Far Out : Life on and after the commune

85 minutes, director Charles Light in person for a discussion

The film traces fifty years in the lives of a group of New England writers, activists, and artists. In 1968, amidst a left-wing factional conflict, a group of radical journalists left New York City for rural life, becoming pioneers in the back-to-the-land and organic farming movements.

In 1973, when a massive nuclear power plant was planned nearby, they became active opponents. In a dramatic act of civil disobedience, commune member Sam Lovejoy toppled a 500-foot weather tower on the site, turned himself in, and, after a highly publicized trial, was acquitted.

The group went on to lead the burgeoning anti-nuclear movement, engaging in significant battles over atomic power in Seabrook, NH, and beyond. In 1979, they joined forces with Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Graham Nash, and other committed rock stars to produce five sold-out concerts at Madison Square Garden and a massive rally.

Blending contemporary interviews with a remarkable trove of original archival footage, Far Out is lively, humorous, inspiring, and irreverent. The film vividly recounts history while exploring universal themes of grappling over a lifetime with politics, relationships, morality, spirituality, civic engagement, and the search for home.