Trade Off
With Mike Dolan, Michael Moore, Jello Biafra.
US, 2000, 16mm, color, 95 min.
As violent media images of "The Battle in Seattle" captured international headlines last fall, many of the key questions regarding what was at stake went unanswered. Shot entirely on location, Shaya Mercer’s Trade Off introduces us to the organizers and power players on both sides of the barricades and goes a long way toward explaining the politics behind the protest. Eschewing narration, the film lets the images and participants speak for themselves. Moving through rallies, demonstrations, street action, and press conferences, the film features, among many others, satirist Michael Moore, U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, California State Senator Tom Hayden, Jello Biafra, and the music of the Laura Love Band and Spearhead. Trade Off won the Best Documentary award at its world premiere screening this June at the Seattle Film Festival.