Call it Democracy: A Film by Matt Kohn

A historical look at the electoral process in the United States that goes far beyond the controversy of the 2000 election and the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court ruling.

Call It Democracy looks into the nation’s history touching upon other close elections such as the 1960 Kennedy v. Nixon campaign, the attempt by Segregationist Third Party Candidate George Wallace to manipulate the electoral college in 1968 and the three other elections not won by popular vote prior to the 20th century.

Additionally, the film explores the validity of the electoral college and contemplates the future of elections in post 2000 America, 2002’s Help America Vote Act and ramifications of electronic voting.

In late 2005, Call It Democracy, was seen at over fifty universities across the country. In 2005, the film

Featuring:

Professor Alan Dershowitz
Senator Birch Bayh (D-IN)
John Nichols (The Nation)
Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr.
Greg Palast
Dr. Mary Frances Berry
Dan Keating
Prof. Jamie Raskin
Judge Richard A. Posner
Prof. Jeff Rosen
Prof. Marci Hamilton
Vincent Bugliosi
Alan Colmes
Kimball Brace
Steven Hill 

 
 
Christopher Shays (R-CT)
John Conyers (D-MI)
Miles Rappaport
Cathy Cox (D-GA)
Rush Holt (D-NJ)
John Anderson
Kim Alexander
Prof. David Dill
Prof. Ted Selker
Hon. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-MN)
Tom Wilkey
Assoc. Prof. Doug Jones
Jim Dickson
Kim Zetter (Wired News)

More info.
 

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

Matt Kohn is the Director of "Call it Democracy." Kohn has produced, edited and directed short and full-length films, music videos, industrials and documentaries for the past fifteen years."Everywhere But Florida" is Kohn's third documentary.

Previously, "Rosa X Rays Joe," Kohn's most recent short, an absurd comedy featuring Drama Desk Nominee Anita Durst, won distinction as Best Experimental Film at SinCine2002. In 1999, Kohn directed and shot the silent video projection "Sea Level Inferno." "Sea Level Inferno" was shown on over twenty screens across the United States; including at The New York Underground Film Festival, The Texaco Jazz Festival and during a special screening at The Anthology Film Archives.

Kohn's first documentary, "On Demand: Soldiers for Peace," is a film about conscientious objectors and combat veterans of the Persian Gulf War. Another of his noted works includes the first documentary about noted photographer Spencer Tunick. His film later became the inspiration to the HBO Production "Naked States." Kohn's music video work features the title track to William Hooker / Thurston Moore / Elliott Sharp collaboration record "Shamballa," was the first free jazz music video to be broadcast on MTV.

Kohn's next documentary focuses on the lives of 30 year old painter Joan Linder and her father, a child survivor of The Holocaust. The as yet to be named project, follows Joan as she takes her father on a trip back to the Ukraine, where he was raised, in order to examine and make paintings about what their lives might have been like had The Holocaust never happened.

Previously, Kohn graduated from Brandies University with a degree in Politics, Feminism and Film Theory. At Brandeis, he was the Student Government President. "Lake Success", published by Soft Skull Press in 1996 is Kohn's highly regarded book of poetry.

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ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Dan Efram is The Producer of “Call it Democracy.” With over fifteen years of entertainment industry experience and contacts, Dan is a uniquely qualified Producer with extensive experience in the music industry as an artist manager, label executive and marketing consultant.

Previously, Efram headed the Artist Management and Marketing Divisions of The Lodge. He currently runs Tractor-Beam and is responsible for the day-to-day management of The Apples in Stereo, Clem Snide, The Klezmatics, Troubled Hubble and Ezra Reich, as well as leading the public relations efforts and promotional campaigns for mastering engineer Emily Lazar and The Lodge’s Audio Mastering and DVD Authoring services. Dan is also a member of the International Music Manager’s Forum.

More information is availble at the Tractor Beam website.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF CONTRIBUTING FILMMAKERS & PRODUCERS

Gus Andrews is a freelance writer and periodic participant in the Independent Media Center and I-Witness Video movements. She runs the Dancing Sausage Web Journal, a website about dance, protest, found documents, and Stupid Media Tricks.

Yael Bitton’s most recent film “Not For Sale” is currently playing the festival circuit and she is an editor in NYC.

Suzie Davis former editor of a Ukranian technology newspaper, is finishing a documentary about journalistic freedom in that country while she continues to edit a Conneticut weekly newspaper.

Trish Dalton from Toronto, Canada, studied film at NYU and works with a number of film collectives and organizations, including: Paper Tiger TV, Global Action Project, Reel Sweet Betty, DCTV, and the Indy Media Center, NY. Her films are focused on social and political issues, while telling peoples stories. She was one of the founding members of the documentary film collective, OHMS media is an independent filmmaker in NYC.

Elaine Angelopoulos is an independent filmmaker and video artist in Brooklyn, NY.

John S. Hall is a cum laude graduate of the Cardozo School of Law, where he was editor in chief of the Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law. His academic concentrations were in Intellectual Property and in Constitutional Law and Rights. At Cardozo, He worked as a legal assistant for the entertainment law firm of Rosalind Lichter. John is also the lyricist and lead vocalist for King Missile, the spoken word-with-music band, whose hits include "Detachable Penis," "Jesus Was Way Cool," "Take Stuff From Work," "Sensitive Artist,"  and many others.

Leslie Hunt is an actress who felt the call to pick up her videocamera and shoot interviews on her way from Minnesota, West Virgina, and Virginia.

Brian Kaizer, one of the founding organizers of Central Park’s Summerstage Free Summer Concert Series, is the author of biographies of Eric Clapton and Neil Young. He has just completed his first short film, “Emma’s Footsteps” featuring Valerie Geffner, muse of director Amos Kollek.

Shane King teaches Final Cut Pro, After Effects and Media 100 at Academy of Art College in San Fransico. He also has worked as a director of photography and editor on numerous independent projects as well as for clients such as the California Department of Forestry, CNN, Levi Strauss and the Exploratorium.

Joan Linder is primarily known as a painter whose subjects vary from her father, a child survivor of the Holocaust, to pornographic images of “The fat white male office worker.” Her work has been presented at museums and galleries across the world, and last year she received the Pollack Krasner Grant. Her line drawings can be seen at mixedgreens.com. She is currently teaching at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She has recently started The Grace Court Picture Company with Matt Kohn, organized to produce exceptional wedding documentation for nontraditional partners.

Aaron S. Levine is an independent producer based in New York City. In 1998, he produced Erika Yeoman’s Hardhead Flair‚ and DOORIKA’s theatrical and broadcast video production The Forgery at NYC’s Ohio Theatre with Wooster Group Associate Ken Kobland. In 2000, Levine spent the year working as production supervisor at InDigEnt, home of Gary Winnick’sTadpole. In 2002, Levine was the Director of Operations for the Manchester Film Festival, Vermont and is producing Crib Notes for Todd Oldham and MTV. He is also assisting in the development of David Cronenberg’s The White Hotel and the screen adaptation of Senator John McCain’s P.O.W memoir Faith of My Fathers.

Mary Lennon is a documentary filmmaker and New York City school teacher. Her students are interviewed in Call it Democracy.

Lisa Mastramico is an award winning independent videographer involved with alternative media production. A strong proponent of people "becoming the media,” she produces programming and teaches editing classes at Community Television of Santa Cruz County and has been a semi-regular contributor to Free Speech Television's monthly Newsreal program.

José Lauro Mata operates Cenozoic Studios in Austin, Texas.  His films have won several awards and his most recent work will screen this December in Paris.

Shannon Mullen has a M.A. in Cultural Anthropology and has done extensive cultural research around the world on consumer attitudes and behavior. She spent a decade in advertising as a Brand Strategist for Sony, Smirnoff, Kellogg’s, and Compaq and founded one of the first interactive communication departments in advertising at Lowe & Partners where she developed the Mercedes-Benz North America in-store kiosk. She became the Account Planning Director of TBWA Chiat-Day Brussels, Belgium and developed Pan-European strategies for Sony PlayStation and Novartis. After returning to New York, she started Safina and www.safina.com, which launched fall 2002.

Kevin Plumberg is a political writer and columnist.

Reynold Reynolds has made several short films including “The Drowning Room” and “Burn” which appeared and won prestigious filmmaking awards worldwide.

Mark Schwartzburt earned his Juris Doctorate from Creighton University School of Law in 1994 after graduating from Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Physics. Currently Mr. Schwartzburt is a Marketing Analyst for the New York Power Authority, that provides electricity in New York State to various companies and organizations for economic development. Mr. Schwartzburt is responsible for keeping up with the contractual obligations of the Authority's clients

Snatch It! was directed by Inka Stafrace, a short film about two lesbian friends who share the same object of desire in the East Village of New York.

John Sullivan is a writer, director, producer, actor, poet, and boxer.  He is the CEO of Naked Emperor Productions, Inc. whose clients include ABC News, Eastman Kodak, Telepiu - Canalplus, and The Garth Group.  His first film, The Buddha Hood, won Best Short at the 1999 Foyle Film Festival in Derry, Northern Ireland, an Academy qualifying festival. John recently completed Farang Ba (Crazy White Foreigner), a one hour documentary about a 45 year old cancer surviving boxer in Thailand.

Derek Weisenhan is cinematographer in NYC
All contents © 2006 Grace Court Picture Company / Tractor Beam Productions