Battle in St. Paul?
Give Stuart Townsend some credit. The Irish actor/filmmaker got a warm reception at the Democratic convention last week when he screened his new film “Battle in Seattle” – about the anti-WTO protests a decade ago – before a friendly audience of union heads, many of whom were among the Seattle protesters.
Well, Townsend has come to Minneapolis as well to screen the movie before what should be a less sympathetic crowd.
We caught up to him at the Impact Film Festival/MySpace party on Sunday (Impact is showing the film at both events) and asked him what he was thinking. “I want some debate,” he said. “I don’t think it’s left or right – it’s about a bunch of Americans that came together.”
He said he’s concerned about seeing a repeat of what’s happened in his native land, thanks to too much free trade and “neoliberalism.”
“Ireland is a test case of neoliberalism. I’ts unsustainable. There’s been a major social cost. Ireland has lost its soul.”
One thing’s for sure: The GOP crowd is missing out on seeing his longtime partner, actress Charlize Theron. She attended the screening in Denver, but he said she’s in Venice for this one.
Hmmm…Minneapolis or Venice, Minneapolis or Venice?
