Resistance - Historical
Deep Green Resistance recommendations for films depicting historical resistance, before the year 2000, to civilization, empire, and oppression.
See also our list devoted to World War II resistance.
See also our list devoted to World War II resistance.
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- DirectorDom RotheroeStarsJoseph KabuiFrancis OnaThis is the modern-day story of a native peoples' remarkable victory over Western Colonial power. A Pacific island rose up in arms against giant mining corporation Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ) - and won despite a military occupation and blockade.
- DirectorNeil JordanStarsLiam NeesonAidan QuinnJulia RobertsNeil Jordan's historical biopic of Irish revolutionary Michael Collins, the man who led a guerrilla war against the UK, helped negotiate the creation of the Irish Free State, and led the National Army during the Irish Civil War.
- DirectorKen LoachStarsCillian MurphyPádraic DelaneyLiam CunninghamAgainst the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence, two brothers fight a guerrilla war against British forces.
- DirectorJay RoachStarsBryan CranstonDiane LaneHelen MirrenIn 1947, Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood's top screenwriter, until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs.
- DirectorGillo PontecorvoStarsBrahim HadjadjJean MartinYacef SaadiIn the 1950s, fear and violence escalate as the people of Algiers fight for independence from the French government.
- DirectorRakeysh Omprakash MehraStarsAamir KhanSoha Ali KhanSiddharthThe story of six young Indians who assist an English woman to film a documentary on the freedom fighters from their past, and the events that lead them to relive the long-forgotten saga of freedom.
- DirectorRajkumar SantoshiStarsAjay DevgnSushant SinghD. SantoshThe story of a young revolutionary who raised an armed resistance against the British rule in India.
- DirectorSam GreenBill SiegelStarsLili TaylorPamela ZJim LangeThe remarkable story of The Weather Underground, radical activists of the 1970s, and of radical politics at its best and most disastrous.
- DirectorAlanis ObomsawinStarsJack BurningHerbie BarnesAlanis ObomsawinA film account about the military 1990 siege of a Native American reserve near Oka, Quebec, Canada and its causes.
- DirectorJames TustyMaureen Castle TustyStarsHeiki AhonenGustav ErnesaksLinda HuntMost people don't think about singing when they think about revolutions. But song was the weapon of choice when, between 1986 and 1991, Estonians sought to free themselves from decades of Soviet occupation. During those years, hundreds of thousands gathered in public to sing forbidden patriotic songs and to rally for independence. "The young people, without any political party, and without any politicians, just came together ... not only tens of thousands but hundreds of thousands ... to gather and to sing and to give this nation a new spirit," remarks Mart Laar, a Singing Revolution leader featured in the film and the first post-Soviet Prime Minister of Estonia. "This was the idea of the Singing Revolution." James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty's "The Singing Revolution" tells the moving story of how the Estonian people peacefully regained their freedom--and helped topple an empire along the way.
- DirectorPaul GreengrassStarsJames NesbittTim Pigott-SmithNicholas FarrellA dramatization of the Irish civil rights protest march and subsequent massacre by British troops on January 30, 1972.
- CreatorHenry HamptonStarsJulian BondCoretta Scott KingJohn LewisA documentary about the American Civil Rights Movement from 1952 to 1965.
- StarsCraig Scott RosebraughAn insight into the ideology of radical environmentalism of the international group Earth Liberation Front (ELF). ELF spokesman at the time, Craig Rosebraugh, clarifies the course of the actions, but also their possible consequences.
- DirectorKen LoachStarsIan HartRosana PastorIcíar BollaínDavid is an unemployed communist that comes to Spain in 1937 during the civil war to enroll the republicans and defend the democracy against the fascists. He makes friends between the soldiers.
- DirectorPhillip NoyceStarsDerek LukeTim RobbinsBonnie MbuliA drama about terrorism in Apartheid-era South Africa, revolving around a policeman and a young man who carries out solo attacks against the regime.
- DirectorUli EdelStarsMartina GedeckMoritz BleibtreuJohanna WokalekA look at Germany's terrorist group, The Red Army Faction (RAF), which organized bombings, robberies, kidnappings, and assassinations in the late 1960s and '70s.
- DirectorBenjamin EichertRick RowleyStaale SandbergStarsMumia Abu-JamalMedea BenjaminBlase BonpaneJan. 1 1994: The Day the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went in effect. A few minutes after midnight in Southeastern Mexico, several thousand Indian soldiers take over half the state of Chiapas, declaring a war against global corporate power and for humanity. They call themselves the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN). Zapatista is the definitive look at the uprising in Chiapas. it is the story of the Mayan peasant uprising, armed with sticks and their word against a first world military. It is the story of a global movement that has fought 175,000 federal troops to a standstill and transformed Mexican culture and international political cultural forever. Transcribed from back of VHS box.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsDenzel WashingtonAngela BassettDelroy LindoBiographical epic of the controversial and influential Black Nationalist leader, from his early life and career as a small-time gangster, to his ministry as a member of the Nation of Islam and his eventual assassination.
- DirectorHoward AlkStarsSkip AndrewEdward CarmodyJames DavisA chronicle of Fred Hampton's revolutionary leadership of the Illinois Black Panther Party, followed by an investigation into his assassination at the hands of the Chicago Police Department.
- DirectorBill GuttentagDan SturmanStarsThe RootsJohn LegendWyclef JeanA fresh and exhilarating take on one of the most important social movements in American history, Soundtrack for a Revolution explores the civil rights struggle through the powerful and stirring songs that inspired a generation.
- DirectorAnthony GiacchinoThe Camden 28 explores how and why 28 individuals intentionally placed themselves at risk of arrest and imprisonment while protesting the war in Vietnam. Featuring a treasure of archival materials and current interviews with former FBI agents involved in the case and scholars such as Howard Zinn, The Camden 28 is a story about a potent form of dissent that has special relevance to our current political climate.
- DirectorStanley NelsonStarsRaymond ArsenaultGenevieve HoughtonGordon CareyThe story of the Civil Rights Movement interstate busing protest campaign.
- DirectorJohn SaylesStarsChris CooperJames Earl JonesMary McDonnellA labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community brutally and violently dominated and harassed by the mining company.
- DirectorBarbara KoppleStarsJohn L. LewisCarl HornNorman YarboroughA heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.
- DirectorGaganvihari BorateStarsNandita DasSharad S. KapoorMakrand DeshpandeThis film is mainly based on various true incidents relating to tribles, their culture and their lifestyle. The main characters are Dr. Kanna (Sharad Kapoor), his fiancée Rupi (Ms. Nandita Das), Rajayya (Makrand Deshpande) as Naxalite Commander, Inspector Despande (Sayaji Shinde), Ghisu (Vijay Raj) and Dattu (Rajpal Yadav). Also, introducing Hemangini as Mainee. Dr. Kanna & Rupi are childhood lovers and made for each other. Kanna is intelligent and presently doing final year MBBS in Nagpur. Everybody is proud of him. The first trible Indian to achieve such status. Rupi is typical aggressive trible girl, wildcat like manners and irrespective of free trible culture where sex before marriage is treated as part of education, nobody proposes to her knowing her love and devotion to Kanna. Kannas brother Ghisu is one aggressive and hot-tempered with who is illiterate and is slowly getting attracted towards Naxalites. Kanna does not like this. Kanna goes back to city to complete his final year but not before warning his loved ones that Naxalisam is not good for them. Due to Rangers atrocities and high handedness, Ghisu becomes a Naxalite. Rupi who is totally devoted to Kanna does try to convince Ghisu. Ghisu firm on his views. Ranger and Inspector Shinde are desperately searching Ghisu. In the process they have tortured villagers and something dreadful happens and Rupi disappears. When Kanna comes back from Nagpur both the persons he loved the most Rupi and Ghisu are not there for him. He is under the impression that Rupi is dead. He makes all efforts to bring Ghisu back but does not succeed. Actually Rupi is not dead. She has also become a Naxalite. She knows that Kanna is back but now she does not want to go back to him. Naxalites are becoming more and more popular among tribles because of their capacity to give instant justice and more and more youths are joining them. Ghisu and Rupi are now promoted as commanders of their new Dalam. On the other hand, Govt. has taken serious note of the situation and special task force is sent to the jungle to deal with Naxal problem. War between Kanna's non-violence and Rajayya violence begins. Both, Ghisu and Rupi are in a situation; where on one side is their love for Kanna and on the other side is the conviction to fight for justice.