The Activist

Produced on a tiny budget of $56,000, this labor of love marked Jo and Art Napoleon's last effort together. Later that year, they moved to Europe, and Art changed careers to become a psychotherapist. Featuring one of the renowned Oakland Seven, free-speech activist Mike Smith, in the title role (with his entire spoken performance replaced by the voice of the filmmakers' son), the film is a glimpse into the world of the late sixties, when the Vietnam war was at its most unpopular, and kids were being gassed and even shot for participating in demonstrations. Leslie Gilb is the standout performance as Mike's girlfriend, Lee. Though sometimes awkward and unevenly paced, it still offers a fascinating contemporary take on a time when young people were unapologetic in their intent to change the government's policies, and were convinced they could still change the world.