In 1871 the people of Paris rose up to take control of the city and create "The Paris Commune", which flourished briefly before thousands of communards were executed by the French state. The Commune has been claimed by both Marxists and Anarchists for their own, but whatever the case, it's a fascinating piece of history that is too often ignored. Recently David Harvey has resurrected the Commune as an inspiration for urban struggle, and likened it to the Occupy movement.

This film tells the story of The Commune from the perspective of a young woman who works in "The New Babylon", a fashionable department store and her soldier lover. The film will be introduced with a brief talk about this period of history and we also will have the bar open if you want to stay around afterwards and have a drink.