Jihlava, South Moravia, Oct 20 (CTK) – A special retrospective section at the forthcoming 20th International Festival of Documentary Film in Jihlava will focus on the culminating U.S. presidential election campaign, the event’s director Marek Hovorka told journalists on Thursday.
“We have selected works showing how U.S. documentary film makers have dealt with presidential elections,” Hovorka said.
The festival section named The Donkey or the Elephant will offer five films, including The Primaries, Robert Drew’s iconic film from 1960 documenting the election of John F. Kennedy.
“Since the appearance of this film, it has been evident that the U.S. presidential election is a ritual and a firm part of U.S. society,” Hovorka said.
The section will also offer a documentary about the career of Richard Nixon, two films about the performance of Bill Clinton’s election staff and one about the work of the incumbent President, Barack Obama, as senator before he decided to seek presidency.
A balloting will be staged within the retrospective section, with viewers being asked to cast their ballots for either the Donkey or the Elephant, symbols of the U.S. Democrats and rival Republicans, respectively, Hovorka said.
The outcome of the “election” will be presented at the festival’s closing ceremony.
The festival’s prize for the contribution to the world cinematography will be bestowed on Czech documentary film maker Drahomira Vihanova, he said.
