TCA Community Screening: Committing Poetry in Times of War With Post-film panel discussion with producers, film crew, & participants

TCA Community Screening

Committing Poetry in Times of War

With Post-film panel discussion with producers, film crew, & participants

Sat, Oct 24, 6:30pm

Get Tickets Here

2007 | Political Drama/Documentary | Written by Stravos | 1h 54m | NR

The powerful relationship between art, free speech, and resistance takes

center stage once again. TCA is screening a special 20th Anniversary Producers Cut of the award-winning 2007 documentary Committing Poetry in Times of War. This updated version brings new life to a film that is even more relevant to ourworld today than it was two decades ago.

Committing Poetry in Times of War tells the gripping story of Bill Nevins. He was a

dedicated high school teacher and poetry coach in New Mexico. In 2003, Nevins was

suspended from his job. His crime? Supporting his student poetry team after they read

an anti-war poem over the school’s PA system. The film tracks the massive wave of

student protests, community legal battles, and artistic resistance that followed his

suspension. It shines a bright light on the dangers of censorship during times of

national fear.

The brand-new 20th Anniversary Producers Cut and in-theater post screening

discussion features freshly restored footage, dialogue with the original participants, and

reflections on how the struggle for free speech has changed over the last twenty years.

“When we first made this film, we wanted to capture a specific moment of political

tension and artistic bravery,” says the production team “But looking at the world

today—where book bans are rising, teachers face heavy restrictions, and students are

still fighting for their voices to be heard—we realized this story isn’t just history. It is

happening right now. This new cut is a wake-up call and a celebration of the brave

young voices who refuse to be silenced and the power of creativity to make change.”

The original 2007 release won critical acclaim and multiple festival awards for its raw,

honest look at American patriotism and the right to dissent. Today, as classrooms and

school boards become battlegrounds for free expression once again, the film serves as

a vital tool for educators, activists, and artists everywhere.