How Democracy Works Now
Encyclopedia
How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories is a 12-part documentary film series that examines the American political system through the lens of immigration reform
from 2001–2007. The films were directed and produced by award-winning filmmaking team Shari Robertson
and Michael Camerini
.
How Democracy Works Now premiered on HBO with the broadcast debut of The Senators' Bargain on March 24, 2010. A directors' cut of The Senators' Bargain was featured in the 2010 Human Rights Watch Film Festival at Lincoln Center
, with the theatrical title Last Best Chance. The second story in the 12-part series, Mountains and Clouds, opened the festival in the same year. The films are touring the United States as part of the Human Rights Watch traveling film festival, and have been exhibited in special events at Columbia University
, the Five College Consortium, Georgia College and State University, CUNY and other universities. Since its debut the series has become an important resource for advocates, policy-makers and educators.
Summer 2001: Secret negotiations between the governments of the US and Mexico
break into front page news, igniting a national debate on the overhaul of the U.S. immigration system
that reflects the country's split over the issue. Advocates see the pro-reform perspective shared by President George W. Bush
and Senators Ted Kennedy
and Sam Brownback
as an incredible alignment of the stars. Then September 11 attacks shatter any hope of comprehensive reform. But around the country, the issue resurfaces in November’s local elections. A heated city council race in Iowa
provides a case study for how states and local governments handle the issue of immigration.
Spring 2002: Kennedy and Brownback have rejoined forces, though security is now the focus. Their Border Security Bill must come before immigration reform but there’s a mysterious hold-up in the Senate. Finally it’s revealed a single Senator is at the bottom of the delay -- Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd
, Kennedy’s longest-serving and most feared colleague. Meanwhile, the White House proposes a small, immigrant-friendly provision be added to the stalled Border Security Bill. This unexpected detour creates more trouble every day it lasts. Only Senator Byrd can unlock the deadlock.
Summer 2002: With Republicans
in the White House and dominating Congress, the War on Terror
makes politicians in either party eager to follow the President's lead. But even among Republicans, rivalries and political disagreements still have to play out in summer primaries. David Kensinger, Sam Brownback’s
Chief of Staff and a man who loves the game of politics, takes a vacation from Capitol Hill to guide to three conservative Kansas
candidates who challenge mainstream party nominees. His roller-coaster summer ends on a surprising election night that previews a deep divide in the Republican Party.
Summer 2002: The Border Security Bill is now law. Kennedy, Brownback and staffers Esther
and David are eager to move on immigration, but the fight over creation of a Department of Homeland Security eats up the summer. Once Republicans take the Senate in November midterms, Senator Brownback goes into “cycle” with his own re-election campaign. Committee choices for the next Congress loom, and immigration is not playing well in Kansas. One of the Senate's most compassionate advocates must decide whether to give up The Judiciary Committee
and his upcoming chairmanship of The Senate Subcommittee on Immigration
.
Winter 2003: As the new Congress begins, a lot of people have ideas about an immigration bill. For pro-immigration advocates, the best bet remains Kennedy's plan. Across the Hill in the House, young staffers for two Republican congressmen from Arizona
, Jim Kolbe
and Jeff Flake
, are quietly crafting something that sounds very different -- a revolutionary guestworker bill with a path to citizenship. Esther’s not too worried as long as their bill is Republican-only, but once her rivals begin courting a Democrat, the race is on. Suddenly Esther's got a crisis on her hands.
October 2003: High-school students stage a mock graduation ceremony on the Capitol lawn. Next day, the DREAM Act gets a chance. Because DREAM is a small bi-partisan bill to help kids, supporters are optimistic. But anti-immigrant groups see it as "amnesty for illegals". The Senate Judiciary Committee markup is heated. After two weeks, an amended version is finally recommended for full Senate debate. But what exactly did Senators agree to in the confusing markup? The bill’s final language must still be defined by opposing staffers. It's not clear they will negotiate a deal before it's too late.
Autumn 2003: Esther, Senator Kennedy's Immigration Counsel, has plenty of reasons to worry. She has got 8 weeks to accomplish a small miracle: get business and labor to agree on a comprehensive immigration deal, and find a Republican to co-sponsor it in the Senate. Driving cross-country, the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride buses are coming to DC to lobby Congress, creating a very public impression that unions support Kennedy. But Esther learns forces inside the AFL-CIO are working to derail her bill. Years of work, and the future of millions of families, are riding on one conversation.
January 2004: The White House looks as though it has abandoned immigration reform. But labor’s opposition has also derailed Kennedy’s bill, creating a political opening for Republicans in an election year when the Latino vote could be key. President Bush gives a strong speech on immigration, highlighting last summer’s Arizona model and redefining the national debate. The pro-immigration community is divided. Advocate Frank Sharry
determines to forge a new, counter-balancing left alliance. If Senator Kennedy and firebrand Congressman Luis Gutierrez
can find common ground, the game just might swing the other way.
Summer 2004: Across America, grassroots supporters and opponents of comprehensive immigration reform are spoiling for a fight at the ballot box. In Arizona, no one can ignore it: voters' frustration is at a boiling point. Citizens launch a wildly popular ballot initiative, PROTECT ARIZONA NOW. Alfredo Gutierrez
, radio host and ex-politician, is galvanized out of “retirement” to try to beat it. Eventually national groups realize: if things go badly in Arizona, they will surely go worse in Washington. The rollicking campaign becomes a case study in local-national strategic alliances and the many ways they can founder.
Fall 2004-Spring 2005: Congressmen Kolbe and Flake’s reward for their innovative 2003 guestworker bill: tough primary challenges in 2004, facing determined opponents who capitalize on Arizona anger over “amnesty for illegals”. Their very different campaigns, both hot and colorful, leave the winners vowing to do something about immigration. By winter, staffers for Kennedy, John McCain
, Kolbe, Flake, and Democrat Luis Guttierez all sit down in the same room. If they can join forces and combine the best of earlier, competing bills, they will introduce the first bipartisan, bicameral comprehensive immigration reform ever introduced in the US Congress.
January 2006: The House just passed the toughest anti-amnesty, enforcement-only immigration bill in history, The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. Immigrants feel targeted, and "Sensenbrenner
" (the bill’s sponsor) becomes a household word for Latinos. Finally the Senate tackles immigration reform. Millions of people take to the streets all over the U.S., marching until a bi-partisan compromise modeled on last year’s Kennedy-McCain bill goes to the Senate floor. But leaders in both parties seem to want an election issue, not a bill. The pressure adds up on all sides, perhaps enough to force the Senate to respond.
Spring 2007: This year, immigration advocates and grassroots expect great things. But Senator Kennedy has lost his partner McCain to presidential primaries, and the Republicans now put a very different offer
on the table. Deep at the heart of this fast-moving story, we find a moral tale of modern American politics. Ted Kennedy, one of the handful of people who through his personal efforts truly changed the face of America, will be forced to decide: how much does he want this deal and what is he willing to trade for his greatest legacy?
, Congress.org
, New American Media and Newsweek
. Publications have cited the films as important resources for advocates and policy makers. Variety said the films had the potential to "help change hearts and minds" and Change.org
wrote that the series is "a must-watch for anyone interested in learning more about how good ideas can turn into legislation."
, where it continues to receive positive reviews. In advance of its March 24th, 2011 screening at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
The San Francisco Chronicle called the film the "heart" of the traveling festival and in many ways "the most chilling... [at] the festival" for chronicling "human rights that are being abused in the United States."
Story 12: Last Best Chance along with Story 2: Mountains and Clouds screenings in June, 2010 with the Festival at Lincoln Center were reviewed as "mandatory for whoever wants to learn about the democratic process and the working of Washington’s political elite."
According to the series website, the filmmakers are planning future screenings in Kansas
and L.A.
.
Immigration reform
Immigration reform is a term used in political discussion regarding changes to current immigration policy of a country. In its strict definition, "reform " means to change into an improved form or condition, by amending or removing faults or abuses....
from 2001–2007. The films were directed and produced by award-winning filmmaking team Shari Robertson
Shari Robertson
Shari Robertson is an American Film Director and producer. Her filmmaking credits include Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now, Well-Founded Fear, These Girls Are Missing, Inside the Khmer Rouge, Return to Year Zero and Washington/Peru: We Ain't Winnin'. Her films have been featured on HBO, CNN,...
and Michael Camerini
Michael Camerini
Michael Camerini is a film director, producer and cinematographer. His filmmaking credits include Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now, Well-Founded Fear, These Girls Are Missing, Becoming the Buddha in L.A., Dadi's Family and Born Again: Life in a Fundamentalist Baptist Church...
.
How Democracy Works Now premiered on HBO with the broadcast debut of The Senators' Bargain on March 24, 2010. A directors' cut of The Senators' Bargain was featured in the 2010 Human Rights Watch Film Festival at Lincoln Center
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, with the theatrical title Last Best Chance. The second story in the 12-part series, Mountains and Clouds, opened the festival in the same year. The films are touring the United States as part of the Human Rights Watch traveling film festival, and have been exhibited in special events at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, the Five College Consortium, Georgia College and State University, CUNY and other universities. Since its debut the series has become an important resource for advocates, policy-makers and educators.
Series synopsis
| Story 1: The Game is On |
|---|
Summer 2001: Secret negotiations between the governments of the US and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
break into front page news, igniting a national debate on the overhaul of the U.S. immigration system
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
that reflects the country's split over the issue. Advocates see the pro-reform perspective shared by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Senators Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
and Sam Brownback
Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
as an incredible alignment of the stars. Then September 11 attacks shatter any hope of comprehensive reform. But around the country, the issue resurfaces in November’s local elections. A heated city council race in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
provides a case study for how states and local governments handle the issue of immigration.
| Story 2: Mountains and Clouds |
|---|
Spring 2002: Kennedy and Brownback have rejoined forces, though security is now the focus. Their Border Security Bill must come before immigration reform but there’s a mysterious hold-up in the Senate. Finally it’s revealed a single Senator is at the bottom of the delay -- Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
, Kennedy’s longest-serving and most feared colleague. Meanwhile, the White House proposes a small, immigrant-friendly provision be added to the stalled Border Security Bill. This unexpected detour creates more trouble every day it lasts. Only Senator Byrd can unlock the deadlock.
| Story 3: You Never Know |
|---|
Summer 2002: With Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
in the White House and dominating Congress, the War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
makes politicians in either party eager to follow the President's lead. But even among Republicans, rivalries and political disagreements still have to play out in summer primaries. David Kensinger, Sam Brownback’s
Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback is the 46th and current Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Senator from Kansas from 1996 to 2011, and as a U.S. Representative for Kansas's 2nd congressional district from 1995 to 1996...
Chief of Staff and a man who loves the game of politics, takes a vacation from Capitol Hill to guide to three conservative Kansas
Kansas Republican Party
The Kansas Republican Party is the state affiliate political party in Kansas of the United States Republican Party. The Chair of the Kansas Republican Party is Amanda Adkins.- Political history :...
candidates who challenge mainstream party nominees. His roller-coaster summer ends on a surprising election night that previews a deep divide in the Republican Party.
| Story 4: Sam in the Snow |
|---|
Summer 2002: The Border Security Bill is now law. Kennedy, Brownback and staffers Esther
Esther Olavarria
Esther Olavarria is currently Deputy Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Policy. Born in Cuba she came to the United States at age 5 with her four siblings and her parents. She graduated cum laude from the University of Florida in 1983 and received her law degree from the University of...
and David are eager to move on immigration, but the fight over creation of a Department of Homeland Security eats up the summer. Once Republicans take the Senate in November midterms, Senator Brownback goes into “cycle” with his own re-election campaign. Committee choices for the next Congress loom, and immigration is not playing well in Kansas. One of the Senate's most compassionate advocates must decide whether to give up The Judiciary Committee
Judiciary Committee
Judiciary Committee may refer to:* United States House Committee on the Judiciary* United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary...
and his upcoming chairmanship of The Senate Subcommittee on Immigration
United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security is one of seven subcommittees within the Senate Judiciary Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
.
| Story 5: The Kids Across the Hill |
|---|
Winter 2003: As the new Congress begins, a lot of people have ideas about an immigration bill. For pro-immigration advocates, the best bet remains Kennedy's plan. Across the Hill in the House, young staffers for two Republican congressmen from Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, Jim Kolbe
Jim Kolbe
James Thomas "Jim" Kolbe is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Arizona's 8th congressional district, serving 11 terms from 1985 to 2007.-Early life:...
and Jeff Flake
Jeff Flake
Jeffrey Lane "Jeff" Flake is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was featured in the documentary series How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories....
, are quietly crafting something that sounds very different -- a revolutionary guestworker bill with a path to citizenship. Esther’s not too worried as long as their bill is Republican-only, but once her rivals begin courting a Democrat, the race is on. Suddenly Esther's got a crisis on her hands.
| Story 6: Marking Up The Dream |
|---|
October 2003: High-school students stage a mock graduation ceremony on the Capitol lawn. Next day, the DREAM Act gets a chance. Because DREAM is a small bi-partisan bill to help kids, supporters are optimistic. But anti-immigrant groups see it as "amnesty for illegals". The Senate Judiciary Committee markup is heated. After two weeks, an amended version is finally recommended for full Senate debate. But what exactly did Senators agree to in the confusing markup? The bill’s final language must still be defined by opposing staffers. It's not clear they will negotiate a deal before it's too late.
| Story 7: Ain't the AFL for Nothin' |
|---|
Autumn 2003: Esther, Senator Kennedy's Immigration Counsel, has plenty of reasons to worry. She has got 8 weeks to accomplish a small miracle: get business and labor to agree on a comprehensive immigration deal, and find a Republican to co-sponsor it in the Senate. Driving cross-country, the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride buses are coming to DC to lobby Congress, creating a very public impression that unions support Kennedy. But Esther learns forces inside the AFL-CIO are working to derail her bill. Years of work, and the future of millions of families, are riding on one conversation.
| Story 8: The Road to Miami |
|---|
January 2004: The White House looks as though it has abandoned immigration reform. But labor’s opposition has also derailed Kennedy’s bill, creating a political opening for Republicans in an election year when the Latino vote could be key. President Bush gives a strong speech on immigration, highlighting last summer’s Arizona model and redefining the national debate. The pro-immigration community is divided. Advocate Frank Sharry
Frank Sharry
Frank Sharrywas raised in West Hartford, Connecticut by anItalian-American mother and an Irish-American father. He graduated fromPrinceton University in 1978, majoring in History and American Studies....
determines to forge a new, counter-balancing left alliance. If Senator Kennedy and firebrand Congressman Luis Gutierrez
Luis Gutiérrez
Luis Vicente Gutiérrez is an American politician and the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1993. Gutiérrez was the first Latino to be elected to Congress from the Midwest. From 1986 until his election to Congress he served as a member of the Chicago City Council representing the 26th ward...
can find common ground, the game just might swing the other way.
| Story 9: Protecting Arizona |
|---|
Summer 2004: Across America, grassroots supporters and opponents of comprehensive immigration reform are spoiling for a fight at the ballot box. In Arizona, no one can ignore it: voters' frustration is at a boiling point. Citizens launch a wildly popular ballot initiative, PROTECT ARIZONA NOW. Alfredo Gutierrez
Alfredo Gutierrez
Alfredo de Jesús Gutiérrez Vital is a Colombian Accordion player and singer famous for winning the "Vallenato Legend Festival" three times ....
, radio host and ex-politician, is galvanized out of “retirement” to try to beat it. Eventually national groups realize: if things go badly in Arizona, they will surely go worse in Washington. The rollicking campaign becomes a case study in local-national strategic alliances and the many ways they can founder.
| Story 10: Brothers and Rivals |
|---|
Fall 2004-Spring 2005: Congressmen Kolbe and Flake’s reward for their innovative 2003 guestworker bill: tough primary challenges in 2004, facing determined opponents who capitalize on Arizona anger over “amnesty for illegals”. Their very different campaigns, both hot and colorful, leave the winners vowing to do something about immigration. By winter, staffers for Kennedy, John McCain
McCain
McCain may refer to:*McCain , a surname **John McCain, U.S. senator*McCain Foods Limited, a producer of frozen foods*McCain Stadium, a sports stadium in England...
, Kolbe, Flake, and Democrat Luis Guttierez all sit down in the same room. If they can join forces and combine the best of earlier, competing bills, they will introduce the first bipartisan, bicameral comprehensive immigration reform ever introduced in the US Congress.
| Story 11: The Senate Speaks |
|---|
January 2006: The House just passed the toughest anti-amnesty, enforcement-only immigration bill in history, The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. Immigrants feel targeted, and "Sensenbrenner
Jim Sensenbrenner
Frank James Sensenbrenner, Jr. is an American politician who has been a member of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives since 1979, representing . The district, the state's richest, includes many of Milwaukee's northern and western suburbs, and extends into rural...
" (the bill’s sponsor) becomes a household word for Latinos. Finally the Senate tackles immigration reform. Millions of people take to the streets all over the U.S., marching until a bi-partisan compromise modeled on last year’s Kennedy-McCain bill goes to the Senate floor. But leaders in both parties seem to want an election issue, not a bill. The pressure adds up on all sides, perhaps enough to force the Senate to respond.
| Story 12: Last Best Chance AKA The Senator's Bargain |
|---|
Spring 2007: This year, immigration advocates and grassroots expect great things. But Senator Kennedy has lost his partner McCain to presidential primaries, and the Republicans now put a very different offer
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, or, in its full name, the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was a bill discussed in the 110th United States Congress that would have provided legal status and a path to citizenship for the approximately 12 to...
on the table. Deep at the heart of this fast-moving story, we find a moral tale of modern American politics. Ted Kennedy, one of the handful of people who through his personal efforts truly changed the face of America, will be forced to decide: how much does he want this deal and what is he willing to trade for his greatest legacy?
Release schedule
| Status | TV Premiere | Festivals and Screenings | DVD Release | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story 1: The Game is On | Released | Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German... |
Sept. 1, 2010 | ||
| Story 2: Mountains and Clouds | Released | HBO March 24, 2010 | Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,... Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German... |
Sept. 1, 2010 | |
| Story 3: You Never Know | Post-Production | TBA | |||
| Story 4: Sam in the Snow | Released | Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German... |
Sept. 1, 2010 | ||
| Story 5: The Kids Across the Hill | Post-Production | Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German... |
TBA | ||
| Story 6: Marking Up The Dream | Released | HBO March 24, 2010 | Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German... |
Sept. 1, 2010 | |
| Story 7: Ain't the for Nothin' | Post-Production | TBA | |||
| Story 8: The Road to Miami | Post-Production | TBA | |||
| Story 9: Protecting Arizona | Post-Production | | | TBA | ||
| Story 10: Brothers and Rivals | Post-Production | TBA | |||
| Story 11: The Senate Speaks | Post-Production | Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German... Philanthropy NY |
TBA | ||
| Story 12: Last Best Chance AKA The Senator's Bargain |
Released | HBO March 24, 2010 (as "The Senators' Bargain") | Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,... Goethe-Institut Goethe-Institut The Goethe-Institut is a non-profit German cultural institution operational worldwide, promoting the study of the German language abroad and encouraging international cultural exchange and relations. The Goethe-Institut also fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on German... |
Sept. 1, 2010 |
Reception
How Democracy Works Now films have received a positive response, including reviews from The New York Times, The Boston Globe, ReutersReuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, Congress.org
Congress.org
Congress.org is a website run by the CQ-Roll Call Group which provides information on Congress and news about federal advocacy and activism. One tool on the site helps users find their elected officials and send e-mail to them.-Overview:...
, New American Media and Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
. Publications have cited the films as important resources for advocates and policy makers. Variety said the films had the potential to "help change hearts and minds" and Change.org
Change.org
Change.org is an online platform for social change launched on February 7, 2007 by current CEO Ben Rattray and Mark Dimas, and certified as a B Corporation in January, 2011. Its stated mission is to "empower anyone, anywhere to start, join, and win campaigns for social change."...
wrote that the series is "a must-watch for anyone interested in learning more about how good ideas can turn into legislation."
Touring schedule
Story 12: Last Best Chance is currently a part of the Human Rights Watch Film FestivalHuman Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, where it continues to receive positive reviews. In advance of its March 24th, 2011 screening at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts is a multi-disiplinary contemporary arts center in San Francisco, California, United States. Located in Yerba Buena Gardens, YBCA features visual art, performance, and film/video that celebrates local, national, and international artists and the Bay Area's diverse...
The San Francisco Chronicle called the film the "heart" of the traveling festival and in many ways "the most chilling... [at] the festival" for chronicling "human rights that are being abused in the United States."
Story 12: Last Best Chance along with Story 2: Mountains and Clouds screenings in June, 2010 with the Festival at Lincoln Center were reviewed as "mandatory for whoever wants to learn about the democratic process and the working of Washington’s political elite."
According to the series website, the filmmakers are planning future screenings in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and L.A.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
See also
- Well-Founded FearWell-Founded FearWell-Founded Fear is a 2000 documentary film from directors Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini. The film takes its title from the formal definition of a refugee under the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, as a person who deserves protection, "owing to a well-founded fear of...
- Shari RobertsonShari RobertsonShari Robertson is an American Film Director and producer. Her filmmaking credits include Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now, Well-Founded Fear, These Girls Are Missing, Inside the Khmer Rouge, Return to Year Zero and Washington/Peru: We Ain't Winnin'. Her films have been featured on HBO, CNN,...
- Michael CameriniMichael CameriniMichael Camerini is a film director, producer and cinematographer. His filmmaking credits include Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now, Well-Founded Fear, These Girls Are Missing, Becoming the Buddha in L.A., Dadi's Family and Born Again: Life in a Fundamentalist Baptist Church...
- Kansas Republican PartyKansas Republican PartyThe Kansas Republican Party is the state affiliate political party in Kansas of the United States Republican Party. The Chair of the Kansas Republican Party is Amanda Adkins.- Political history :...
- Ted KennedyTed KennedyEdward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...