Colonel William A. Phillips

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How Democracy Works Now is a 10-part, feature documentary film series that examines the American political system through the lens of immigration reform during 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 first five films produced, including 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 10-part series, Mountains and Clouds, opened the festival in the same year. The films toured 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 numerous other universities.

The remaining five films were completed in 2013 for a 3-day series debut at the 51st New York Film Festival. The full series of 10 feature-length films was streamed on Netflix in 2014. Immigration Battle, another film that is a capstone to the series, premiered on PBS Frontline in October, 2015. Since its debut, How Democracy Works Now has become an important resource for advocates, policy-makers and educators, while Forbes described it as "without question...the best documentary film series on government ever produced."[1]

Release schedule


How Democracy Works Now Production Status
Status Premiere Platform Festivals
and Screenings
Release Date
Story 1: The Game is On Released HBO Goethe-Institut 2010
Story 2: Mountains and Clouds Released HBO Human Rights Watch
Goethe-Institut
2010
Story 3: You Never Know Not in Production N/A
Story 4: Sam in the Snow Released HBO Goethe-Institut 2010
Story 5: The Kids Across the Hill Released NYFF Goethe-Institut 2013
Story 6: Marking Up The Dream Released HBO Goethe-Institut 2010
Story 7: Ain't the for Nothin' Released NYFF 2013
Story 8: The Road to Miami Not in Production N/A
Story 9: Protecting Arizona Released NYFF 2013
Story 10: Brothers and Rivals Released NYFF 2013
Story 11: The Senate Speaks Released NYFF Goethe-Institut
Philanthropy NY
2013
Story 12: Last Best Chance
AKA The Senator's Bargain
Released HBO (as "The Senators' Bargain") Human Rights Watch
Goethe-Institut
2010

Reception

How Democracy Works Now films have received a positive response. It also received positive reviews from The New York Times,[2] The Boston Globe,[3] Reuters,[4] Congress.org, New American Media[5] and Newsweek.[6] 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".[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Anderson, Stuart (August 13, 2013). "The Greatest Films On Government Ever Made". Forbes.
  2. ^ A Grand Pact Goes Wrong
  3. ^ Aucoin, Don (March 24, 2010). "A focus on Kennedy as fighter for reform". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  4. ^ Kearney, Christine (March 23, 2010). "Film shows Kennedy battle for immigration reform". Reuters. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  5. ^ "HBO Film Delves into Immigration Reform's 'Grand Bargain' - NAM". News.newamericamedia.org. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  6. ^ "HBO Documentary Highlights Tough Battle for Immigration Reform". The Daily Beast. March 25, 2010. Archived from the original on April 21, 2010. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
  7. ^ Johnson, Ted (May 1, 2010). "Hollywood turns focus to immigration". Variety. Retrieved 2011-08-18.

External links