10 Great Political Movie Recommendations from Faculty at the School of Media Studies
As we head into the final days before the November elections, we asked faculty from the School of Media Studies at the Schools of Public Engagement to share compelling narrative and documentary movies about politics.
We thank the following faculty for sharing their recommendations – Vladan Nikolic, Dean, School of Media Studies; Michelle Materre, Director of the Media Management Program and Associate Professor of Media Studies and Film; Amir Husak, Director of Graduate Certificate in Documentary Media Studies and Assistant Professor of Media Studies; Kathleen Sweeney, Part-time Assistant Professor; and Jeannie Oliver-Cretara, Part-time Assistant Professor.
NARRATIVE FEATURES
Z (1969) by Costa Gavras
Available through HBO Max, Amazon, and Criterion Collection
A landmark Oscar winning political movie about the assassination of a prominent leftist, based on a true story in Greece, in a time when military dictatorship took over the country.
Bob Roberts (1992) by Tim Robbins
A biting satire about a conservative folk singer who turns to politics, running for the US Senate using all sorts of smear tactics and dirty tricks. An interesting look at how a film from 30 years ago is still relevant today.
Wag the Dog (1997) by Barry Levinson
Available through Amazon, Vudu, and YouTube
This political satire follows a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer as they join efforts to fabricate a war in order to cover up a Presidential sex scandal. Although this movie is a reflection of the 90s zeitgeist, the way facts can be spinned and twisted is still relevant now.
Putney Swope (1969) by Robert Downey Sr.
Available through Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Criterion Collection
This satirical comedy explores the very contradictory ways that People of Color are handled in predominantly White spaces. Swope seems ridiculous but is only just as ridiculous as the reality of corporate America and US politics.
DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Siempre Luis (2020) by John James
Available through HBO Max
This film follows Luis Miranda over the course of a year as his devotion to family and country propels his insatiable appetite for empowering his fellow Latinos. With humor and heart, the documentary dives into Miranda’s campaign to mitigate the devastation of Hurricane Maria in his homeland of Puerto Rico by tirelessly organizing relief efforts and managing the logistics behind bringing his son Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning production of Hamilton to the island. ‌
Voting Matters (2018) by Dawn Porter
Available from VideoProject.com
More than 50 years after the Voting Rights Act of 1965, people of color across the United States are still engaged in a battle to protect their right to vote. Voting Matters follows civil-rights attorney Donita Judge as she helps several voters in Ohio cast ballots even though they initially were turned away, while highlighting how many hoops must be jumped through simply to vote and how cries of voter fraud are exaggerated.
Capturing the Flag (2018) by Anne De Mare
Available from CapturingtheFlag.com
Capturing the Flag follows a tight-knit group of friends who are tired of waiting for someone else to save democracy. They travel to Cumberland County, North Carolina – a “poster child” for voter suppression – intent on proving that the big idea of American democracy can be carried out by small acts of individual citizens.
Finally Got the News (1970) by Stewart Bird, Rene Lichtman and Peter Gessner
Available from Icarus Films on Vimeo
This unique documentary reveals the activities of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers inside and outside the auto factories of Detroit. Through interviews with the members of the movement, footage shot in the auto plants, and footage of leafleting and picketing actions, the film documents their efforts to build an independent black labor organization that, unlike the UAW, will respond to worker’s problems, such as the assembly line speed-up and inadequate wages faced by both black and white workers in the industry.
Capitalism: A Six Part Series (2018) by Ilan Ziv
Available at https://capitalism.vhx.tv/
This six-part documentary series looks at both the history of ideas and the social forces that have shaped the capitalist world. Blending interviews with some of the world’s great historians, economists, anthropologists, and social critics, with on-the-ground footage shot in twenty-two countries, this film questions the myth of the unfettered free market, explores the nature of debt and commodities, and retraces some of the great economic debates of the last 200 years.
The Battle of Chile (1976) by Patricio Guzmán
Available from Icarus Films on Vimeo
This documentary is a chronicle of the political tension in Chile in 1973 and of the violent counter revolution against the democratically elected government of Salvador Allende.