(USA, 90 min)
Dir. Amie Williams
“This is what democracy looks like!” chants a crowd of
protestors marching together at the Capitol Building of Madison, Wisconsin. The
group is comprised primarily of public-service employees demonstrating their
objection to the “Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill” (aka “The 2011 Wisconsin Act”)
that was proposed by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Walker’s Bill advised
numerous amendments that would allegedly revamp Wisconsin’s budget; however,
the Bill sought to do so at an expense of worker’s rights. Most problematic was
the proposed amendment to limit collective bargaining, which would effectively
end fifty years of progress made by workers who fought for their rights.
Unwilling to let the Republican Governor take away their livelihood, the public
took to the streets and marched to the Capitol to express their disapproval.
We are Wisconsin
chronicles the efforts of the protestors to voice their concerns and express
their democratic rights. The film follows six protestors from different walks
of life as they band to gather an advocate for common goals: social worker
Rachel Freidman; teacher Laura Glass; twenty-one year old student Kylie
Christianson; registered nurse and union rep. Candice Owley; electrician Mark
Roghen; and police officer Brian Austin. Austin’s participation is especially
notable as Walker’s bill exempted police officers and fire fighters; however,
these groups found the Governor’s proposal so egregious that they joined in the
cause. These six individuals joined thousands of protestors in an occupation of
the Capitol rotunda, unwilling to leave the building until the Governor heard
their cause.
The occupation begins as a public hearing against the bill. As
one concerned advocate explains, members of the public may testify as to why
the Bill is undesirable. The Republicans want to close the meeting, but policy
states that the hearing may continue so long as there are people wanting to
speak. The groups then decided to camp out at the building in order to keep the
hearing open. The hearing is eventually closed, but the public remains united
and will not leave until the Bill is killed. They occupy the Capitol for
eighteen days, giving voice to democracy and showing the imbalance of power
symbolized in Walker’s actions with the Bill.
We Are Wisconsin treats
the story of the occupiers quite fairly. Using titles that state little more
than dates and basic facts, director Amie Williams allows her subjects to tell
the story for themselves, which puts a human face on the infringements
encouraged by Walker’s Bill. The film also provides them a forum that the state
sought to close. The film outlines their objections to the Bill quite clearly
and shows that the workers were willing to grant some concessions even before
the Bill was proposed; likewise, Williams gives Members of the Right a voice in
the film by including words and actions that they used in public, such as
Walker’s comments on TV or the snippets of talking heads on the news that
sought to tell a very different story. Some of the pundits liken the activity
of the protestors to the Arab Spring movement in Cairo, thus using sensational
rhetoric to obscure the point. (Someone should tell them to catch a screening
of Shadows of Liberty if they’re in
town for Hot Docs.)
The reference to Arab Spring might be hyperbole, but the
film certainly encapsulates a relevant political movement. The actions of the
protestors arguably suggest a precursor to the movements of Occupy Wall Street,
or the fight of the 99 against the 1%. We
Are Wisconsin captures American in the moment, showing a growing unease of
the public in light of the wake of backwards conservatism that is spreading
across North America. The film offers a passionate, active voice for democracy,
and provides a morale that extends beyond union contracts and into universal
questions of basic rights.
The interactive, community-based feel of We Are Wisconsin gives it much of its
dramatic heft. Williams allows her subjects do the talking and she allows the
image of tens of thousands of bodies marching together to create an argument
far more powerful than voice-over could ever achieve. Williams also situates
the story within the legacy of American democracy through some effective song
choices. Most notable is the inclusion of Florence Reece’s anthem of solidarity
“Which Side Are You On?” which appears in a cover by Ryan Bingham. Doc fans
will certainly remember the iconic image of Reece singing in support of the
coal miners in their strike documented in Barbara Koppel’s 1976 film Harlan County U.S.A. As with its
processor, Wisconsin is highly
entertaining, but mostly for the passion of its subjects, rather than for its
antagonistic portrayal of Scott Walker (whom the occupy movement is in the
process of having overturned as Governor). We
Are Wisconsin might be the next Harlan
County U.S.A with how it conveys the fight of the strikers with such
clarity and passion. The politics and
conviction of the film are clear and, as such, are equally persuasive.
This is what documentary filmmaking is all about. One of the
strongest films to screen at Hot Docs so far, We Are Wisconsin received the first standing ovation I’ve seen at
the festival this year. The crowd at the film’s world premiere at the Isabel
Bader theatre brought the house down with passionate applause, and the film is
likely to inspire such a reception in future screenings. Even the most
conservative of viewers could be compelled by the stories told in We Are Wisconsin – this is a
provocative, convincing story about the power of democracy and what every
individual can do to effect change. Somebody, please send a screener of the
film to Stephen Harper.
Rating: ★★★★★ (out of ★★★★★)
Update (6/8/2012): We Are Wisconsin is now available on DVD or digital download at http://wearewisconsinthefilm.com.
For more information on the participants and to learn how to
get involved, please visit www.wearewisconsinthefilm.com
For more info on
films, show times, and tickets, please visit hotdocs.ca
