The Land of Orange Groves & Jails

The Land of Orange Groves & Jails unfolds as I finally convince my reluctant, great-aunt Yetta to reveal her story of teenage activism during the free speech and labor battles of 1920s Los Angeles - the country's premier anti-union city.  When a red flag was discovered at the summer camp Yetta ran in 1929, she was sentenced to ten years in prison. The resulting case made Yetta into a mini-celebrity touring Depression-era America - and became the Supreme Court's first decision affirming free speech for the 99%, laying critical groundwork for our right to protest and dissent. 

This is a "David and Goliath" story of young activists from immigrant families who stood up for their beliefs and helped secure one of America’s most valued freedoms. A complex story is revealed as Yetta and I journey to the dry, mountainous site of the camp, and I discover boxes of documents seized from the activists in a Washington DC archive. Out of these boxes emerge the voices of characters, no longer alive, who controlled Los Angeles politics and hounded the youthful activists – and a “smoking gun” that reveals who was in charge of Yetta’s case. As past mixes with present during the filmmaking, Yetta and I have to confront a multi-generational legacy of secrecy and passionate activism. By the end of our journey we both see how Yetta’s story set a powerful precedent for current activism. The title comes from an article Upton Sinclair wrote about Yetta’s case.

The film uses booming 1920s Los Angeles as a lens onto a piece of our nation’s history that seems more relevant today than ever – with increasing corporate power, loss of our constitutional rights, and the growing divide between rich and poor, black and white. This is not the story of a “famous” person - instead it brings to life a group of ordinary but courageous young activists who took risks, suffered consequences, and happened to make history.

“It made me realize how history is made every day and people grow up to make planet Earth a better place.”  - high school student

“I honestly thought it was going to bore me but as I watched it it taught me new things… I really like how these former teenage activists are telling their stories and their struggles – they were so brave.”  - high school student

The Land of Orange Groves & Jails is a feature documentary currently in post-production.

                www.orangegrovesandjailsfilm.com

For more information contact Judy Branfman, Producer/Director, sycamorecity@gmail.com

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