SCAD Radio was given the opportunity to view a screening of Boys State and attend a Q&A session with the filmmakers and subjects of the documentary.
Among most of the general public, the prevailing opinion of contemporary American democracy is that it’s in seriously ailing condition. There’s a sense that there’s no point in participating, because one vote “doesn’t make a difference”. Because, in that view, there’s no hope no matter who’s in office. Political machines and racially discriminatory literacy tests might be unconstitutional tools of the past used to suppress people’s rights, but we still have a long way to go with voting in the U.S. Voter suppression is still an evident force. For those who are able to vote easily and freely, local government is often taken for granted and ignored. Even for presidential elections, typically just over 50 percent of the voting-age population turns out to exercise their hard-won right to vote.
The new Apple Original Films and A24 documentary Boys State examines the complex state of American politics through focusing on a program of the same name–the 2018 Texas Boys State. Boys State shines a spotlight on the oft overlooked yet perhaps most important civic duty that Americans are tasked with–participating in the process of democracy. Astoundingly, both the documentary and the program reflect great truths about the actual full-scale process that is democracy. The cinéma vérité portrait of the Texas Boys State perfectly encapsulates the best and worst of what America has to offer.
Boys and Girls State are programs put on by the American Legion every summer for seniors in high school. The participants are arbitrarily divided into two parties, the Federalists and the Nationalists. They elect officials for various positions, outline a party platform and hold a primary to choose their gubernatorial candidate, with the governorship being the highest office in the program. All of this occurs over the course of one week.
The film follows four attendees of the Texas Boys State, each of whom go on their own journey and learn different lessons from their time at the program. Ben Feinstein is clearly made for the program. Politics are his obsession–he has a Ronald Reagan action figure in his bedroom, if that tells you anything. René Otero, one of the few black kids and even fewer liberals among a sea of white conservatives doesn’t fit in nearly as well. But as soon as he delivers his first speech, it’s clear to see that he’s destined to do well despite his minority status. Robert MacDougall and Steven Garza are competing for the Nationalist spot for governor. Rob seems like an easy winner, with his pandering to the majority conservative audience and friendly demeanor. Steven, on the other hand,has a progressive viewpoint and is naturally more reserved, yet true to himself.
Boys State has an utterly phrenetic atmosphere. At any moment, a press corps is running around, a talent show is going on, or a speech is being given. Co-director Amanda Mcbaine commented on the influence of the presence of the Boys State Band, saying “There’s something really exciting about being in a room with a marching band—it was one of the most exhilarating musical experiences I’ve had in a long time, so that was a big inspiration for the music.” The filmmakers made an intentional choice to preserve this energy, highlighted by decisions like using the marching band instrumentation for the score. All of the pomp and circumstance of Boys State is purposeful. It’s intoxicating to feel like you’re part of something big, and all of the bells and whistles lend to that. It gets these teenage boys,a notoriously apathetic demographic, excited about the potential of American democracy.
There are moments of extraordinary hope captured by the documentarians. Kids being honest and standing up for their beliefs in the face of the pressure of conformity is truly inspiring to see. On the flipside, the opinions touted by the boys and actions taken in the name of winning are disturbing at times. Race even comes to play an unfortunate role in the case of René, despite his obvious competence. These boys are trying to form their own political voice, and the prototype that they have is a system in which candidates routinely take cheap shots at one another. It’s a balanced take on the subject matter, providing the good with the bad, keeping hope alive while revealing what desperately needs to be changed.
For better or for worse, Boys State shows the trials and tribulations of American democracy right alongside the euphoric highs. McBaine and Moss said it best themselves, “When you are reminded of the powerful force of civil discourse, compromise and representative democracy on a small scale, you are more likely to believe in the ability of democracy to work on a big scale, and therefore more likely to want to be involved”. In a year where the state of politics seems like an almost doom-like scenario, Boys State tells us that yes, there is hope, but it’ll take some work to achieve our greatest potential.
BOYS STATE is an Apple Original Films and A24 Release. Now available to stream on Apple TV+.
You can read a previous SCAD Radio review of a A24 film Eighth Grade here.
