Robert Greenwald on Wal-Mart film premiere week: "Touching hearts, changing minds and creating social change."

Last week's Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price documentary film premiere was a grassroots event all but ignored by the mainstream media in the Louisville area (all hail LEO for its coverage), but as the following dispatch from the film's creator attests, waves were made nationwide.

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Dear activists, colleagues, and friends,

I am neurotic, Jewish and from New York, so I am not pre-disposed to celebrate... but... LAST WEEK WAS AMAZING.

Norwich: "Wow. At the Norwich Public Library last evening we had to close the doors and turn folks away!"

Milwaukee: "We were thrilled with the turn out and media coverage for our two screenings."

Portland: "Had a fantastic screening at Bridgeport UCC in Portland, Oregon on Saturday night... a packed house."

Flagstaff: "more then 800 people. ... standing and sitting in the aisles. We another screening planned."

Madison: "More then 900 people waiting in line in the snow to see the film."

The reports like these from around the country (see photos) of filled screenings, from schools to church to bike store to hospital basement to pizza parlor to yoga studio...Wherever a screen exits, someone was showing the film. I spoke in Eugene to a crowd of over 700 at Lane community college, Lisa was in Santa Fe, Devin in Chicago, Kabira in Florida with College Democrats and Republicans, Sarah hit Santa Monica and West Hollywood, Jim entertained Orange Coast College, Sharaf went to Chapman College and Rick Jacobs spoke to Progressive Majority. You get the idea! 7,000 screenings around the country, and hundreds of thousands of people were engaged in the real deal of democracy.

Now that (most) of you have had a chance to see the film, it's time to take action. Wal-Mart Watch and Wake-Up Wal-Mart are the two major national campaigns, and we strongly urge you to get involved with them. But there are literally hundreds of allies who are working to fight Wal-Mart, so we created a page where you can explore all of the activity here.

I'd specifically like to draw your attention to the Healthcare Accountability Act. Our friends at the Campaign for America's Future, MoveOn.org and others are asking you to write your member of Congress and encourage them to co-sponsor this bill that would require profitable companies like Wal-Mart to take responsibility for their employees' healthcare. It's very simple, you can start here.

Thursday is Thanksgiving, and many of you will be gathering with family and friends, so please bring the film with you. While some are watching football, others can learn about the high cost of low price -- it's certainly more fun to argue about Wal-Mart then whatever family fight has been going on for years.

To help spread the word, we're now offering a box of 5 DVDs for $50 with free shipping anywhere in the U.S. This is an amazing deal and about as low as we can go and still keep the lights on, so please give the gift that just might change where people buy their own holiday presents. Buy a box here.

I want to leave you with one more incredible story sent in from Santa Maria, California:

"We published letters to the editor, put up posters and passed out flyers. At the premier the room was packed. The most crucial of the screenings was 48 hours prior to a city council meeting where slick Wal-Mart reps were coming to try and get the zoning code changed to allow for a 55 acre supercenter. At the city council meeting the chambers were packed...Empassioned by the stories in the film by people just like them, the chamber audience got a bit rowdy....Wal-Mart failed to get the council members approval with a vote of 5-0 against them! Thanks in no small part to your film, your alternative distribution strategy and dedicated local field producers like Bob Banner here in San Luis Obispo...the city of Santa Maria is safe! (for the time being)."

The film is becoming the tool it is meant to be, going into the world and building the movement.

Unlike traditional opening weeks, this one is just the beginning, and the fight will be a long and hard one, but with your help and support the film is touching hearts, changing minds and creating social change!

Onward,

Robert Greenwald and the entire Brave New Films team -- Devin, Jim, Kabira, Lisa, Rick, Sarah and Sharaf

P.S. Today is Wal-Mart day at the Huffington Post. Read blogs from Al Norman, Stan Fortune, Sen. Kennedy, Rep. Sanders, one of the film's co-producers Kerry Candaele, David Sirota, Andy Stern, and many others (including me).

P.P.S. Since Friday is supposed to be the biggest shopping day of the year, it's a great opportunity to have some fun. Check out the Wal-mart Takedown Action Center for some guerilla ideas.