{"id":14993,"date":"2026-04-12T01:00:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T08:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/?p=14993"},"modified":"2026-03-27T11:43:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T18:43:17","slug":"steal-this-story-please","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/2026\/steal-this-story-please\/","title":{"rendered":"Steal This Story, Please! * Thought-Provoking Documentary Centered On The Lengthy Career Of Acclaimed Journalist And Founder Of Democracy Now!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-14999\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stealthisstory.poster.jpg?resize=122%2C180&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"122\" height=\"180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stealthisstory.poster.jpg?resize=203%2C300&amp;ssl=1 203w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stealthisstory.poster.jpg?w=694&amp;ssl=1 694w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 122px) 100vw, 122px\" \/>Undeterred by armed soldiers, evasive politicians, and riot police, journalist Amy Goodman has reported some of the most consequential\u00a0stories\u00a0of our time.\u00a0Steal This Story, Please! is a gripping portrait of the trailblazer whose unwavering commitment to truth-telling spans three decades of turbulent history. From the frontlines of global conflicts to the organized chaos of her daily news show Democracy Now! Goodman broadcasts\u00a0stories\u00a0and voices routinely silenced by commercial media.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Ilana O. comments, \u201cSteal This Story, Please! is a thought-provoking documentary centered on the lengthy career of acclaimed journalist and founder of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman. Directors Tia Lessen and Carl Deal masterfully capture the impact of Goodman\u2019s career throughout the shifting political climates spanning multiple decades\u2026 The film urges viewers to understand the significance of independent journalism amidst the struggle to uphold integrity.\u201d See her full review below.<\/p>\n<p>Steal This Story, Please!<br \/>\nBy Ilana O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 18<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q3XcAJ_e4YI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15000 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stealthisstory.a.jpg?resize=227%2C167&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"227\" height=\"167\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stealthisstory.a.jpg?resize=300%2C221&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stealthisstory.a.jpg?resize=768%2C566&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/stealthisstory.a.jpg?w=1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 227px) 100vw, 227px\" \/>Steal This Story, Please! <\/em>is a thought-provoking documentary centered on the lengthy career of acclaimed journalist and founder of <em>Democracy Now!<\/em>, Amy Goodman. Directors Tia Lessen and Carl Deal masterfully capture the impact of Goodman\u2019s career throughout the shifting political climates spanning multiple decades. The documentary is easy-to-follow, features high-quality visuals, interviews and clips from her work which embody the challenges of being an investigative journalist.<\/p>\n<p>The documentary displays Amy Goodman\u2019s fearless qualities, detailing earlier works, such as the freeing of former prisoner, Mooreese Bickham and her news coverage on Indonesia\u2019s occupation in East Timor.<\/p>\n<p><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-14996 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.East-Timor-Amy-Alan-attack-aftermath-ALT.jpg?resize=159%2C239&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"159\" height=\"239\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.East-Timor-Amy-Alan-attack-aftermath-ALT.jpg?resize=200%2C300&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.East-Timor-Amy-Alan-attack-aftermath-ALT.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 683w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.East-Timor-Amy-Alan-attack-aftermath-ALT.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.East-Timor-Amy-Alan-attack-aftermath-ALT.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 159px) 100vw, 159px\" \/>Having faced arrests at protests, dangerous situations in foreign countries and mixed public sentiments about her work, she remains unwavering. Ultimately, this shapes the momentum of her career, inspiring her to start <em>Democracy Now!<\/em> which is famed for giving a voice to the voiceless while combating under coverage bias in the media. The show features guests like activist Ken Sara Wewa and prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal. In recent years, she continues to make an unapologetic approach to journalism while remaining consistent with her mission of promoting freedom of the press.<\/p>\n<p>The main guests in the documentary are Amy Goodman, joined by colleagues, Jeremy Scahill, Juan Gonzalez and Sharif Abdel Koudouss. Filmmakers Tia Lessen and Carl Deal, create a coherent documentary, setting the tone for the kind of journalism that Goodman engages in. From the get-go, they make it clear that Goodman is not afraid to ask the hard questions regarding pressing issues, by showing clips of her confronting politicians, soldiers and police. This creates a raw tension, allowing the audience to feel immersed in these high-stakes situations.<\/p>\n<p>The use of high-quality archival footage and interview clips are seamlessly woven into the film, adding to its intensity. For example, her heated phone call with former president Bill Clinton, criticism of Shell Oil\u2019s exploitation of Oogoni land and inclusion of prison commentaries on her show portray her as one who is not afraid to push the envelope.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_14995\" style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14995\" class=\" wp-image-14995\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.AG-Portrait.jpg?resize=240%2C159&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"240\" height=\"159\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.AG-Portrait.jpg?resize=300%2C199&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/sts.AG-Portrait.jpg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-14995\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: Wolfgang Schmidt Germany Goodman, Amy, USA<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In addition, the film explores her Jewish roots and Goodman\u2019s father who impressed upon her the significance of social justice. However, this could be expanded upon in more detail. The pacing is moderate, and is easier to digest as it moves from one major event to the other. More so, the commentary of her and her colleagues feels balanced, although it falls short of other outside perspectives.<\/p>\n<p>The film urges viewers to understand the significance of independent journalism amidst the struggle to uphold integrity.<\/p>\n<p>I give <em>Steal This Story, Please! <\/em>3.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, plus adults. <em>Steal This Story, Please! <\/em>Opens exclusively at Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles on April 17, 2026 with a national rollout to follow.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/oeg6j97XERk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Undeterred by armed soldiers, evasive politicians, and riot police, journalist Amy Goodman has reported some of the most consequential stories of our time. Steal This Story, Please! is a gripping portrait of the trailblazer whose unwavering commitment to truth-telling spans three decades of turbulent history. From the frontlines of global conflicts to the organized chaos of her daily news show Democracy Now! Goodman broadcasts stories and voices routinely silenced by commercial media.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Ilana O. comments, \u201cSteal This Story, Please! is a thought-provoking documentary centered on the lengthy career of acclaimed journalist and founder of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman. Directors Tia Lessen and Carl Deal masterfully capture the impact of Goodman\u2019s career throughout the shifting political climates spanning multiple decades\u2026 The film urges viewers to understand the significance of independent journalism amidst the struggle to uphold integrity.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4949,15],"tags":[10265,10281,10269,10277,10267,10278,10275,10271,10272,10266,7283,10276,10273,6778,1852,10263,10264,10280,10279,10268,10270,10274],"class_list":["post-14993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-feature-film","category-feature-film-reviews","tag-amy-goodman","tag-award-winning-documentary","tag-carl-deal","tag-democracy-in-action","tag-democracy-now","tag-doc-nyc-2025","tag-grassroots-movements","tag-independent-journalism","tag-investigative-reporting","tag-juan-gonzalez","tag-media-literacy","tag-political-documentary","tag-press-freedom","tag-rosario-dawson","tag-social-justice","tag-steal-this-story-please","tag-steal-this-story-please-documentary","tag-sundance-filmmakers","tag-telluride-film-festival","tag-tia-lessin","tag-tom-morello","tag-truth-in-media"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paS5I2-3TP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14993"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15006,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14993\/revisions\/15006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/kidsfirstnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}