On Thursday May 15th, a special screening of the documentary The Encampments will be taking place at Fresno City College. The Encampments is a documentary about the courageous action taken by Columbia University students who demanded that their university divest from U.S. and Israeli weapons manufacturers. Their action sparked Palestine solidarity encampments across the country.
uSpark interviewed two of the community advocates, Matthew S. Gillian and Linda Renland, who organized the screening.
Q: What is the importance of this screening?
Linda: One of the reasons I wanted a screening was to be able to see the film here in Fresno with the people I think would also want to see it. I also think that the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil made the idea that world issues like border control and the genocide in Gaza even more obvious and I think it is important that people get to see the reality of how these are linked.
Matthew: Throughout history, young minds have challenged the status quo, ignited change, and reshaped societies. My hope is that this film will underscore the historical significance of student-led movements and the institutional pushback they often face.
Q: What do you tell young people who are disillusioned with local politics?
Matthew: Feeling disillusioned with local politics—you’re not alone, and it’s not because of your generation. I felt the same way before running for city council (and maybe still do to some extent). The truth is, those in power benefit from your disengagement, at every level. Locally, it can feel overwhelming—like there’s no time, no clear path, and no "correct" way to make an impact.
My advice? Ask about the existing ways to get involved, but don’t stop there. Find others who want to create "new" ways to participate. Change has always come from those willing to challenge the system, and that includes reshaping how local politics engages the people it’s meant to serve.
Linda: I think it is important to see that some people are willing to do a lot more than click-activism and risk so much by these encampments. That doesn't mean we all have to take the same measures but this is the time to be brave and speak up so I think it is important for Gen Z and all generations to know and think about that. Also, I think it can be inspiring to see what really took place at the universities rather than the biased and censored versions that were often given in mainstream media.
From Executive Producer Macklemore, The Encampments offers an urgent, intimate portrait of America’s student movement, ignited at Columbia University as students protested their universities’ ties to the war on Gaza. Their actions sparked a nationwide uprising, with encampments spreading across hundreds of campuses. Featuring detained activist Mahmoud Khalil, alongside professors, whistleblowers, and organizers, the film captures the deeper stakes of a historic moment that continues to reverberate across the globe.-Watermelon Pictures
Q: What do you hope audiences take away from this film?
Matthew: I hope The Encampments opens minds to the reality of a crisis that began as an international humanitarian issue, a genocide, and has rapidly evolved into a domestic constitutional issue as well. More than anything, I hope it energizes people—lessens disillusionment and fuels action. Whether through existing pathways or by creating new ones, engagement in the democratic process is crucial. Change happens when people refuse to sit on the sidelines.
Linda: I hope the audience understand that we are all connected to world events and that the crackdown on students protesting a genocide had nothing to do with anti-semitism and by going to the protest we 'are on the right side of history'!
