'Call + Response'

"This is the sound of the 21st century abolitionist movement." Or, this may not be Wilberforce's music, but I think it's his spirit.

Call + Response is a rockumentary about the modern-day slave trade -- opening in theaters October 10. (Thanks to Erik Lokkesmoe for the tip.) Today's anti-slavery movement has brought together an amazing variety of individuals -- from Nicholas Kristof to John Miller -- all united to end this horrific practice. Here we are 200 years after the great work of William Wilberforce and the Clapham Circle, and we're still battling this evil. In fact, it's bigger than ever.

Call + Response, as the movie's website describes it, "weaves individual stories with rare hidden camera footage, inspired musical performances, and interviews with luminaries like Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Ashley Judd, Julia Ormond, Daryl Hannah, Nicholas Kristof, and Dr. Cornel West. The result is an unflinching dissection of the modern day slave trade and an exploration of the role of music in the lives of oppressed people." One hundred percent of the profits will go to "global field projects on the front lines of this issue."

Watch the video below, and join the cause on Facebook and MySpace.

I like how West puts it at the end of this trailer: " . . . justice is what love looks like in public."



(The original post appeared at The Point.)