> neater version at:  http://www.spannerfilms.net/?lid=1779
> 30 March 2005. Press Release from Spanner Films
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> McLIBEL FILM TO BE BROADCAST ON BBC FOR
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> McDONALD'S 50th BIRTHDAY
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> Franny Armstrong's documentary 'McLibel' will be
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> broadcast on BBC4 on Weds 13th April at 9pm. It is
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> released in cinemas in USA in May and on DVD
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> worldwide on McDonald’s 50th birthday, 15/4/05.
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> Filmed over ten years, this brand new, 85 minute feature
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> version includes the McLibel defendants' victory at the
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> European Court of Human Rights in February 2005.
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> SYNOPSIS
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> McLibel is the inside story of the postman and gardener
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> who took on McDonald’s. And won.
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> McDonald’s often used the UK libel laws to suppress
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> criticism. Major media organisations like the BBC and The
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> Guardian crumbled and apologised. But then they sued
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> gardener Helen Steel, now 39, and postman Dave Morris,
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> now 50.
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> In the longest trial in English legal history, the "McLibel Two"
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> represented themselves against McDonald's £10 million legal team.
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> Every aspect of the corporation's business was cross-examined: from junk food
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> and McJobs, to animal cruelty, environmental damage and advertising to children.
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> Outside the courtroom, Dave brought up his young son alone
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> and Helen supported herself working nights in a bar.
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> McDonald's tried every trick in the book against them. Legal manoeuvres.
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> A visit from Ronald McDonald. Top executives flying to
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> London for secret settlement negotiations. Even spies.
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> Seven years later, in February 2005, the marathon legal
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> battle finally concluded at the European Court of Human Rights.
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> And the result took everyone by surprise - especially the British Government.
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> McLibel is not just about hamburgers. It is about the
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> importance of freedom of speech now that multinational
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> corporations are more powerful than countries.
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> Filmed over ten years by no-budget Director Franny Armstrong (Drowned Out),
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> McLibel is the David and Goliath story of two people who
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> refused to say sorry. And in doing so, changed the world.
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> QUOTES
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> "McDonald’s have been raking in their profits for 50 years
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> and all of society has paid the price." says defendant Dave Morris,
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> “We should look forward to their funeral, not their birthday.”
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> "We had no idea when we got the writs in 1990 that it would turn into a 15 year battle,"
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> says defendant Helen Steel "but there was no way I could ever apologise to McDonald's.
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> It's them who should be apologising to society."
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> "Who said ordinary people can’t change the world?"
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> says Director Franny Armstrong.
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> "In a longterm sense, McDonald’s are in big trouble", says Eric Schlosser, author of 'Fast Food Nation',
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> in the new film, noting that McDonald’s experienced their
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> first ever loss in 2002 and closed 175 restaurants in 10 countries.
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> "McLibel had a great deal to do with that in terms of unleashing this torrent of criticism."
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> "McLibel definitely paved the way for my movie” says Morgan Spurlock,
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> director of smash hit documentary, ‘Super Size Me’.
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> RELEASE DATES
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> -> WORLD PREMIERE at the Curzon Soho cinema on Saturday April 9th at 4pm,
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> followed by a Q&A with McLibel defendants Helen Steel & Dave Morris,
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> and Director Franny Armstrong.
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> -> BBC BROADCAST on BBC4 at 9pm on 13th April 2005,
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> two days before McDonald’s 50th birthday.
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> BBC press contact: Nicola Richardson, 020 8752 6988.
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> -> “Birthday or Last Rites?” public meeting with Helen Steel, Dave Morris,
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> Franny Armstrong and other speakers on McDonald’s 50th birthday, 15/4/05.
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> At Conway Hall, Red Lion Square,
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> London WC1. Entrance £3. 6pm till 11pm. Includes screening of the film, launch of the
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> DVD and entertainment.
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> -> NEW DVD with more than four hours of extras,
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> including commentary track of all McDonald’s greatest quotes from the last 50 years,
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> voiced by comedian Rob Newman.
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> Available from 15/4/05 from www.spannerfilms.net/shop
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> -> US CINEMA RELEASE in April/ May by Cinema Libre,
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> who distributed hit doc 'Outfoxed'. Cinema Libre press
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> contact:  meredith@cinemalibrestudio.com
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> -> WORLD TV SALES. 24 countries currently considering broadcasts.
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> PRESS CONTACT
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> Sarah Winborn. 07748 647550.  sarahw@spannerfilms.net
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