- When we began shooting the trial of the Chicago Seven,
each of us knew that we were in rare territory.
We knew that the story we were telling
was not only an important chapter of American history
but also chillingly relevant to current events.
- 51 years ago, this month, the whole world watched
as a group of men awaited the verdict
of what we now know as the trial of the Chicago Seven.
- They'd come to the Democratic National Convention
in Chicago to peacefully protest the Vietnam war
and they were attacked, beaten, arrested
and tried for exercising their rights
protected under the constitution.
- Their crime was speaking truth
to power in a divided nation.
- Certainly rang bells for all of us.
And it's strikingly similar as 1968 and 2016 seemed
at the time we made this film, those parallels had nothing
on what the summer of 2020 would bring.
- We are proud to honor those men
and women who stood in solidarity with their fellow citizens
and refused to compromise their principals
or relinquish their rights.
- And raise our unified voices
until we live up to the ideals of this country,
of Liberty on justice for all.
- And thank you to Tom Hayden, to Rennie Davis
to Abbie Hoffman, to Dave Dellinger,
to John Froines, to Lee Weiner, to Bobby Seale
and to Jerry Rubin for standing up in the face of injustice.
They say history has a tendency to repeat itself
unless we can learn from it
by telling its most important stories.
- The events of 1968, 1969 and 1970, revealed injustices
and inequalities that continue to this day.
And the challenge is every generation to march
and to raise their voices until America lives up
to its founding ideals of liberty and justice for all.
- And as peaceful protests around the world have shown us,
people are willing to stand up
and raise their voices to protect their fellow citizens
and to rectify injustices and to heal divides.
- Join us for global viewing event of our film,
The Trial of the Chicago Seven,
in honor of the real patriots who inspired a generation
to take to the streets
and uphold the foundations of our constitution.
It's our honor to share the story with the world.
(slow music)