Spirit of Independence Film Festival presents Pump Up The Volume

In the late 20th Century, a shy high school student in suburban Arizona finds his voice through a pirate radio station, broadcasting anonymously from his bedroom under the rebellious alter-ego “Hard Harry.”

But his underground broadcasts - filled with angst, sharp wit, and uncensored truths - begin to stir up more than just teenage hearts. As his popularity grows, so does the scrutiny from school officials, local authorities, and a community unprepared for revolution over the airwaves. When his broadcasts start waking people up - and tragedy strikes - Harry goes from cult hero to public enemy. The school wants silence. The system wants control. And Harry has to burn it all down.

The rarely-screened 1990 cult classic Pump Up the Volume, directed by Allan Moyle (Empire Records), stars Christian Slater at his most charismatic and features a killer soundtrack including Leonard Cohen, Bad Brains, the Pixies, and Sonic Youth. A defiant coming-of-age story powered by the raw energy of pirate radio, teen rebellion, and the fight to be heard. This isn’t nostalgia; it’s a revolution with a mixtape.

This screening is presented by the Spirit of Independence Film Festival.