Thirty-one years ago today, a religious commune in Waco, Texas was raided by FBI and BATF, resulting in the holocaust of 76 people including children, burnt alive. The official story was initially that the tragedy was a mass suicide, that authorities never fired a shot and never set fire to their compound. That became -- through constant repetition -- the narrative that … [Read more...]

Leslie Howard -- born April 3rd, 1893 -- is probably best-known to audiences for his memorable role as Ashley Wilkes in Gone With the Wind. But he also chose to star in, and in some cases produced and directed, several early films of libertarian interest. Two of these films were important in the effort to defeat Nazi Germany and to save its victims. Howard's first … [Read more...]

Walter Williams was born on March 31st, 1936. He was an influential libertarian economist, a beloved professor at George Mason University, and a prolific and often witty writer. Free to Choose Media released a documentary about him in 2014, entitled Walter Williams: Suffer No Fools; it's available free online. He joined Milton Friedman in the PBS series Free to … [Read more...]

Bruce Willis -- born March 19th, 1955 -- started out as a minor off-Broadway actor but eventually landed the lead in Die Hard, launching his now legendary action-hero career. He seemed attracted to the role of individualist hero, and it was a role he took up in several films of libertarian interest. Willis is probably best known for his role as John McClane, a classic … [Read more...]

March 8th is International Women's Day, highlighting the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. Listed below are ten women who fought for human freedom -- some with words, some with pistols, and some with nothing more than raw courage -- but all pivotal in their own ways. Why not learn about them through film? Suggestions below. Ayn Rand Decades … [Read more...]

Michael Apted -- born February 10th, 1941 -- was a British television and film director and producer. He directed four films of libertarian interest, including one of this website's top 25 list of most important libertarian films of all time. In 1992, Apted released the documentary Incident at Oglala, an inquiry into the alleged framing of AIM member Leonard Peltier by the … [Read more...]

Holodomor ("to kill by starvation) is what Ukrainians call the period from 1932-1933, when Stalin created a forced famine to punish the Ukraine's resistance to socialist collectivization. Estimates vary as to how many Ukrainians died, ranging from three million to twelve million. This tragedy and crime are remembered on Holomodor Remembrance Day. Here are four films to honor … [Read more...]

Nestor Almendros -- born October 30, 1930 -- is best known for his cinematography. He was indeed the favorite cameraman for directors Eric Rohmer and Francois Truffaut and was nominated for four Academy Awards for cinematography (Sophie's Choice, The Blue Lagoon, Kramer vs. Kramer, and Days of Heaven). However, he also directed two powerful documentaries that together blew a … [Read more...]