Film: Red Poet: The Story of Jack Hirschman

A film screening and Q & A with director Matthew Furey, introduction by Francis Furey, producer.

Matthew Furey's Red Poet paints a soulful picture of San Francisco's own Jack Hirschman and brings to the silver screen the singular life of this troubadour for modern times. A modest Bronx childhood first gives way to a shooting star career in academia. Controversial teaching stints at Dartmouth and UCLA make him anathema to the academy; he is fired for his opposition to the Vietnam War. Soon Hirschman finds himself penniless and homeless on the streets of San Francisco. Through it all, Hirschman perseveres, continues to write his poems and publish over 100 books of poetry. Red Poet recounts a tale of a life lived on its own terms: against all odds, a unique poetic talent finds personal redemption through his art and his poetry. 

Director Matthew Furey grew up around Jack Hirschman, who was a close friend of and politically active with his father Francis Furey in radical left wing politics of the 1980’s. The two had the same birthdays so the stars were aligned for Red Poet to come to fruition, to tell the tale of one of San Francisco’s great literary giants. Furey is also a San Francisco Unified School District teacher of History.