Yesterday I was privileged to watch the new documentary film How to Start a Revolution. It’s an exploration of the ideas and real-world implementation of Gene Sharp’s thoughts on non-violent resistance contained in the book From Dictatorship to Democracy.

If that sounds dryly academic, it’s not. The film is fascinating and deeply moving—a wonderful antidote to the shallow, toxic reporting on world events that makes up so much of cable news.

Who is Gene Sharp? I confess I never heard of him before watching this film, but I’ll remember him now. He’s a quiet scholar who’s spent many years thinking and writing on effective, non-violent means to political reform.

If you have a chance to see How to Start a Revolution, please go. I think the DVD is due to be released before long.