by Alireza Hatamvand
Worth: $16.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Amy Goodman
Intro:
... an informative yet engaging film that may change the way we think about the media.
At first glance, Steal This Story, Please! looks like a biography of Amy Goodman, journalist behind the long-running news programme Democracy Now! But if you look closer, it is more concerned with the relationship between democracy and an independent press. The film returns to Goodman’s personal life chiefly to explain the journalist that she has become, presenting her as a role model, particularly for younger journalists. This admiration can, inevitably, make the film self-congratulatory. Yet the humility that Goodman shows on camera keeps this admiring portrait from feeling narcissistic.
The film begins smartly: Goodman tries to question a representative of Donald Trump on climate matters, following him for quite some distance through hallways and stairs. He avoids answering her, but she does not give up and keeps asking until he finds a private room to hide in. This is the kind of energy and approach that Goodman promotes throughout the documentary.
By “steal the story,” she and the film refer to covering the news as being not enough in and of itself. Goodman emphasises the need to “connect the dots,” something not every news outlet does these days. In particular, she argues that the media are becoming increasingly dependent on support from those who govern and those who have money. And that is in direct conflict with what she has always strived for: to put the microphone among the people, not in front of those in power.
Yes, the film is packed with messages and ideas, but it never becomes boring. Its most powerful chapters focus on specific cases, including the 1991 massacre in East Timor, where Indonesian troops opened fire on innocent civilians, and also Goodman’s investigation into Chevron’s involvement in violence against protesters in Nigeria. These stories are affecting and add an emotional dimension to the film. Goodman and her team demonstrate remarkable commitment in investigating such cases, risking their lives and enduring lasting trauma to bring attention to stories that other media outlets might ignore.
By bringing together a biography of Amy Goodman, a critique of today’s press, historical stories from around the world, and a range of advice for journalists, Steal This Story, Please! is an informative yet engaging film that may change the way we think about the media.
