Taking on the Kennedys

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Q&A with director Joshua Seftel; co-presented by Docurama

A thrillingly provocative, modern-day David vs. Goliath battle set in the amphitheater of American politics, P.O.V. presents TAKING ON THE KENNEDYS, a sharply witty and brilliantly concise peek into the “brutal circus” of contemporary political warfare.

In 1994, practicing physician Kevin Vigilante, a Rhode Island Republican who has never held office, challenged Democratic favorite son Patrick Kennedy for a U.S. House seat representing the fifth most Democratic District in the nation – and nearly won. With a record long on public service but short on political experience, Vigilante found himself front and center in a controversial game of distorted television imagery and sound-byte rhetoric, where even an idealistic candidate is forced to sling a little mud in order to stay in the race.

With unrestricted access to the candidates as they plot strategies, court voters, attend fundraisers, debate and vie for media attention, filmmaker Joshua Seftel presents a hard-hitting deconstruction of political campaigns and powerful dynasties, featuring appearances by Caroline Kennedy, Senator Ted Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., and other powerhouse political figures.

• Country USA
• Rating NR
• Year 1996
• Running Time 52 minutes
• Director Joshua Seftel

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.