NHFF Panel: Politics and Filmmaking
New Hampshire has always been a hotbed for political activity and all of this action has lead several filmmakers to make innovative documentaries about the political atmosphere in not only New Hampshire, but across the country.
The New Hampshire Film Festival was thrilled to host three filmmakers that have made political documentaries, Darren Garnick, Kevin Bowe and Rod Webber. The Politics and Filmmaking Panel was moderated by Matthew Newton, the director of the New Hampshire Film and Television Office.
The hour long panel focused on the films that Garnick, Bowe and Webber had made that were political documentaries, or how Rod Webber put it, “Not just an election movie, but a movie with an election in the background.”
The filmmakers all agreed that New Hampshire is an excellent place to be making political documentaries. Rod Webber even went as far to say that “without a doubt, New Hampshire is the best place for a political documentary.” They all spoke about the unparalleled access that filmmakers can receive from the candidates while they are campaigning in New Hampshire.
Without a doubt, New Hampshire is the best place for a political documentary.
There was time for a quick Q&A session where several people expressed interest in making similar political films. All three of the filmmakers gave eloquent answers with Darren Garnick saying “anyone with a passion for politics can be a filmmaker.”
For more information on the three filmmakers and their projects:
- Darren Garnick’s article, “A Dinasaur’s Primary”
- Kevin Bowe’s trailer for his upcoming film Democracy through the Looking Glass
- Rod Webber’s trailer for his upcoming film Flowers for Peace