World Community’s film series continues Nov. 6-8 with a new uplifting film, Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President, screening online into the comfort of your home.
“This music-filled documentary is a much-needed antidote to the cynical power politics we are watching in the current U.S. presidential election,” programmer Wayne Bradley said.
The 96-minute film is a reminder that power does not always corrupt, that decency may prevail, and that music can bridge generational, economic and racial divides.
When the U.S. hit rock bottom in the mid-1970s after years of war, scandal and corruption, the nation turned to a Georgia peanut farmer to become its president. Jimmy Carter was a Democrat, a devout Christian, and a man of impeccable integrity who believed passionately in racial equality. He was also a music fan. June Carter Cash claimed to be a cousin. Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan would become firm friends, and without the support of the Allman Brothers, his campaign may never have gotten off the ground.
“One of the things that have held America together has been the music that we share and love,” Carter says in the film.
Seemingly tireless even at age 96, the former president speaks knowledgeably about gospel, jazz and rock ’n’ roll, while Garth Brooks, Bono, Rosanne Cash, Gregg Allman and Dylan suggest the admiration is mutual. Featuring rare archival performances from the likes of Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon and Dizzy Gillespie, the film provides a nostalgic treat for boomers. For younger viewers, it offers a fascinating glimpse of a very different era in the American experiment.
The film will be available to watch online, all weekend starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, and continuing until midnight on Sunday, Nov. 8. Tickets are $8 or $5 for those with limited incomes.
To purchase tickets, click on https://xerb.tv/partner/channel/worldcommunityca/virtual-events
View the film trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfFF-PP78iA
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