Last Updated on October 5, 2023 by ellen
PBS Dark Money is now available on DVD. My husband and I love watching political thrillers and learning more about how our country works behind the scenes. We’ve always been fascinated with the government and elections so this has been on our must-watch list for a while.
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PBS Dark Money
The film takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. A century ago, secret money swamped Montana’s legislature, but citizens rose up to prohibit corporate campaign spending.
Today, in the wake of Citizens United— which allows unlimited, anonymous money to pour into elections nationwide — Montana is once again fighting to preserve open and honest elections. Through this gripping story, DARK MONEY uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold. This Sundance award-winning documentary is directed/produced by Kimberly Reed (PRODIGAL SONS) and produced by Katy Chevigny (E-TEAM).
About Kimberly Reed
Kimberly Reed’s work has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, The Moth, and in Details Magazine. One of Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces of Independent Film,†she directed/produced PRODIGAL SONS, a “whiplash doc that heralds an exciting talent†(SF Weekly). PRODIGAL SONS (First Run Features, Sundance Channel) premiered at Telluride, landed on many Best of the Year lists, screened at more than 100 film festivals, and garnered 14 Audience and Jury awards, including the FIPRESCI Prize.
Ms. Reed was recognized as one of OUT Magazine’s “Out 100,†and as Towleroad’s “Best LGBT Character of the Film Year.†She also produced/edited/wrote PAUL GOODMAN CHANGED MY LIFE (Zeitgeist Films) and produced THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON (Netflix). With a background in journalism, her work in broader artistic fields has also been acclaimed. She was published in the NY Times bestselling “The Moth – 50 True Stories,†and has co-authored three operas, including AS ONE, the most frequently produced American opera in decades.
You may also like Courting Joustice.
My thoughts:
PBS Dark Money is about the Citizen’s United decision and what’s behind our elections. If you’re not familiar with that term, it basically says that political spending is a type of free speech. And, because it’s a type of free speech, the government can’t stop corporations or unions from supporting or denouncing political candidates in an election. They are allowed to “persuade” voters by running ads, etc.
PBS dark money gives you a look at how easy it is for corporations to influence elections nationwide. It follows a local journalist behind the scenes as he tries to learn more about the funding behind his local Montana elections.
I found this documentary fascinating. There’s a lot more behind our elections than many people are aware of. While it’s not all bad, it’s definitely something that people need to know. Only when we are truly informed can we make good decisions.
If this subject interests you as much as it does me. Or, even if you are just a little bit curious. You can buy this DVD on Amazon.
If you enjoy financial documentaries, you might want to watch Abacus: Small Enough To Jail.
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Ellen is a mom of a 25-year-old son and 30-year-old daughter. She is Grandma to one adorable toddler. In what little spare time she has, she loves to read, watch movies, and check out the latest toys and games.