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American Radical North American Theatrical Screening Dates:

* February 11-17, 2010 . New York, NY at Anthology Film Archives
* March 8-11, 2010 . Seattle, WA at Northwest Film Forum
* March 12-18, 2010 . Los Angeles, CA at Laemmle Theatres
* March 23-30, 2010 . New Orleans, LA at Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center
* March 28, 2010 . San Francisco, CA at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
* April 15-16, 2010 . Columbus, OH at Wexner Center for the Arts
* April 23-29, 2010 . Montreal, QC at Cinema du Parc
* April 24, 2010 . Chicago, IL at Chicago Palestine Film Festival
* May 23-26, 2010 . Vancouver, BC at Pacific Cinematheque
* June 3, 2010 . San Francisco, CA at Roxie Theater

Typecast Releasing is pleased to announce that American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein, the new feature-length documentary film from directors David Ridgen (Mississippi Cold Case) and Nicolas Rossier (Aristide and the Endless Revolution), enjoyed a successful premiere and week-long run in NYC at Anthology Film Archives in February—with Norman Finkelstein and the directors in attendance at opening weekend screenings for Q&A. American Radical next went on to play in Seattle, WA at the Northwest Film Forum and then had its Los Angeles theatrical premiere at Laemmle Theatres’ Music Hall 3 cinemas in Beverly Hills, with opening night events on Friday, March 12 sponsored by the Levantine Cultural Center. The film had a successful two-week theatrical run in Montreal, QC at Cinema du Parc and will next be showing at Pacific Cinematheque in Vancouver, BC from May 23-26 after which it will be screened at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco on June 3, with a panel discussion following both screenings there.

A devoted son of Holocaust survivors and ardent critic of Israeli foreign policy, the polarizing American political scientist and author Norman Finkelstein has been called a lunatic and self-hating Jew by some, and an inspirational revolutionary by others. Exploring the deeply complex issues at the heart of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, American Radical is the insightful and enraging documentary that follows Finkelstein around the world as he attempts to negotiate a voice among his impassioned critics and supporters. Uncompromising even in the face of his recent denial of tenure at DePaul University, Finkelstein is revealed as a complex and supremely lonely figure whose self-destructive nature often undermines his academic credibility. A guaranteed argument starter, this potent documentary plunges viewers into the psychological and intellectual underpinnings of a vitriolic personality.

“For us, Finkelstein is the consummate documentary subject: a complex firebrand, principled to the point of self-ruin, at the apex of several of the world’s largest conflicts. A man who has never been asked to appear on mainstream American television, but who regularly appears – always creating controversy – in the international media. At once anti-hero, clown, and merciless scholar, Finkelstein creates as many storms as he enters. And to what end? When radicals collide, does it create understanding? Some would argue that it sometimes does. Others would claim that Finkelstein’s principled but too often bitter advocacy does much to discredit the cause of a just resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Audiences can decide for themselves.” —directors David Ridgen & Nicolas Rossier

VIEW TRAILER:

REVIEWS:

“‘American Radical: The Trials of Norman Finkelstein’ is a cautiously respectful documentary portrait of a political firebrand who presents himself as a beacon of moral truth in the murk of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” —Stephen Holden, New York Times

“Surprisingly entertaining…a compelling portrait of a difficult man.” —Mark Cohen, The Jewish Daily Forward

“With impressive restraint, the fascinatingly thorny ‘American Radical’ is less interested in the validity of Finkelstein’s ideas—seriously mounted, if inflammatory—and more in the topsy-turvy life of today’s professional academic. Amazingly, that choice doesn’t result in a boring movie.” —Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York

“‘American Radical’…presents a more balanced portrait of Finkelstein, who, when his passion doesn’t carry him off on a wave of anger, is shown to be thoughtful, intelligent and deeply melancholy.” —George Robinson, The Jewish Week

“A blood-boiling, very good documentary.” —Mark Keizer, Boxoffice Magaine

“(Norman Finkelstein’s) conclusions can be debated, his methods can be deplored, but as (‘American Radical’ directors) Ridgen and Rossier take pains to point out, a man so rigorously committed to putting an end to oppression ought not be so easily dismissed, even if coming to grips with such a challenging figure may be finally as difficult as getting to the bottom of the Arab-Israeli conflict itself.” —Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine

“A guaranteed argument starter…an engaging portrait of an academic whose work is both fueled and undermined by his vitriolic personality.” —Chicago Reader

“A fascinating, well-rounded portrait of Finkelstein that simultaneously informs, inspires and infuriates…the filmmakers ride a delicate line, assembling a warts-and-all portrait that shows why Finkelstein is deeply respected and equally reviled.” —Mark Achbar, director of ‘The Corporation’ and ‘Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media’