Archived News Release from 2006

For Immediate Release

Redwood City Hosts Special FREE Screening of Documentary “Paper Clips” – a Shining Example of a Community Building Effort

Redwood City, CA - February 22 , 2006 - Redwood City has spent a lot of time working to achieve its core purpose: to build a great community together. Recently, the City Manager’s office became aware of a documentary film about an effort that illustrates some of the community-building principles that Redwood City is all about.

Whitwell Middle School in rural Tennessee is the setting for Paper Clips, a documentary about an extraordinary experiment in Holocaust education. Struggling to grasp the concept of six million Holocaust victims, the students decide to collect six million paper clips to better understand the extent of this crime against humanity. Those who’ve seen it agree that this isn’t a depressing Holocaust film; rather, it’s an uplifting film about how their experience transformed the students and their community. In the process, it explores our present-day prejudices and shows how one little idea can snowball into a terrific multi-generational community effort.

Paper Clips was first shown on HBO. Redwood City will be hosting a FREE screening of this movie, including popcorn and drinks, for the Redwood City community on Monday, March 6th at 7:00 pm, in the Community Room of the Downtown Library, 1044 Middlefield Road. The movie is an hour-and-a-half long. Those that are interested are encouraged to stay afterwards to talk about the movie with other viewers. RSVPs are encouraged to 780-7300, or people should feel free to drop in.

Here’s what one reviewer on the Internet had to say about Paper Clips:
 
“This is one of the most unique documentaries I have ever seen. It's about the Holocaust, certainly, but it's also about a lot of other things as well. Like how a simple object, the paper clip, can take on deep, profound meaning. Or how one small group's idea can inspire others to action, and together create something greater than any single person might have originally imagined. This movie will make you cry, but it will also leave you with a feeling of empowerment - how the power of the simple paper clip can be found in all of us.”

This movie is also available for rent at local video rental outlets.

Visit Redwood City’s award-winning website at www.redwoodcity.org for information about the City and its services, the community, recreation programs, education, and City government. Subscribe to Redwood City’s email newsletter by sending an email to e-news@redwoodcity.org.

###

Contact:

Malcolm Smith
Public Communications Manager
(650) 780-7305