Cody's & Kepler's Profiled in PBS Documentary to Premiere at BEA

May 01, 2008

As part of ABA's Saturday programming at BookExpo America, the association will host a premiere of Paperback Dreams, a documentary that follows the history and struggles of Cody's Books in Berkeley and Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, California. The bookstores' stories are chronicled via interviews with Andy Ross and Clark Kepler, Joan Baez, Morgan Entrekin, Malcolm Margolin, Michael Powell, and others, as well as with archival film footage and photographs. Following the screening, director/producer Alex Beckstead will lead a Q&A discussion, to which he has invited Ross and Kepler.

Beckstead, a San Francisco-based documentary filmmaker, has also produced segments in Kenya and Uganda for a PBS special Ending Aids: The Search for a Vaccine.

Paperback Dreams, co-produced by KQED, San Francisco's PBS affiliate, grew out of Beckstead's appreciation for and interest in supporting local bookstores. "First and foremost, I love bookstores," he told BTW. "I always have, and I've seen local stores that I loved in different places disappear over the years.... So I wasn't unaware of the struggles independents were facing.

"Truth be told, there are plenty of other stores that would fit the bill for a great film," Beckstead explained. "But Cody's and Kepler's shared a common history that allowed me to do a brief history of the independent bookseller since the paperback revolution, and both were in the midst of current drama that gave their stories a kind of urgency. And as a storyteller, I saw all kinds of potential."

In these two "giants" of independent bookselling, Beckstead saw "meaty stories that -- while not comprehensive of all booksellers' experiences -- ran up against a lot of the issues that stores face today. "The film also underscores both stores' early role in "launching a counter-culture," as well as supporting the First Amendment, sometimes at their own significant risk.

The documentary is expected to air on PBS in fall 2008, and Beckstead is encouraging booksellers to create events surrounding the film's broadcast.

"I know BEA is a busy time for booksellers, and stopping to take in a movie might not feel productive," he said. "But booksellers are encouraged to do events around the film -- either with provided clips, or clips and a visit from me. The public television broadcast ... will be a great promotional opportunity for booksellers." Suggestions for events will be provided at the Saturday event where preview DVDs will be available.

The screening and discussion of Paperback Dreams will be on Saturday, May 31, from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Room 511A/B/C of the West Building of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

For more information, and a trailer, visit www.paperbackdreams.com. --Karen Schechner

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