Director to give speech, present ‘Freedom Riders’

Award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson will lecture and present the U.S. theatrical premiere of his new documentary “Freedom Riders” on Friday at the IU Cinema.

The film, nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, takes viewers into the Deep South of the 1960s, where more than 400 black and white

Americans risked their lives simply by traveling on buses together.

The film’s premiere marks the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders’ movement.

Nelson has spent his life raising awareness of social issues through film documentaries.

He cites as one of his greatest achievements the impact of his film, “The Murder of Emmett Till,” which led to the reopening of the investigation of the 1955 murder of 14-year-old Till.

The U.S. Justice Department stated that the witness testimony in the film was a major factor in its decision to investigate.

Nelson will give a free, public lecture at the IU Cinema at 3 p.m. Friday and will present his film at 7 p.m.

No tickets are required for the lecture.

The screening is free, but tickets, which are still available, are required.
Those without tickets can wait in the IU Cinema lobby up to 30 minutes before the screening for available seats.