Pass The Popcorn: 'Let The Fire Burn' Chronicles The 1985 MOVE Bombing [Exclusive Clip]

Okayplayer presents an exclusive clip of Let The Fire Burn - the forthcoming documentary chronicling the events surrounding the tragic 1985 bombing of the MOVE organization in Philadelphia - from director Jason Osder and Zeitgeist Films. The clip is accompanied by the official trailer for the film which dissects the events leading up to the now-infamous confrontation, from the organization's earliest documented brushes with the law to major clashes with the Philadelphia Police Department, including the 1978 raid on their Powelton Village compound - an event that resulted in the loss of officer James Ramp as well as the arrest of the MOVE 9 - and the subsequent explosion in 1985 which killed 11 members of the organization and destroyed over 60 homes.

Let The Fire Burn is an opus constructed from found footage to tell the riveting but less highly publicized story of the political and legal tug-of-war that underscored the bombing - a contentious affair that spanned two mayoral administrations and highlighted the racial tensions at the heart of the interactions between the MOVE organization and the Philadelphia Police Department; the shunning of the officer who rescued Birdie Africa following the bombing is a compelling glimpse at the comprehensive and cold departmental aversion to recognizing the humanity of the individuals they had designated terrorist enemies of the commonwealth. The MOVE organization, conversely, is under the magnifying glass for controversial lifestyle choices and ongoing conflict with their West Philadelphia neighbors.

The Osage Avenue neighborhood where the bombing occurred still suffers from structural issues related to botched rebuilding efforts following the bombing. Criminal charges were never brought against city officials who ordered and carried out the siege - a point that remains an issue for surviving members of the MOVE organization and their supporters. Let The Fire Burn is adept at exposing a wound that is still festering and raw decades after the bomb was dropped. Check the footage below to watch the exclusive clip from Let The Fire Burn, featuring a scathing criticism of the system and its representatives from Louise James - sister of John Africa - during the MOVE commission hearings. Scroll down to view the official trailer for the documentary, which opens on October 2nd in New York City and on October 18th in Los Angeles ahead of a wide release. Learn more about the film at LETTHEFIREBURN.com