Battle in Seattle (2007)

Activists arrive in Seattle, Washington en masse to protest a meeting of the World Trade Organization. Riots and chaos ensue as demonstrators successfully stop the WTO meetings.

Director:

Stuart Townsend

Writer:

Stuart Townsend

Stars:

André Benjamin, Jennifer Carpenter, Isaach De Bankolé

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
André Benjamin	...	Django (as Andre Benjamin)
Jennifer Carpenter	...	Sam
Isaach De Bankolé	...	Abasi (as Isaach De Bankole)
Woody Harrelson	...	Dale
Martin Henderson	...	Jay
Joshua Jackson	...	Randall
Ray Liotta	...	Mayor Jim Tobin
Tzi Ma	...	Governor
Ivana Milicevic	...	Carla
Connie Nielsen	...	Jean
Michelle Rodriguez	...	Lou
Rade Serbedzija	...	Dr. Maric (as Rade Sherbedzija)
Channing Tatum	...	Johnson
Charlize Theron	...	Ella
Christopher Jacot	...	Michael

Storyline

In late November 1999, masses are descending upon Seattle for the World Trade Organization (WTO) Conference, the first ever held on American soil. Beyond the several delegates, career protesters are also coming to Seattle, they who believe the non-elected organization only exists to support corporate interests at the expense of the poor, working class and the environment among other things. Before the conference, the lead known protesters vow that their demonstrations will be peaceful, while Seattle Mayor Jim Tobin promises that if that be the case that no arrests will be made and no aggressive action, such as the use of tear gas, will be issued. On day one of the conference, tensions on both sides escalate the confrontation between police and protesters, with many innocent people caught in the crossfire. As such, what was promised ends up not happening during the remainder of the conference, where many on both sides work not for the greater good of their side, but rather for their ...

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Plot Keywords:

world trade organization | tear gas | protest | political unrest | police arrest | 

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Taglines:

Every generation needs a revolution.

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Films [France]

Country:

Canada USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 May 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Batalla en Seattle

Filming Locations:

Seattle, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$46,903 (USA) (19 September 2008)

Gross:

$223,537 (USA) (5 December 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hyde Park Entertainment, Insight Film Studios, Remstar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Directorial debut of actor Stuart Townsend.

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Goofs

During the movie opening fly-through, Qwest Field appears in the background. Qwest Field wasn't built until a couple of years after the WTO riots. It was built on the grounds of the Kingdome which was there in 1999.

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Quotes

Jay: I don't blame you. I mean, I do, but... Shit, you're not the problem. You're just doing your job, i guess. The people I'm really trying to fight are the ones who destroy so much, and they hurt so many lives. Not just one. Literally, millions. And no one ever points a gun at them. You know, they just seem so, unaccountable. Untouchable. Just seems kind of fucked that you're... You and me are the ones that have to fight each other.

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Crazy Credits

A Special Thanks to AWI and Ben White (who passed away in July of 2005) for the creation of the sea turtle costumes and the coordination of their use in protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle, Washington in 1999. We are indebted to various non-profit organizations and individuals who aided with manufacturing the costumes, and to the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) and Ben White for creating the idea for the sea turtle costumes. It was AWI's international coordinator, Ben White, who created those costumes and came up with the idea to put hundreds of people in sea turtle costumes on the streets of Seattle. We will miss Ben and his dedication to make the world a better place.

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Connections

Referenced in Revealed: Stuart Townsend (2013)

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Soundtracks

Fake Empire
(Matt Berninger (as Matthew Donald Berninger), Bryce Dessner (as Bryce David Dessner))
Bug House o/b/o/ Val Jester Music
Performed by The National
Courtesy of Beggars Group

User Reviews

Excellent film that is well worth the time to see

As a member of the Seattle community for nearly 20 years I was here when the WTO protests happened and I found this movie to be extremely powerful. I paid close attention to the events as they occurred in 1999; I even took part in one of the later protests outside a King County Courthouse/Jail. This film uses fictional characters to give perspective on the events both for legal and entertainment reasons and the result is amazing. I watched this film as part of the opening night celebration for the Seattle International Film Festival with nearly 3000 other Seattle area residents and the response was simply astounding. Afterwards in both the Q&A session with the director and part of the cast and the party following, I had the opportunity to hear from some others who were involved in the WTO incidents and no one voiced any disappointment with the way the film handled the issues. I would encourage everyone to see this film as soon as possible; American release is scheduled for September 2008 and I'm sure international release dates will be around the same time.