Documentary WALKOUT forefronts Bay Area activism following El Paso mass shooting

Rob Smat’s debut documentary recounts the aftermath of the 2019 tragedy, demonstrating how protests from within Walmart led to national gun reform.

(SAN BRUNO / EL PASO) – August 3rd, 2024 marked five years since the El Paso mass shooting, one of the ten deadliest such events in modern U.S. history, and an event which led to the largest gun reforms that had been seen in a generation. Award-winning writer and director Rob Smat’s documentary debut WALKOUT is now available on digital platforms, detailing the Walmart employee protests that erupted in the wake of the tragedy.

Thomas Marshall, the employee who made national headlines with his email to tens of thousands at Walmart, will officially break his silence in the film. Walmart e-commerce’s San Bruno office featured the largest of the company’s walkouts. Additionally, workers at YouTube’s headquarters across the street joined the event in solidarity, having been victimized by gun violence in the year prior.

WALKOUT also features expert interviews with San Francisco attorney Jahan Sagafi of Outten & Golden. Mr. Sagafi recently made his documentary feature debut in Netflix’s WHITE HOT, in which he successfully asserted claims on behalf of Abercrombie & Fitch employees.  

A companion commentary podcast series will be released on all platforms in tandem with the film, interviewing those involved in production and related academic fields. The film has also been featured twice as a part of Columbia University’s MFA program in business ethics.

The documentary features re-enactment performances by actors Jasmine Aivaliotis, Bobby Curelli, Krystin Baggett, Gene Arroyo, and Bradley Duane Phillips. It’s been awarded Best Documentary by the Chandler Film Festival and Best Editing by the Silver State Film Festival.

WALKOUT is available for rental or purchase on Amazon, Google Play, and Apple/iTunes.