Invasion

“By far the most routinely praised contemporary media activist is Franklin López. López’s work engages in constructing a new vision where popular culture serves the interests of the poor and dispossessed, where humor is reignited within activism, and the D.I.Y. ethics of punk and hip-hop allow those with talent and gumption to be the media, once again.”

Chris Robé, Author of “Breaking the Spell, l: A History of Anarchist Filmmakers, Videotape Guerrillas, and Digital Ninjas”

Born in Puerto Rico, Franklin López has been making films since he was 17. In 1994 he started subMedia, a vehicle to publish radical films and videos. Since the 2000’s, Frank’s work at subMedia was focused on amplifying grassroots anti-capitalist and anti-colonial struggles with a focus on direct action, eco-defense and Indigenous sovereignty. Frank’s videos have been viewed by millions of people on the Internet, screened in alleyways and movie theaters around the world, and broadcast on international TV networks. After publishing hundreds of videos and films, and training dozens of people in video production, Frank left subMedia to pursue the production of long form documentaries and to kick start Amplifier Films. His work has been written about in the New York Times and Wired Magazine and an entire chapter was dedicated to his work in “Breaking the Spell” a book about autonomous filmmaking

Sam Vinal is an award-winning filmmaker who directs documentaries made in deep partnership with social movements. These bold works are housed in the Los Angeles based production company Mutual Aid Media, an independent entity for creativity and speaking truth to power through film. Sam’s filmmaking career has called him to Honduras, Canada and Zambia among other places — always traveling and telling stories through a socio-political lens. Sam uses film as a means to combine his passion for the beautiful struggle of social change with the power of art. Sam’s films have played at the Sundance Film Festival, Hot Docs, The New Orleans Film Festival, and AmDocs among others. He is currently working on a feature documentary on the Wet’suwet’en resistance called YINTAH.