The Price of Resistance: Sala Udin, An American Agitator - Film Screening

Powerful Civil Rights Documentary The Price of Resistance Comes to Charlottesville August 9

“Two award-winning films — one night of truth, legacy, and powerful conversation.”

After sold-out screenings at the Indie Short Film Festival in March, and a near sold out screening in Pittsburgh, PA., the acclaimed new documentary, The Price of Resistance: Sala Udin, An American Agitator, continues its national screening tour and arrives in Charlottesville for a one-night-only event on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 7:30 PM at Vinegar Hill Theatre, presented by the Indie short Film Festival.

The evening also features the film, Uprooted, a powerful companion documentary that explores the forced displacement of a thriving Black neighborhood in Newport News, Virginia — a chilling reflection of the systemic injustices echoed across generations.

Produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Annette Banks (Freedom House Ambulance) and award-winning producer Ty Cooper (Amanda), this compelling documentary chronicles the life of Sala Udin — revered civil rights agitator, community leader, and former Pittsburgh City Councilman. The film unfolds with rare archival footage, intimate reflections, and a riveting interview with a former FBI agent who served in Mississippi during the civil rights movement. Though the agent didn’t monitor Udin directly, his account provides crucial context to the FBI’s extensive surveillance of Black activists during that era.

Directed by two-time Emmy Award winner Brandi Kellam, Uprooted tells the overlooked story of the once-vibrant Shoe Lane community in Newport News, VA — a Black neighborhood demolished to make way for university development. Kellam, who grew up nearby, weaves personal perspective with powerful testimonies from displaced residents like James and Barbara Johnson, highlighting the emotional and generational toll of erasure and systemic racism.

Together, these films expose the layered injustices of the 1960s: the visible battles of civil rights giants like Udin and the quiet devastation of Black families losing their homes across the country. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers, offering deeper insights into the histories uncovered and the messages moving forward.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance at: http://bit.ly/4lPV1PZ or https://tporfilm2.eventbrite.com Doors open: 6:45 PM, Event begins: 7:30 PM Panel discussion to follow screening.

Vinegar Hill Theatre is located at 220 West Market St., Charlottesville, VA 22902

Also check out other Entertainment events in Charlottesville, Festivals in Charlottesville, Arts events in Charlottesville.