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Food Politics to Political Candidates: Docs as Advocacy Tools

Published on September 27, 2004

Seeing is believing � we rely on film to pick up where the written word leaves off. Like never before, documentaries have become the hottest film genre, exploring and elucidating issues and events around the world. The past year's staggering box office numbers indicate that audiences are devouring documentaries and that collective appetite continues to grow.

Approaches to social change: Both Morgan Spurlock and Shirley Chisholm fight for reform in their own distinctive way.

More eyeballs means more potential impact and the question on everyone's mind is ultimately: "Are any of these movies making a difference?" Some are waiting for the outcome of the presidential election to make their verdict. Here at MediaRights, we have long believed in the potential of documentary to create real change. We know that for every Michael Moore, there are hundreds of other independent filmmakers taking on the burning topics of the day. Here are two stories of how documentary films are transforming policy and opening doors:

When Super Size Me was released, audiences around the world watched in humor and horror as Morgan Spurlock endured a 30 day McDonald's only diet. But can Spurlock's message of responsible eating affect the decisions of politicians in Washington? Read Anna LappÃ©'s article "Super Sized Policy Reform" on page 2.

Chisholm '72 � Unbought and Unbossed chronicles Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm's groundbreaking candidacy for President of the United States. In 1972, her journey from Bedstuy, Brooklyn to the Democratic National Convention mobilized an entire community of voters who had felt disenfranchised by the major political parties. In 2004, through Shola Lynch's award-winning documentary, Chisholm's message returned to the Democratic National Convention to inspire a new generation. Read Michelle Materre's article "On the Chisholm Trail Chisholm '72 Unbought & Unbossed at the DNC" on page 3.

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