ABOUT THE PROJECT
LOGLINE
After a mass shooter took over twenty lives at an El Paso Walmart in 2019, one employee led a revolution from within the company, one which changed the gun conversation forever.
SYNOPSIS
After years of mass shootings and gun violence, 2019 saw a tipping point in the gun conversation when a mass shooter killed 23 at an El Paso Walmart, within days of the Gilroy and Dayton mass killings.
Despite calls for company policy changes, Walmart’s only corporate action was to remove violent video game displays from stores.
One employee stood up when others feared retaliation in doing so. Thomas Marshall emailed Walmart’s entire corporate structure calling for a “sick out” protest accompanied by a walkout, one which would grip national headlines.
When the dust settled, the results were substantial: Walmart influenced more reforms than the country had seen in decades. The conversation around politics would never be the same.
WALKOUT is a feature-length documentary produced by Rob Smat (The Last Whistle). Whether you’ve seen the film or not, the filmmakers have self-funded the entire project and continue to appreciate generous donations from fans and supporters alike.
“Smat was drawn to the complexity of the story that touched many lives and had a major impact on politics, culture, and Texas.”
Marcheta Fornoff, FWR
“[A] true story of activism that changed the United States forever.”
Chad Matthews, LSFF
PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature
DIRECTOR Rob Smat
SCREENWRITER Rob Smat
PRODUCER Kyle Hrabe
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JW Wilson
WEBSITE smatfilms.com/walkout
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