Route 66 serves as backdrop for political documentary

As Election Day fast approaches, an Ohio film company is preparing a documentary “about the American people’s relationship with their political system and the 2012 election.”

Titled “Of By For: Promises, Power & the Political Parade,” its makers will continue to shoot footage through tomorrow. Old Machine plans to release the film on Inauguration Day, which is Jan. 21, which select screenings during the holiday season.

According to the news release:

Of By For began with a Route 66 road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles where the crew met people from all walks of life to discuss the state of American politics.

“We expected to find a country deeply divided. Instead, the nearly unanimous consensus was disappointment and disillusionment with the pursuit of power and the status quo in Washington” said Monnin. “But as we watched the election year unfold, we saw the same people who were united in April retreat to their corners and feel like they had to vote for the lesser of two evils. We took it from there and explored how things got this way and what we as a country might be able to do about it.”  […]

“This film is about what really drives the lack of change in Washington – namely the pursuit power and control – and the use of promises, division, and fear in order to retain both,” said Kay. “Our real hope is that this would be a project that unites us as a country and opens dialogue between neighbors, families and countrymen.”

Interview subjects in the film include Newt Gingrich, Ralph Nader, Dan Rather, Ron Paul, Al Sharpton, Dennis Kucinich, Jack Abramoff, Lanny Davis, Michael Steele, Gary Johnson, Bill Hillsman, Mickey Edwards, and Jonathan Haidt.

I’ll be interested to see how this documentary plays out. However, to be honest, I’m a lot more enthused about the film’s soundtrack (Marvin Gaye, Wilco, Sharon King and the Dap Kings, The National) than its subject.

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