Slay the Dragon

2019 | USA | NR | 101 min.

Showings

State Theatre Wed, Jul 31, 2019 12:00 PM
Film Info
Section:Documentary
Youth Uprising
Don't Miss
Release Year:2019
Runtime:101 min.
Rating:NR
Production Country:USA
Original Language:English
Cast/Crew Info
Director:Barak Goodman
Chris Durrance
Produced by:Barak Goodman
Chris Durrance
Cinematography:Samuel Russell
Editing By:Seth Bomse
Cast:Ari Berman
David Daley
Margaret Dickson
Anita Earls

Description

This chilling political doc is not only one of the most important films to see at the fest, it's also somehow one of the most invigorating, especially for us Michiganders. The dragon here is the crazy shapes made on maps by the corrupt practice of gerrymandering, when one political party draws redistricting lines to help ensure future elections go in their favor. Beginning with a dive into the (still ongoing) Flint water crisis, Barak Goodman and Chris Durrance trace how “packing” and “cracking” leads to marginalized communities, discriminatory laws, state-wide emergencies, and politicians who no longer work for the people. Why would they when they are guaranteed re-election? But the film also features the slayers, ordinary folks working to put the power back in the hands of the people, such as Michigan’s Katie Fahey, whose grassroots Voters Not Politicians won the battle with Prop 2, and could help set us on a path to win the war. Whether or not you are already familiar with this paramount issue, you won’t want to miss this simply stirring film about the fight for fair elections in America. In Person: Directors Chris Durrance, Barak Goodman; Subject Katie Fahey; Jamie Lyons-Eddy, Voters Not Politicians.