Trolls, Memes And Press Ups - What Happens When You Ask 1000 Teenage Boys To Form A Government?
This year’s Sundance London is taking place online from 7 to 9 August with a reduced selection picked in collaboration with Picturehouse Cinemas. “Boys State” is among the three feature films, with documentaries “Beyond the North Winds: A Post Nuclear Reverie” and “Junior Bangers” selected alongside six other shorts.
“Boys State” will be showing at 20:00 BST and all short films will be available from the 7th to the 9th of August.
Since “Boys State” won Best Documentary at Sundance (beating audience award-winner “Crip Camp”), it’s received a steady stream of critical acclaim including a five-star review from the Guardian and even a few shouts for best film of the year. Exceptionally, its now premiering online as part of Sundance London on the 9th of August and we highly recommend you tune in.
Every year, 1000 rowdy teenage boys descend upon the Texas State Capitol to form a mock government: “Boys State”. Founded by the American Legion in 1937 as a means of inculcating civic duty into the next generation, this bizarre take on summer camp randomly splits the boys into two opposing teams, the Nationalists and the Federalists. In one testosterone-fuelled week, both parties must determine a platform, choose their leaders and ultimately fight it out to build a government.
As you might expect from Texan boys (there is a separate event for girls), initiatives such as banning cargo shorts and Hawaiian pizza are among the first to be proposed. Similarly, 2017’s winning government controversially made headlines by voting for Texas to secede, which was essentially a massive troll. Ironically, it’s also what drew the attention of directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss in the first place.
More worrying but just as predictable is an underlying obsession with protecting gun rights and banning abortion, which come to dominate any policy-related debate. The irony that this relates to the control of girl's and women’s bodies, who aren’t even represented, never seems to dawn on any of the young men.
2017’s winning government controversially made headlines by voting for Texas to secede, which was essentially a massive troll
But before long, a group of surprisingly mature (albeit trying) characters emerge from the chaotic churn of the U-S-A-chanting mass. There’s René, the sophisticated Chicago-born African-American, Ben the “political junkie” double-amputee, Steven the progressive son of a once illegal immigrant and Robert, the gung-ho sweet-talker who dreams of a career in the army.
The fate of Boys State as a film and as a political experiment rests on these characters and when it comes to the film, they don’t disappoint. The narrative arcs are so intriguing that you have to constantly remind yourself that they aren’t scripted. Crushing defeats and inspirational highs come to pass as the action sweeps from one crowded room of the Capitol to the next, often with day’s heroes held aloft as they go.
René and Steven, both on the Nationalist side, are particularly impressive. They successfully steer the debate towards more important topics and prove that a measured stance and idealistic approach can win hearts. Although by a “measured stance”, I mean relative to American political opinion of course - they’re not banning guns just yet. They’re also very inspiring. Steven for instance, who barely scrapes the signatures he needs to run, becomes a surprise star by pledging to strike a compromise between the left and the right and completely overwhelms Rob, who wrongfully bets on stoking conservative clichés to win votes.
As a political experiment, the result is more of a mixed bag. The system’s win-at-all-costs mentality quickly turns Ben the patriot into a ruthless spin doctor, gathering dirt on his opposition and even launching some pretty dubious meme accounts.
Regardless of who wins (no spoilers), “Boys State” successfully reveals the two opposing forces of modern politics: not Left and Right, but idealism and cynicism. Reminiscent of the best political blockbusters but with the added entertainment value and hilarity of a strictly under-18 cast, “Boys State” is a brilliant watch and a deserved Sundance winner.
This year’s Sundance London is taking place online from 7 to 9 August with a reduced selection picked in collaboration with Picturehouse Cinemas. “Boys State” is among the three feature films, with documentaries “Beyond the North Winds: A Post Nuclear Reverie” and “Junior Bangers” selected alongside six other shorts.
“Boys State” will be showing at 20:00 BST and all short films will be available from the 7th to the 9th of August.
