are not many documentaries covering the subject of Rave Drug use from an objective point of view. Every piece of media you catch on Ecstasy is going to tell you about how bad it is, while at the same time demonizing the music that it rides along with. “Generation E” gives us a view of those behind the scene, those making the scene. We need more of this, and we need more filmmakers to step up to the plate and talk about drug use, presenting usable fact and educating rather than building on fear. If you have a chance, I highly suggest picking up the film from his website, LeShengliu.org. Pass the word around and get to know more about what is already affecting your scene.
Written November 16, 2004, and published in Vibrancy (December 15 issue)
On April 30, 2003, President Bush signed the R.A.V.E. Act, a federal law making it a felony to organize an event or operate any type of space where illicit drug activities would take place. The bill was originally written to punish rave and nightclub promoters who threw parties where young people took ecstasy and other "club drugs." Generation E traces the government's fight against rave and ecstasy culture during the past decade, and also examines other youth and music scenes that have had legislation passed against them throughout history, including jazz, swing, rock n' roll, disco, punk, hip hop, and the Oakland "sideshow" scene. Contains archival footage ranging from 19th century drug prohibition to recent news coverage of "rave deaths." Features interviews with dozens of musicians, activists, health workers, and youth advocates from the San Francisco Bay Area, including representatives from:
View pictures from my national screening tour in 2004 and 2005
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From the Golden Gate Xpress, San Francisco State University Publication, April 29, 2004:
"He was inspired to make 'Generation E' when he started seeing stories in the media about the R.A.V.E. Act...'I saw a need for a community to take control of its own health and address problems in that community,' he explained. 'And I didn't care for the government's totalitarian approach to governing.' Liu said the biggest challenge in making the film was presenting a cohesive and coherent message. In the case of 'Generation E,' that message was exploring society's historical demonization of youth culture." Read entire article, or check out the reviews below.
"I LOVE the documentary, and I have seen it TWICE, so far. These are all of the SAME issues addressed in my book...I also plan to show it to all of my friends. I already got them interested, but I'm not ready to part with the tape yet."
"Generation E concisely ties the dance scene, youth and the wrecking ball that is the drug war together with Michael Moore-style gorilla interviews. A great soundtrack is icing on the top of a compelling documentary that makes you want to go out and fight the man at 150 bpm."
"Hi Le,
I enjoyed watching your documentary 'Generation E'. It gave me a wide scope of understanding on relationships among drugs, government, policies, businesses and young people over time in this country. It brought up many questions for me to think about. In particular, I realized I do not know anything about many things in this society that are happening and affecting me. Thanks!"
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Jason Justice,
JusticeDesign.com
Graphic Design for Social Change!
by Brian Botkiller, marketing manager of Trans-Lux Theatres in New Mexico