Bookwars

"Bookwars" (aka "BookWars: Life on the Streets of New York"), released in June 2000, is an award-winning, independently produced documentary about New York City street booksellers.

"Bookwars" was produced in both a feature version (78 minutes) and a television version (56 minutes, 30 seconds). Both versions have been widely broadcast to a global audience, including Sweden, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, the USA, Denmark, Thailand, and Cambodia.

It was made on location by filmmaker and street bookseller Jason Rosette. Its producers describe it as being about "the gritty world of New York City street booksellers told in a remarkable story that chronicles their lives and loves and their unique perspectives on life...see the Mayor, the NYPD, and the University try to shut them down!" [ [http://www.camerado.com/camerado_movies/movies.html Movies by Camerado ] ] The film describes the everyday lives of sidewalk booksellers, particularly as they were impacted during then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's "Quality of Life" program, which was designed to clean up the streets of New York.

Despite its minuscule budget, "Bookwars" became a commercial success, winning the Best Documentary Feature award at its debut at the 2000 New York Underground Film Festival. It was soon hailed by LA Times Critic Kevin Thomas as a "Terrific" movie, and it was also nominated for an IFP Gotham Award. It continues to be widely available on DVD, and via broadcast and theatrical arthouse screenings.

References

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250266/ "Bookwars" at IMDB] Accessed: 2008-01-26