
A former Marine and a public school teacher in two different states find themselves broke and unable to sustain their livelihoods through their jobs. Activated by the energy of the 2016 Sanders presidential campaign and the murmurs of a state-wide teacher strike, both turn to socialism, a once-fringe ideology, to tackle problems larger than themselves.
THE BIG SCARY “S” WORD delves into the rich history of the American socialist movement and journeys with the people striving to build a socialist future today.
With inequality growing, a climate catastrophe looming, and right-wing extremism ascending around the world, many Americans are wondering whether capitalism is to blame.
But what is the alternative? Socialism is plagued by conflicting definitions. Is it dictatorship or democracy? Norway or Venezuela? Reform or revolution?
This film explores where American socialism has been, why it was suppressed, and imagines what a renewed American socialism might look like.
- Year2021
- Runtime82 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- RatingNR
- DirectorYael Bridge
- ProducerYael Bridge, Morgan Spector, Eden Wurmfeld
- Co-ProducerChristie Herring, Sasha Leitmann
- CastAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, Cornel West, Naomi Klein, Richard Wolff
- CinematographerEric Phillips-Horst
- EditorChristie Herring
- AnimatorAriel Martian
- ComposerOsei Essed
- Sound DesignMatthew Strasser
- MusicGiosuè Greco

A former Marine and a public school teacher in two different states find themselves broke and unable to sustain their livelihoods through their jobs. Activated by the energy of the 2016 Sanders presidential campaign and the murmurs of a state-wide teacher strike, both turn to socialism, a once-fringe ideology, to tackle problems larger than themselves.
THE BIG SCARY “S” WORD delves into the rich history of the American socialist movement and journeys with the people striving to build a socialist future today.
With inequality growing, a climate catastrophe looming, and right-wing extremism ascending around the world, many Americans are wondering whether capitalism is to blame.
But what is the alternative? Socialism is plagued by conflicting definitions. Is it dictatorship or democracy? Norway or Venezuela? Reform or revolution?
This film explores where American socialism has been, why it was suppressed, and imagines what a renewed American socialism might look like.
- Year2021
- Runtime82 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- RatingNR
- DirectorYael Bridge
- ProducerYael Bridge, Morgan Spector, Eden Wurmfeld
- Co-ProducerChristie Herring, Sasha Leitmann
- CastAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Bernie Sanders, Cornel West, Naomi Klein, Richard Wolff
- CinematographerEric Phillips-Horst
- EditorChristie Herring
- AnimatorAriel Martian
- ComposerOsei Essed
- Sound DesignMatthew Strasser
- MusicGiosuè Greco