FreedomFest 2026 has ended

Create Your Own Event

FreedomFest 2026

11:30am PDT

How to Get the Most from Anthem and FreedomFest!

Wednesday July 8, 2026 11:30am - 11:45am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

FreedomFest producer Mark Skousen and Anthem Film Festival producer Jo Ann Skousen talk about their favorite can't-miss features this year.

Speakers

Mark Skousen

America's Economist, FreedomFest

Mark Skousen is an economist, investor, and educator known for bridging academic theory and real-world markets. He is the founder and producer of FreedomFest and has spent decades advancing the case for free markets, entrepreneurship, and sound money.

A former professor at Columbia Business School and current professor at Chapman University, Skousen has authored more than 25 books on economics, history, and liberty. His latest book, The Greatest American: Benjamin Franklin — The Most Versatile Mind of His Era, reframes Franklin... Read More →

Jo Ann Skousen

Founding Director, Anthem Libertarian Film Festival

Mark Skousen attributes much of his success in life to his partnership with his wife, Jo Ann, whom he married in 1973. Currently associate editor of Forecasts & Strategies, she co-authored of several of his investment books, managed their home-based publishing business for several years, and is associate producer of FreedomFest. She is also the family travel manager, having decided three times that they should take advantage of sudden opportunities... Read More →

Wednesday July 8, 2026 11:30am - 11:45am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:45am PDT

The Philosophy of Liberty; Ignacio Alaniz, dir. 5 min.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 11:45am - 11:55am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“The Philosophy of Liberty” is an animated short film by Liberty International and Live and Let Live Movement. The film is based on the essay by Ken Schoolland which explores how the absence of violence and free and voluntary cooperation between individuals, or groups of individuals, are the key ingredients for a truly prosperous society. The film makes the abstract concrete by portraying these principles in action, using the aesthetics of the classic frontier town from the old American West to strip society back to its bare essentials. The visuals hearken back to a genre that’s been part of our collective imagination for generations. The role of authority in relation to the individual is portrayed here with a clarity that reveals how easily power can go astray when unchecked or unquestioned.

Speakers

Ken Schoolland

Vice President for International Relations, Liberty International

The Philosophy of Liberty is the work of Ken Schoolland — economist, professor, and one of the liberty movement's great popularizers. He is an Associate Professor of Economics at Hawaii Pacific University, where he directs the Entrepreneurship Center and is the institution's longest-serving... Read More →

Wednesday July 8, 2026 11:45am - 11:55am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:55am PDT

What Sweden Got Right; Tomasz Agencki, dir. 35 min.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 11:55am - 12:30pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

In the 19th century, Sweden was one of Europe’s poorest countries. Then something remarkable happened. Radical pro-market reforms unleashed free enterprise, low taxes, and open trade, propelling Sweden to become one of the world’s richest nations by the mid-20th century. But success bred complacency. In the 1960s and 1970s, ambitious socialist experiments introduced sky-high taxes, massive welfare expansion, and heavy regulation. The result? Stagnation, soaring inflation, and a devastating financial crisis in the early 1990s that nearly bankrupted the country. Rainer Zitelmann narrates this gripping documentary that traces Sweden’s breathtaking rise and dramatic fall, revealing the hidden economic forces that built—and almost destroyed—a modern miracle. Eye-opening, timely, and packed with surprising lessons for today, it’s a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand what truly drives prosperity.

Speakers

Tomasz Agencki

Award-Winning Liberty Filmmaker, "What Sweden Got Right" Documentary

Tomasz Agencki is a Polish film director, producer, and screenwriter with over 20 years of experience in film and TV production. A graduate of the Polish Film School in movie and TV production, he has directed and produced numerous freedom-focused documentaries.

His notable works include IN-Dependencia (2014), Korwin The Movie (2015), Where The Directives Grow (2019, Best International Documentary at Anthem Film Festival), Vietnam: Beating Poverty with Market Economy, (2025, Best International Documentary at Anthem Film Festival) How Sweden... Read More →

Rainer Zitelmann

Defender of Capitalism

Dr. Rainer Zitelmann is a historian, sociologist, and bestselling author known for shaping global conversations on capitalism, economic freedom, and history. He has written 30 books translated into 30 languages, including The Power of Capitalism and In Defense of Capitalism, influencing... Read More →

Wednesday July 8, 2026 11:55am - 12:30pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

12:30pm PDT

Panel: Austrian Economics and the Philosophy of Liberty

Wednesday July 8, 2026 12:30pm - 1:00pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Rainer Zitelmann, Ken Schoolland and Dominic Frisby join award-winning filmmaker Tomasz Agencki to discuss the connection between choice and prosperity in countries as diverse as Sweden, Poland and Vietnam. Joanna Guerra moderates.

Moderators

Joanna Guerra

Relations Manager, Strategy & Development Department, Liberty International

Joanna Gabriela Guerra Ledón holds a Ph.D. in Education and is also a lawyer and philosopher. She has completed academic programs at Harvard University and Dartmouth College.A passionate advocate of liberty, she has taught since 2014 at Instituto Politécnico Nacional and Colegio... Read More →

Speakers

Tomasz Agencki

Award-Winning Liberty Filmmaker, "What Sweden Got Right" Documentary

Tomasz Agencki is a Polish film director, producer, and screenwriter with over 20 years of experience in film and TV production. A graduate of the Polish Film School in movie and TV production, he has directed and produced numerous freedom-focused documentaries.

His notable works include IN-Dependencia (2014), Korwin The Movie (2015), Where The Directives Grow (2019, Best International Documentary at Anthem Film Festival), Vietnam: Beating Poverty with Market Economy, (2025, Best International Documentary at Anthem Film Festival) How Sweden... Read More →

Ken Schoolland

Vice President for International Relations, Liberty International

The Philosophy of Liberty is the work of Ken Schoolland — economist, professor, and one of the liberty movement's great popularizers. He is an Associate Professor of Economics at Hawaii Pacific University, where he directs the Entrepreneurship Center and is the institution's longest-serving... Read More →

Rainer Zitelmann

Defender of Capitalism

Dr. Rainer Zitelmann is a historian, sociologist, and bestselling author known for shaping global conversations on capitalism, economic freedom, and history. He has written 30 books translated into 30 languages, including The Power of Capitalism and In Defense of Capitalism, influencing... Read More →

Dominic Frisby

Author, comedian, voice artist

Dominic Frisby is a British author, comedian and voice artist whose voice may already be familiar — he has narrated more than five hundred documentaries for the BBC, ITV and others.

Away from the booth, Frisby writes and performs on money, tax and freedom. He is the author of Life After the State, Daylight Robbery, Bitcoin: The Future of Money? and The Secret History of Gold, and the writer behind the newsletter The Flying Frisby. A libertarian by conviction... Read More →

Wednesday July 8, 2026 12:30pm - 1:00pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

1:00pm PDT

Free Syria: Syria's Economic Renewal; Adam Weinberg, dir. 16 min.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:00pm - 1:25pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

For more than half a century, the Assad regime strangled Syria — crushing commerce, silencing dissent, and driving millions into exile. Now, for the first time in generations, Syrians have the opportunity to imagine a free and prosperous country. “Free Syria: Syria’s Economic Renewal” follows Mazen Derawan, a Syrian-American entrepreneur who returns to Damascus in the immediate aftermath of the regime’s collapse. Guided by a conviction that lasting prosperity flows from individual liberty — not state control — Mazen and a team of fellow libertarians from across the Middle East and North Africa join together to revive the traditions of free exchange that once made Damascus a crossroads of trade, ideas, and human flourishing. What he finds is a society both liberated and scarred: markets reopening, families reuniting, a country rediscovering what it means to own your future.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:00pm - 1:25pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

1:25pm PDT

Kebab: The Dish of the Poles; Marcin Chmielowski, Kamil Grzebyta, dirs. 17 min.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:25pm - 1:50pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

While hard-working immigrants are under attack in many countries, Polish society’s exposure to popular kebab stalls is fostering openness. Tolerance, immigration, the free market and cuisine all come together in this short documentary that discusses the history of the kebab along with the economics and sociology behind it. Entrepreneurs searching for a better life sell kebabs in Poland, providing a service that Poles eagerly eat up. Immigrants, once a burden, now provide for themselves, and the kebab, once foreign, has become part of Polish culture and the Polish economy thanks to the power of the free market — the greatest mechanism ever created for lifting people out of poverty.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:25pm - 1:50pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

1:50pm PDT

La Petit Mortimer; Nickolas Gilbert, dir. 6 min.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:50pm - 2:00pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Steve Forbes joins filmmakers Marcin Chmielowski, Nickolas Gilbert, and Adam Weinberg to reveal how the principles of freedom are leading to a spirit of cooperation and collaboration between native and immigrant populations. Jo Ann Skousen, mod.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 1:50pm - 2:00pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

2:00pm PDT

Free Market Solutions to Immigration

Wednesday July 8, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

In a quaint mountain village, two rival dynasties wage an absurd centuries-old war over the one true food: sausages or bread. Every morning, mustachioed sausage king Mortimer Opava races his tricycle vending cart to claim the park’s prized hilltop selling spot, leaving bread peddler Alexander Ostrava to sulk beside the toilets below. But when Alexander recruits his fearless daughter Alexandra, a disgraced cycling prodigy with unfinished business, the rivalry becomes a full-speed showdown of horns, shortcuts, flying baguettes, and sausage-fueled heroics. As the pair battle for victory, stubborn loyalty gives way to something far more delicious. Playful, handmade, and joyfully inventive, “La Petite Mortimer” celebrates the libertarian spirit of competition, choice, and spontaneous cooperation over inherited grudges and arbitrary rules. Crafted through creative limitation, the film proudly lets audiences in on the joke with its charmingly low-tech visual style and mischievous heart.

Moderators

Gary Alexander

The Financial Journalist

Gary Alexander has served as Senior Writer at Navellier & Associates since 2009, editing the weekly Marketmail and writing the Growth Mail column focused on market history and growth investing. With more than four decades in financial journalism and investment publishing, he previously... Read More →

Speakers

Marcin Chmielowski

Project manager, Freedom and Entrepreneurship Foundation

Project manager at the Freedom and Entrepreneurship Foundation, a Polish organization dedicated to training libertarian leaders and promoting libertarian solutions. A political scientist with a PhD in philosophy, Marcin has also completed postgraduate studies in central banking. He... Read More →

Adam Weinberg

Director of Marketing and Communications, Atlas Network | Free Syria: Syria’s Economic Renewal

Adam Weinberg is a documentary filmmaker and Director of Marketing and Communications at Atlas Network, a nonpartisan nonprofit foundation that supports the development and success of pro-freedom organizations worldwide.

He is the director of Free Syria: Syria’s Economic Renewal. His documentary work spans storytelling, production leadership, and post-production across more than 20 countries. Adam’s films focus on individual liberty, entrepreneurship, and courageous people confronting unjust laws... Read More →

Carlos Urbizo

Chairman and CEO, Inversiones Krissol

Mr. Urbizo has been an independent management consultant in the areas of finance, taxation, and general management for the past forty years and Chairman and CEO of Inversiones Krissol, S.A. de C.V. As a Fulbright scholar, Mr. Urbizo earned his B.A. degree in Business Administration... Read More →

Wednesday July 8, 2026 2:00pm - 2:30pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

2:30pm PDT

Building Home; Matt Battaglia, Sam Martin, dirs. 39 min.

Wednesday July 8, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“Building Home” tells the powerful story of Jared Klickstein’s journey through addiction, homelessness, and recovery, revealing how California’s well-intentioned policies often fail the very people they aim to help. Featuring Dr. Drew Pinsky, the film argues that true healing requires more than housing—it requires human connection, accountability, and a real path to recovery.

Speakers

Matt Kibbe

Raising Hell for Liberty, Free The People, Free the People

Terry Kibbe

Crafting Compelling Narratives About Liberty, Free the People, Free the People

Terry Kibbe is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Free the People, an educational foundation dedicated to reaching young audiences with compelling narratives about liberty. Utilizing pop culture, video, comedy, and art, Free the People crafts multimedia stories that highlight... Read More →

Matt Battaglia

Liberty Storyteller, Filmmaker & Comic Creator, Free the People

Matt Battaglia is the executive producer at Free the People, he has directed Anthem Award winning projects Off the Grid, All We Have, and The Free Life. He is also the writer/artist of the graphic novel 'House on Fire'.

Sam Martin

Exhibitors

Free the People

334

Free the People’s goal is to get ahead of politics, and engage in the cultural exchange that will set the political agenda for the next 50 years. We want to set the conversation, instead of settling for rhetorical scraps tossed to us by the political class. We want to make the community... Read More →

Wednesday July 8, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

8:30am PDT

Beyond Labels; Free to Choose, prod. 18 min.

Thursday July 9, 2026 8:30am - 9:15am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

In the current political climate, terms like “fascist” and “socialist” get thrown around every day. But how often do people know true meaning of those words? “Beyond Labels” explores how we can stop using academic political and economic terms as divisive insults and start using them to have a deeper understanding of the systems that govern our economy and personal lives. A journey through the regimes of Nazi Germany, East and West Berlin, and modern-day Venezuela illustrates the vital importance of understanding and defining our economic and political freedoms.

Speakers

Robert Chatfield

President and CEO, Free To Choose Network (FTCN)

Robert Chatfield serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Free To Choose Network (FTCN), a global media organization. Chatfield oversees all departments of the 24-person organization, and will be growing the divisions while keeping the vision and mission of the 501(c)(3... Read More →

Rainer Zitelmann

Defender of Capitalism

Dr. Rainer Zitelmann is a historian, sociologist, and bestselling author known for shaping global conversations on capitalism, economic freedom, and history. He has written 30 books translated into 30 languages, including The Power of Capitalism and In Defense of Capitalism, influencing... Read More →

Thursday July 9, 2026 8:30am - 9:15am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

9:20am PDT

Cuba's Eternal Night; Jordan Allott, dir. 69 min.

Thursday July 9, 2026 9:20am - 11:00am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Filmed almost entirely inside Cuba, “Cuba’s Eternal Night” follows five Cubans over the span of two years as they struggle with challenges related to government repression, scarcity of food and medicine, and the biggest mass exodus the island has ever experienced. Film critic Alejandro Rios said, “Through impeccable filmmaking and powerful, original testimonies, ‘Cuba’s Eternal Night,’ by virtue of its craftsmanship and courage, belongs among the finest films that chronicle ‘Cuba’s long night,’ before the longed-for ‘dawn.’”

Thursday July 9, 2026 9:20am - 11:00am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:00am PDT

Operation Arnon; Hannah Puder, dir. 16 min.

Thursday July 9, 2026 11:00am - 11:30am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

On June 8, 2024, Israeli special forces from the Yamam counter-terrorism unit, Shin Bet, and the IDF launched a meticulously planned, high-risk operation to rescue four hostages kidnapped from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. The rescue unfolded in broad daylight with split-second timing: simultaneous raids on two locations, intense firefights, a vehicle extraction under heavy fire, and aerial support. The mission succeeded against overwhelming odds, but not without profound sacrifice. Through gripping firsthand accounts from rescuers, freed hostages, families, and military personnel, “Operation Arnon” reveals the extraordinary planning, human cost, and unbreakable spirit behind one of the most audacious special operations of our time. It is a story of hope enduring in darkness, where ordinary heroes risk everything so others might live.

Speakers

Thomas Pack

Program Director, Palladium Pictures

Thomas Pack is an Associate Producer and the Director of the Film Incubator Program at Palladium Pictures, his family independent documentary film business. As an Associate Producer, Thomas’ most recent credits are for Get the Jew: The Crown Heights Riot Revisited, and The Prime... Read More →

Thursday July 9, 2026 11:00am - 11:30am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:30am PDT

American Dream; Houra Kian, dir. 13 min. (Iran)

Thursday July 9, 2026 11:30am - 11:45am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

On her birthday, Lili must choose between love and emigration—leaving behind everything she knows in Iran to pursue the freedom her dreams demand. “American Dream” tells the story of Lili and Farhad, two young lovers navigating the weight of dreams, social limitations, and inevitable choices. This Persian homage to “La-La Land” is a cinematic reflection on the tension between love and the longing for freedom—between staying and leaving.

Thursday July 9, 2026 11:30am - 11:45am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:45am PDT

Fulfilling the Promise: Teachers, Students, and the Declaration of Independence; Lena Popilieva, dir. 50 min.

Thursday July 9, 2026 11:45am - 12:50pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“Fulfilling the Promise” is a timely portrait of civic education that asks a question at the heart of the American experiment: are we living up to our founding principles? Through four schools in Brooklyn, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Durango, Colorado; and Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the film shows how teachers and students bring the Declaration of Independence to life, discussing its principles through the framework of civil discourse. Not merely an appreciation of the history of the Declaration, this documentary explores how teachers and students play a vital role in keeping these principles alive and, as Dr. King noted in his “I have a Dream” speech, better fulfilling the promise of the Declaration as a promissory note for future generations.

Speakers

Corey DeAngelis

President, Educational Freedom Institute

Corey A. DeAngelis is the director of school choice at Reason Foundation. He is also an adjunct scholar at Cato Institute.DeAngelis’ research primarily focuses on the effects of school choice programs on non-academic outcomes such as criminal activity, character skills, mental health... Read More →

Thursday July 9, 2026 11:45am - 12:50pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

1:00pm PDT

The Power of Storytelling: Does the News Follow Art, or Does Art Follow the News?

Thursday July 9, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“Reagan” producer Mark Joseph, and Hollywood’s biographer Marc Eliot team up to present this lively discussion of the powerful symbiosis of art and public events.

Speakers

Marc Eliot

The Biographer of Power

Marc Eliot is a New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed biographer known for his deep dives into the lives of cultural icons, political leaders, and power players. Over a career spanning decades, he has written definitive biographies of figures ranging from Walt Disney and... Read More →

Mark Joseph

President, MJM Entertainment Group

Mark Joseph is a music and film producer, author and columnist. He's worked in development and marketing for Walden Media and Crusader Entertainment and oversaw a grassroots marketing team, as well as served as a producer on 15 films, including Max Rose starring Jerry Lewis, The Vessel... Read More →

Thursday July 9, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

2:00pm PDT

Scam Slave: From Hell to Home; Timothy Blackwood, dir. 22 min.

Thursday July 9, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“Scam Slave: From Hell to Home” follows Gideon Mwesezi, a young man from an impoverished village in Uganda who accepts a data-entry job in Thailand. The job promises $1,200 a month and the chance to support his family. But when Gideon arrives in Bangkok, he discovers the job was a lie. Instead, he is trafficked across the border into Myanmar and forced into a scam compound tied to the global “pig butchering” industry. There, workers scam victims through fake romance and investment schemes. Inside, Gideon discovers thousands of trafficked workers from dozens of countries held through violence, threats, and psychological coercion. As Gideon struggles to survive torture, imprisonment, and isolation, his story reveals that modern-day slavery is fueling one of the fastest-growing criminal economies on earth. Tens of thousands remain enslaved inside these scam compounds, fighting daily to survive in hopes that one day they can make it. African activist and entrepreneur Magatte Wade joins the Q&A.

Moderators

Jo Ann Skousen

Founding Director, Anthem Libertarian Film Festival

Mark Skousen attributes much of his success in life to his partnership with his wife, Jo Ann, whom he married in 1973. Currently associate editor of Forecasts & Strategies, she co-authored of several of his investment books, managed their home-based publishing business for several years, and is associate producer of FreedomFest. She is also the family travel manager, having decided three times that they should take advantage of sudden opportunities... Read More →

Speakers

Timothy Blackwood

Director producer, "Scam Slave: From Hell to Home" film

Timothy Blackwood is a 25-time award-winning filmmaker whose documentary and narrative films have screened at festivals around the world. His work shines a spotlight on real people whose stories might otherwise be overlooked, revealing individuals who confront adversity with courage... Read More →

Thomas Pack

Program Director, Palladium Pictures

Thomas Pack is an Associate Producer and the Director of the Film Incubator Program at Palladium Pictures, his family independent documentary film business. As an Associate Producer, Thomas’ most recent credits are for Get the Jew: The Crown Heights Riot Revisited, and The Prime... Read More →

Thursday July 9, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

3:00pm PDT

The Spirit of 1776: The Musical

Thursday July 9, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Live Musical Production. In 2010, FreedomFest superstars Steve Forbes, Mark Skousen, Gary Alexander, Dave Phillips and Jo Ann Skousen created the FreedomFest Follies, beginning with “The Spirit of 76.” Our “Founding Fathers” danced and sang about the birth of the Declaration of Independence, while Steve Forbes brought down the house ad libbing his part as George Washington. In honor of the 250th anniversary, we are reprising this production with the same cast and adding new music.

Moderators

Jo Ann Skousen

Founding Director, Anthem Libertarian Film Festival

Mark Skousen attributes much of his success in life to his partnership with his wife, Jo Ann, whom he married in 1973. Currently associate editor of Forecasts & Strategies, she co-authored of several of his investment books, managed their home-based publishing business for several years, and is associate producer of FreedomFest. She is also the family travel manager, having decided three times that they should take advantage of sudden opportunities... Read More →

Speakers

Lydia Abbott Drury

Lydia enjoys blending her passion for music, speaking, and entrepreneurship. As a bilingual singer and inspirational speaker, she has given concerts in more than twenty countries, with a special focus on underserved areas that often lack access to live musical performances. Lydia's... Read More →

Brian Drury

Brian is a native Kentuckian and is a University of Kentucky graduate. He resides in Indianapolis and is married to Lydia Abbott Drury.
Brian and Lydia do humanitarian work all over the world, as well as run a furniture business in Indianapolis called Lady Lydia Decor. Brian also manages his wife’s singing career... Read More →

Mark Skousen

America's Economist, FreedomFest

Mark Skousen is an economist, investor, and educator known for bridging academic theory and real-world markets. He is the founder and producer of FreedomFest and has spent decades advancing the case for free markets, entrepreneurship, and sound money.

A former professor at Columbia Business School and current professor at Chapman University, Skousen has authored more than 25 books on economics, history, and liberty. His latest book, The Greatest American: Benjamin Franklin — The Most Versatile Mind of His Era, reframes Franklin... Read More →

Gary Alexander

The Financial Journalist

Gary Alexander has served as Senior Writer at Navellier & Associates since 2009, editing the weekly Marketmail and writing the Growth Mail column focused on market history and growth investing. With more than four decades in financial journalism and investment publishing, he previously... Read More →

Steve Forbes

The Capitalist’s Capitalist

Steve Forbes is Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes and one of the most prominent champions of free markets, sound money, and entrepreneurial capitalism today. Under his leadership, Forbes has expanded into a global media brand while continuing to shape national conversation on... Read More →

David T. Phillips

CEO and founder Estate Planning Specialists, LLC

Thursday July 9, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

8:00pm PDT

Reagan, director's cut; Sean McNamara, dir., Mark Joseph, prod. 152 min.

Thursday July 9, 2026 8:00pm - 11:00pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Dennis Quaid and Jon Voight both addressed our FreedomFest audience during the making of "Reagan." You saw this thrilling tale of Reagan's rise to the presidency in theaters two years ago; now we're bringing you the premiere of the brand new director's cut with Q&A by producer Mark Joseph.

Speakers

Mark Joseph

President, MJM Entertainment Group

Mark Joseph is a music and film producer, author and columnist. He's worked in development and marketing for Walden Media and Crusader Entertainment and oversaw a grassroots marketing team, as well as served as a producer on 15 films, including Max Rose starring Jerry Lewis, The Vessel... Read More →

Thursday July 9, 2026 8:00pm - 11:00pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

8:30am PDT

Flashpoint; Van Spaulding, dir. 29 min.

Friday July 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:20am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“Flashpoint” takes an unflinching look into the challenges professors and students face in navigating ideological divides, administrative pressures, and the shifting boundaries of what can and can’t be said in academic spaces. The film’s relevance is underscored by the tragic shooting of controversial speaker Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University and other highly charged events that are increasing on campuses nationwide. “Flashpoint” examines these events within a broader conversation about academic freedom, political polarization, and the fragile state of civil discourse in higher education. “We began filming before some of the most shocking recent events took place,” said one of the film’s producers. “But what’s happened in the last few months has only reinforced how urgent this conversation really is.”

Friday July 10, 2026 8:30am - 9:20am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

9:25am PDT

Watergate Secrets and Betrayals; George Bugatti, dir. 70 min.

Friday July 10, 2026 9:25am - 9:40am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

This docudrama, built from newly uncovered archival evidence, reveals how the Watergate prosecutions were shaped by secret meetings, suppressed memos, and a pattern of government overreach that shattered the rule of law. More than 50 years after the resignation of President Richard Nixon, ”Watergate Secrets and Betrayals” unveils the hidden, secret documents behind America’s most infamous political scandal.Narrated by actor John O’Hurley and based on the groundbreaking research of former White House lawyer Geoff Shepard, this documentary is set to change everything we were told about Watergate. Irrefutable evidence is presented, connecting the dots between the three branches of government and the scandal that shattered Nixon’s landslide re-election, forced his resignation, and led to the downfall of at least twenty members of his administration.

Moderators

Gary Alexander

The Financial Journalist

Gary Alexander has served as Senior Writer at Navellier & Associates since 2009, editing the weekly Marketmail and writing the Growth Mail column focused on market history and growth investing. With more than four decades in financial journalism and investment publishing, he previously... Read More →

Speakers

George Bugatti

Andrew Hartman

The Historian of America’s Culture Wars

Andrew Hartman is Distinguished Professor of History at Illinois State University, a two-time Fulbright Distinguished Fellow, and founding president of the Society for U.S. Intellectual History. A leading scholar of modern American political and cultural conflict, his work traces... Read More →

Geoff Shepard

Author, "Watergate Secrets and Betrayals" film

Friday July 10, 2026 9:25am - 9:40am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:20am PDT

The Storyteller's Role; Nicole Yeatman, dir. 8 min.

Friday July 10, 2026 11:20am - 11:40am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“The Storyteller’s Role” is a compelling documentary about the fight for free expression against state-mandated censorship. Actor Annette Hubbell created a one-woman show celebrating historical figures, asserting that individual merit and the human spirit transcend collective racial identities. However, the government-run San Diego County Library canceled her performance, dictating that Annette—a white woman—was forbidden from portraying Black heroes. Rejecting the state’s attempt to police art through arbitrary racial classifications, Annette takes the bureaucracy to court to defend her fundamental right to free speech. Facing a terminal cancer diagnosis, her battle becomes an urgent defense of individual liberty. Produced by Pacific Legal Foundation, the film showcases a courageous artist standing up to institutional overreach, proving that the government has absolutely no authority to dictate which stories we can tell or who is allowed to tell them.

Friday July 10, 2026 11:20am - 11:40am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:45am PDT

Defending Debate; Tim Silfies, dir., John Papola, prod. 57 min.

Friday July 10, 2026 11:45am - 1:00pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Freedom of speech and open debate are under assault in America–from both the left and the right. But there is reason to hope for the future. “Defending Debate” follows an upstart high school debate league, where the best of the best converge for a national tournament where no topic or stance is off limits, no matter how controversial. If America is to have a future that resembles our idealistic roots, a new generation needs to be infused with a non-negotiable commitment to free expression. These kids are the worst nightmare of any would-be tyrants seeking to control what the country can say or think.

Speakers

Lisa Kennedy

The Punk Rock Libertarian

Kennedy is an American political commentator, broadcaster, and author known for her irreverent voice and independent perspective. She first gained fame as an MTV VJ in the 1990s before transitioning into political media. She later hosted the nightly show Kennedy on Fox Business Network... Read More →

Tim Silfies

Head of Programming & Content Development, Emergent Order Foundation

Tim is currently the Head of Programming and Content Development at Emergent Order Foundation. He provides creative direction on all of EO’s original films and series and is the director of Defending Debate. Previously, he spent over a decade navigating the Wild West of cable news... Read More →

Friday July 10, 2026 11:45am - 1:00pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

1:00pm PDT

An Inconvenient Study; Kris Armstrong, dir. 82 min.

Friday July 10, 2026 1:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

In 2016, Emmy Award winning journalist Del Bigtree issued a challenge to the head of infectious disease at one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world: conduct the most thorough vaccinated vs. unvaccinated study that has ever been done. The expert took up the challenge and ran the study to prove Del wrong. That study never saw the light of day… until Del confronted the researcher with hidden cameras rolling. “An Inconvenient Study” is the result.

Speakers

Jenn Sherry Parry

Executive Producer, The HighWire

Jenn Sherry Parry is an Emmy Award-winning Executive Producer and DGA Director with over two decades in network television. Beginning her career at E! Entertainment Television, she went on to produce live events, documentaries, and major network programs, spending a decade at CBS's... Read More →

Kris Armstrong

Director/Producer, "An Inconvenient Study" film

Kris Armstrong is an Emmy-nominated director whose work moves between worlds — from the polished stages of network television to the raw edges of documentary storytelling. With 20 years behind the camera, he’s built a body of work defined by striking visuals, emotional precision... Read More →

Del Bigtree

The Relentless Dissenter, ICAN & HighWire

Del Bigtree is one of the preeminent voices of the MAHA Movement. He’s the founder and CEO of the non-profit, Informed Consent Action Network (ICAN), host of the internet talk show TheHighWire.com, Director of Communications for Robert Kennedy Jr’s 2024 presidential campaign, a f... Read More →

Friday July 10, 2026 1:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

3:00pm PDT

The Essential Thomas Sowell, starring Clifton Duncan

Friday July 10, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Broadway actor Clifton Duncan brings Thomas Sowell’s career to life in this one-man show,i n this work-in-progress one man show!

Speakers

Clifton Duncan

The Independent Artist

Clifton Duncan is an actor, writer, and cultural commentator who has become a leading voice for artistic independence and free expression. A classically trained stage performer, he built his early career in prestigious theater institutions before stepping away from the traditional... Read More →

Friday July 10, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

4:00pm PDT

If You Can Make It Here; Jaclyn Boudreau, dir. 60 min.

Friday July 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:15pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Kingsley, Kevin, and Hailey are ambitious eighth graders relying on individual agency and hard work to forge their futures. They are preparing for the rigorous entrance exam to New York City’s Specialized High Schools, hoping to secure admission through objective, hard-won merit. However, as they await their results, their personal achievements are threatened by the heavy hand of state bureaucracy. A fierce political battle is raging as city officials attempt to mandate demographic outcomes from the top down, prioritizing engineered equity over individual excellence. “If You Can Make It Here” places these young minds at the center of a high-stakes conflict, highlighting the tension between a student’s right to be judged solely by their own abilities and a state apparatus determined to control who gets to succeed.

Speakers

Corey DeAngelis

President, Educational Freedom Institute

Corey A. DeAngelis is the director of school choice at Reason Foundation. He is also an adjunct scholar at Cato Institute.DeAngelis’ research primarily focuses on the effects of school choice programs on non-academic outcomes such as criminal activity, character skills, mental health... Read More →

Joseph Kast

Director, “If You Can Make It Here” film

Joseph Kast is a writer and producer for Pacific Legal Foundation, where he focuses on documentaries, video essays and narrative shorts. He also acts as an internal story consultant, working with the publications team to write stories with dimensional characters and plot. His films... Read More →

Friday July 10, 2026 4:00pm - 5:15pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

8:00pm PDT

Escaping Venezuela; Jim Epstein, dir. 74 min.

Friday July 10, 2026 8:00pm - 10:00pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Powerful, informative chronicle of the destructive rise of communist socialism in Venezuela through dictators Chavez and Maduro, and the courageous freedom fighters who tried to thwart them. The story is told intimately through the experiences of one family.

Speakers

Germania Rodríguez Poleo

Journalist, "Escaping Venezuela" film

Germania Rodríguez Poleo is a Venezuelan-American journalist and commentator.

Jim Epstein

Executive Editor, Reason Foundation

Jim Epstein is the executive editor of Reason magazine.

Exhibitors

Reason

322

Founded in 1968, Reason is the nation's leading libertarian magazine. We produce hard-hitting independent journalism on civil liberties, politics, technology, culture, policy, and commerce. As the magazine of free minds and free markets, Reason exists outside of the left/right echo... Read More →

Friday July 10, 2026 8:00pm - 10:00pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

8:30am PDT

China's Stealth Invasion; Tobias Elvhage, dir. 70 min.

Saturday July 11, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“China’s Stealth Invasion” is an investigative documentary exploring how influence operations, economic leverage, technology dependence, and information warfare may be reshaping America from within. Through interviews with national security experts, journalists, and former insiders, the film traces the intellectual roots of China’s modern strategy and examines how political, technological, and media ecosystems can become arenas of quiet competition. As the lines between war and peace blur, the film asks a pressing question: Are we witnessing a new kind of conflict—one fought not with bombs, but with influence?

Moderators

Gary Alexander

The Financial Journalist

Gary Alexander has served as Senior Writer at Navellier & Associates since 2009, editing the weekly Marketmail and writing the Growth Mail column focused on market history and growth investing. With more than four decades in financial journalism and investment publishing, he previously... Read More →

Speakers

Li Schoolland

Voice for Truth and Freedom

Li Schoolland is an author, speaker, and tireless advocate for liberty, whose life story embodies the devastating cost of tyranny—and the enduring power of the human spirit. Born and raised in Maoist China, Li survived the horrors of the Cultural Revolution, including forced labor... Read More →

Tobias Elvhage

Director, "China's Stealth Invasion" film

Tobias Elvhage is an award-winning producer and director with nearly 20 years of experience in the film and television industry. His latest docudrama has received nine awards, including Best POV Documentary at the Manhattan Film Festival 2023, recognized for its compelling storytelling... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

10:30am PDT

Frame; Farshad Sharifi, dir. 7 min. (Iran)

Saturday July 11, 2026 10:30am - 10:50am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

In a hospital room, a child witnesses Mahsa Amini’s death after a fatal beating, and helps a fleeing photographer smuggle out the photo that spark the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolution. (Iran)

Speakers

Rayan Farzad

Writer & Director, "Crimson" film

Rayan Farzad is an award-winning Iranian-American writer and director based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory, he was the only director in his class selected to direct two thesis films with a combined budget exceeding $120,000. His work explores... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 10:30am - 10:50am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

10:50am PDT

Little Soldier; Roxana Karami, dir. 13 min. (Iran)

Saturday July 11, 2026 10:50am - 11:10am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

A mother runs away from ISIS with her newborn son as bombs explode and soldiers search for them. She finds a hidden shelter where other women are hiding. The baby is crying as ISIS is getting closer, putting everyone in danger. What will she do?

Speakers

Rayan Farzad

Writer & Director, "Crimson" film

Rayan Farzad is an award-winning Iranian-American writer and director based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory, he was the only director in his class selected to direct two thesis films with a combined budget exceeding $120,000. His work explores... Read More →

Farshad Sharifi

Director, “ Frame” film

I’m Farshad Sharifi. The director of short film “ Frame”. I was born and raised in Iran and loved watching films since the young age. After getting my bachelor in engineering, I followed my dreams and got my masters degree in TV production. I was inspired by the women life freedom... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 10:50am - 11:10am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:10am PDT

NO-W-AR; Giulio Giorgetti, dir. 4 min. (Italy)

Saturday July 11, 2026 11:10am - 11:15am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

“NO-W-AR” is a short visual work that explores the universal human consequences of war through symbolic imagery and minimalist visual language. Free from references to specific conflicts, nations, or historical periods, the film presents war as a timeless human tragedy that transcends politics, ideology, and geography. Through silence, stark contrasts, and abstract representation, “NO-W-AR” reflects on destruction, fear, isolation, and the loss of individual freedom caused by violence and authoritarian power. The absence of dialogue allows the viewer to project personal emotions and interpretations onto the experience, transforming the film into a universal meditation on human suffering and the desire for peace. Rather than promoting a political position, “NO-W-AR” invites audiences to reflect on the value of life, liberty, and human dignity in the face of conflict.

Saturday July 11, 2026 11:10am - 11:15am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:15am PDT

Panel: The Prospect for Freedom in Iran

Saturday July 11, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Since 2018, the Anthem Film Festival has presented Iranian films that highlight the intense desire for freedom, choice, and civil rights in Iran. Grover Norquist and Nafisa Pierce join Persian filmmakers Farshad Sharifi and Rayan Farzad to give an insider’s view to the current conflict in Iran and the ongoing hunger for peace.

Moderators

Jo Ann Skousen

Founding Director, Anthem Libertarian Film Festival

Mark Skousen attributes much of his success in life to his partnership with his wife, Jo Ann, whom he married in 1973. Currently associate editor of Forecasts & Strategies, she co-authored of several of his investment books, managed their home-based publishing business for several years, and is associate producer of FreedomFest. She is also the family travel manager, having decided three times that they should take advantage of sudden opportunities... Read More →

Speakers

Rayan Farzad

Writer & Director, "Crimson" film

Rayan Farzad is an award-winning Iranian-American writer and director based in Los Angeles. A graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory, he was the only director in his class selected to direct two thesis films with a combined budget exceeding $120,000. His work explores... Read More →

Nafisa Pierce

The Movement Builder

Nafisa Pierce is the Regional President of LOLA USA, where she leads national growth, leadership development, and strategic engagement across the United States. She is also a Ph.D. student in International Crime and Justice at Florida International University, with a Master’s in... Read More →

Farshad Sharifi

Director, “ Frame” film

I’m Farshad Sharifi. The director of short film “ Frame”. I was born and raised in Iran and loved watching films since the young age. After getting my bachelor in engineering, I followed my dreams and got my masters degree in TV production. I was inspired by the women life freedom... Read More →

Saturday July 11, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

11:45am PDT

Crimson; Rayan Farzad, dir. 18 min. (Iran)

Saturday July 11, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

In an immigration office, a young man tries to attract the attention of the female clerk. The young man comes from a religious family and the young woman has no religious beliefs. He is in love with her, but their cultural conflict prevents their love from lasting.

Saturday July 11, 2026 11:45am - 12:15pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

12:15pm PDT

The Newlyweds; Hau Nguyen, dir. 6 min.

Saturday July 11, 2026 12:15pm - 12:30pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Octogenarians Carol and Gerry both lost their spouses after long, fulfilled marriages to their soul mates. Most people their age might be satisfied with a life well-lived. Not Carol and Gerry, two people who embody the can-do, never stop living spirit that is so quintessentially American. The two meet in the most unlikely, yet most expected of ways, and find true love for a second time, proving that romance can bloom at any age — and that the American Dream still lives.

Saturday July 11, 2026 12:15pm - 12:30pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

12:30pm PDT

Attractor; Alexey Nemov, dir. 59 min. (Russia)

Saturday July 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

As a result of a childhood accident, Dmitry Kalinin lost part of his left arm. However, the injury that caused this loss gave him incredible vitality and allowed him to reach a new level of understanding about human goals and purpose. Through entrepreneurship, collaboration, and venture capitalism, Dimitry brought to life the boldest ideas and dreams of young engineers, inventors, and craftsmen — in Russia. This delightfully quirky motivational film is about perseverance, overcoming obstacles, success, and creating your own significant business.

Saturday July 11, 2026 12:30pm - 1:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

2:00pm PDT

Panel: The Power of Curiosity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship

Saturday July 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Alexander McCobin leads the discussion with Patrick Byrne, Chad Thevenot, and the directors of “The Art of Inflation” and “Skyward: The Sport Rocketry Revolution.”

Moderators

Alexander McCobin

Founder & GP, Liberty Ventures

Alexander McCobin is the founder and General Partner of Liberty Ventures, a venture capital firm based on the thesis that the greatest companies are founded by leaders committed to the principles of capitalism and liberty. That includes supporting early stage startups, backing late-stage... Read More →

Speakers

Patrick Byrne

Entrepreneurial Disruptor

Patrick M. Byrne stands out as a prominent figure in the corporate business world, renowned for his entrepreneurial spirit and innovative leadership. As the founder and former CEO of Overstock.com, Byrne's career has been marked by groundbreaking achievements and forward-thinking... Read More →

Tim Hedberg

Founder, Motivo Media

Tim Hedberg is a bilingual filmmaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Motivo Media, a production company dedicated to storytelling that advances freedom, innovation, and human dignity. Raised in Caracas and based in Seattle, he creates documentaries, narrative films, branded content... Read More →

Lana Link

Senior Vice President, Moving Picture Institute

Lana Link is a Producers Guild of America member and senior vice president of the Moving Picture Institute, where she acquires, develops, and produces MPI Original films while leading filmmaker training and masterclasses. Her producing credits include Pinball: The Man Who Saved t... Read More →

Ricky Marton

Head of Americas for Startups, HubSpot

Ricky Marton is a tech-savvy operator and strategist who specializes in turning early-stage chaos into scalable systems. Most recently, he served as President and Chief of Staff at Open Access Ventures (OAV), where he built the operating systems and playbooks that drove growth across... Read More →

Exhibitors

Principled Business

704

An ecosystem of purpose-driven investors & entrepreneurs aligned on advancing a free and prosperous future.

Saturday July 11, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

3:00pm PDT

The Art of Inflation; Brett Wietecha, dir. 24 min.

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

In 2018, Venezuela’s inflation skyrocketed to over 1,000,000%, driving more than seven million Venezuelans to flee the country as refugees. Amid Venezuela’s economic collapse, two brothers struggle for survival on a militia-operated coca farm. With their lives on the line, the younger brother gambles on a last-ditch effort to rescue themselves and bring the girl he has fallen for.

Saturday July 11, 2026 3:00pm - 3:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

4:00pm PDT

Skyward: The Sport Rocketry Revolution; Matthew Middendorf, dir. 15 min.

Saturday July 11, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

As the world looks toward a new era of space exploration, model rocketry continues to inspire the people who build, launch, and compete with rockets at every scale. Skyward: The Sport Rocketry Revolution follows Tim Van Milligan, a longtime rocketry educator and founder of Apogee Components, and his daughter Ashley Van Milligan as they prepare for the World Spacemodeling Championships. Their journey moves from workshops and practice launches in the United States to the international competition fields of Serbia, where small design choices can separate a successful flight from disqualification. The film explores model rocketry as both a competitive sport and a doorway into science, engineering, and community. Through Tim and Ashley’s story, Skyward examines the discipline required to represent Team USA, the family bonds formed around the launch field, and the regulatory and logistical challenges shaping the future of the hobby. Rather than treating rocketry as a niche pastime, the documentary presents it as a global culture of builders, competitors, mentors, and students who see the sky as a place of possibility and innovation.

Saturday July 11, 2026 4:00pm - 4:45pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival

5:00pm PDT

Anthem Champagne Toast & Awards

Saturday July 11, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT

Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Saturday July 11, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Anthem Film Festival Room 110-112

Anthem Arts Festival