Announcing the Feature Documentary Film, How to Save Democracy!
For most of 2024, I was making a documentary feature film, How to Save Democracy, that explored the issues democracy faces.
The big news is, the film is now done!
I’m now gearing up to get the word out about it. You can see the trailer for the film above, while the website for the film is https://savingdemocracyfilm.com
In making the film, I wasn’t thinking about who would win the election and what the ramifications of their win would be. Regardless of who won, I wanted the film to examine what democracy is, how it’s defined, the roots of democracy (especially its indigenous roots), the periods in time when democracy flourished and struggled, and how things can be restored to the true promise of what democracy holds.
In the process, I interviewed 15 people—Pulitzer Prize winners, journalists, authors, activists, constitutional scholars, and historians--all who give depth and perspective on what it would take to realize the aspirations of democracy.
The U.S. has been rated as a flawed democracy by the Democracy Index for over 10 years. What has happened to democracy in the U.S., and how can it be saved? In the film, this is what I look at; interwoven in the film is a history of the U.S. and the ups and downs of democracy all along the way.
And now, with Donald Trump once again the president, democracy is being pushed to its limits as never before. It’s imperative that Trump, Musk, and all the others are stopped in their tracks before they put the final wrecking ball to democracy.
But the reality is, the problems of democracy in the U.S. predate Donald Trump and will continue long after he’s gone from the political scene.
How to Save Democracy explains how we can get ourselves back on the right track, and what it will take. It’s an incisive and provocative documentary that explains where democracy has gone off the rails, why it’s currently struggling, and how to right the ship.
Right now, having finished the film, I’ve been focusing on the outreach. I’ve applied to a few film festivals and conferences to show the film, and also have a producer’s rep who will be attempting to sell the film to a distributor.
Besides those pathways of getting the film out there, I’m most interested in grassroots screenings, which are screenings hosted by organizations, institutions, and groups. These are very important, because they can spread the word about the film, and the film’s vital ideas, by word of mouth.
Also at these screenings, there usually is a Q&A or panel after the film to talk about the issues raised in the film—issues that lie at the crux of the problems democracy faces. These discussions will also focus on what can be done to restore democracy.
Doing these screenings can also be used as a fundraiser for the hosting organization, and they can be done in-person or virtual.
If you are a member of an organization, or know an organization that might be interested, please let me know. You can email me directly at mwayne2@mac.com.
Because I’m waiting to hear about festivals and conferences, and then from there trying to sell it to a distributor, I’ve not yet planned any public screenings anywhere in the country.
I am happy to say, though, that I’m going to have a screening in my hometown of Saratoga Springs, NY in April. For those of you who would be able to see it in Saratoga, stay tuned for more information on that.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy viewing the trailer. I’ll be keeping you posted on the film’s status as I know more.