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Jonathan Goodman Levitt on his documentary about the next generation of politics finding its voice
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Don't think it -- is joining us thanks -- maker of a documentary in the documentary called follow the leader.
This is a documentary when I was reading about it it really appeals to me because when I was a high school.
I want to Langley high school of public school in Northern Virginia and I had a little boyfriend at the time -- went to -- all the boys school -- was very exclusive.
And I remember just thinking you know a lot of these kids it's acknowledged it will recently they were being groomed and to become the leaders of the country and it -- it's in DC a lot of their parents were involved.
And I thought man you know these are the kind guys that would change the country now I don't think any of them aren't I you know -- certainly followed up but -- of that have.
Have achieved a level that I think I've seen you know -- -- presidential level -- guess -- say.
But it you this actually haven't done as you followed three.
High school students.
Three guys they were the president of their class tell us exactly what goes on in this -- this document.
Well essentially -- -- a political coming of age stories so we followed them for three years.
I think finish high school lesser -- former first couple years of college as they basically discover who they want to be when they grow up and you know.
Bring down their ambitions perhaps from wanting to be president into perhaps more realistic ambitions at least at least for two of us are gonna start off by City Council first type -- thing.
Right I mean I think in the beginning of the film that was.
Ambition that they thought OK I was gonna work myself.
The -- Political leadership all the way to the presidency.
But in the course of the film you see that two and three of them would get really disillusioned working their way through politics.
And you know one of them still says when he set out and MTV to have to -- reporter -- day that he still wants the president and his girlfriend chimed in that.
She got to live in the White House itself -- He's still there.
I want to show Clinton at this very fast this is follow the leader checking.
-- mean we're not all point.
I.
You know people -- Baseball -- -- football.
And I see this politics must work.
So tell us a little bit about why you chose these particular boys.
Right well on was I was living in I was living in London for about ten years throughout the course of 9/11 in the aftermath 9/11 and I would come back to the country to teach I would be.
Really struck by how the political views of the kids that I was teaching really changed dramatically in the wake of nine elevenths and they seem to be contradictory.
To me as someone who grew up in peacetime in the ninety's yeah so when -- -- -- about moving back to the country I decided to you.
-- three boys.
Who really represented traditional leaders of the country.
And follow them as they learn to think for themselves and I thought at the time going through different directions which they did in the film politically speaking.
You know I had I had some people over for dinner and we got to spirited discussion never supposed to -- that's what you're having a social situation but we got it's the politics.
And especially a President Obama and some people at the table felt that.
You know -- -- that they elected big guy that they thought he was going to be that that they had idealized.
Turn into something.
That that they totally didn't expect they'd and they didn't like.
And others at the table -- what that's what politics works you start off you know you've got this ideal and that as the pack start to -- to you and the donors and all this business.
All of a sudden -- pressured the power of the you know if -- -- become a sort of just you become sort of this.
Strange city that that is being pulled by so many people -- any sort of -- who you -- wanted to be in the first place.
Honor how.
-- do you think that do you think.
Based on these kids and based on the generation you're watching right now with this document do you think that this is these kids are present of a generation that will change.
And we'll sort of stand firm.
-- do you think it's always going to be politics as usual as we know it which is.
You know again in the super -- -- the money that you know all the other things that change the candidate well.
I think there's certainly no matter about I mean I think you see the disillusionment even have you know between sixteen and nineteen that's -- -- -- in the film you see that disillusionment.
In all three of them to a different extent.
But you know I also have a great deal of hope and spending time with kids this age.
You know just gives me hope for the future because you know they're they are different -- -- they are reforming.
What it means to be a political leader they are redefining.
You know even terms like liberal and conservative mean something different for them.
And you know they're they're they're.
Going about it differently than maybe our generation went about it they're trying to do it more within the system -- a class.
That's when you get away from your parents then you start to you you're able to -- -- forming your -- apparently think that the parental units are very very.
They they have a lot of but they have a lot of influence you've shown the -- The documentary -- groups spanning the political spectrum I was pretty notes about this I thought it was very interesting the reaction it got tell us a little bit about.
Right well I mean we we haven't premiered yet we're looking to premiere the film as soon as possible.
But do we know we're doing some preview screenings for outreach partners and other groups and we've shown it -- in the same week we showed it to -- institute which is a very progressive organization and we showed it.
Two -- at Americans for Tax Reform.
Which -- governor -- organization and there we had a very enthusiastic response.
At both of those preview screenings.
I mean really I think I'm on the last they had people questioning what they thought.
About people on the right and on the -- -- face -- you know people thought that OK people can change.
And you know their -- and still shines through and you know we can still respect all of these people.
Forties and when you see these these three guys ten years from now ten years from now blown -- probably you know I'm lucky one of them will be in politics I.
But I but I think guys you know every one of them you know hasn't that he had a religious awakening or reawakening if you will be you know strengthen his religious views and I think.
You know he'll be leaving -- -- church I would imagine out.
-- ten years that's right here.
Not really I think it was -- lot of people with their own doesn't let me.
But I but I think you know he's always you know I mean that's -- And early in the film that he's a very evangelical about religious person and you know that became more of more to -- four.
So I guess stay tuned to foxnews.com.
-- we'll let you know when this you know when this comes out that people can actually watch it and tell CNN and is there any any sort of place where they know right now CN what I love is that someone saw this broadcast and -- they said okay we love this film to be seen at the Republican and democratic national conventions have been very -- -- -- It's 71 minutes there.
Friends I mean where -- the new idea for us but we really don't -- a week.
For festivals we don't wanna wait longer we want to show it to people right now -- in in September we're gonna be doing if you reality check contracted events.
Which are an episodic presentation of the film split with interactive voting.
And the -- will be the week following 9/11 big premiere events well best of last year I think it's a great concept Jonathan didn't -- it.
