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 three-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,Immigration Battle premiered on PBS's 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."
Release schedule +How Democracy Works Now Production Status Status Premiere Platform Festivalsand Screenings Release date Story 1: The Game Is On Released HBO Goethe-Institut 2010 Story 2: Mountains and Clouds Released HBO Human Rights WatchGoethe-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 AFL 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-InstitutPhilanthropy NY 2013 Story 12: Last Best ChanceAKA The Senator's Bargain Released HBO (as "The Senators' Bargain") Human Rights WatchGoethe-Institut 2010
Reception How Democracy Works Now films have received a positive response. It also received positive reviews from The New York Times,A Grand Pact Goes Wrong The Boston Globe, Reuters, 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".
See also Well-Founded Fear
References
External links
IMDb