Free Historical Feature Film: Lessons from an American Primary
Heath Eiden is an award winning filmmaker whose work is archived in the Minnesota Historical Society.
Heath Eiden made "Dean and Me: Lessons from an American Primary" following the events of 911 as he suspected that fear would soon become a tool for certain figures in American history to profoundly change the nature and direction of American democracy for their own personal interests.
This historic film captures what happens when a young couple stop swimming with the sharks in Manhattan and move to idyllic Vermont only to find you can't really ever get out of the water after all if you are Awake. When war breaks out, Director Heath Eiden sets out to see if Americans really do have a say in their democracy and can put a stop to the rush to give away basic rights and freedoms.
The film monitors the mainstream media's function in our society as a the 5th wheel while asking, "is this any way to elect a President?"
Using the resources around him, the director hits the road to find out the answers. Eiden creates his own media empire and press credentials and hits the road as "DeanTV's" lone correspondent. He uses Vermont Governor Howard Dean's epic 2004 rise and fall as a grassroots-powered presidential candidate as the hero Candide-like figure who jumps into the process to experience how American's are allowed only certain candidates as their President.
As he knocks cameras across the country with big time media players, Eiden films everyone from grassroots foot soldiers to the big names of politics and media. The film serves as evidence of what happens to any outside-the-establishment challenges to the entrenched power of the two party political system Americans employ.
The lesson is timeless and so are any donations to the next film if you so choose.
Did you learn a lesson?
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Credits
- Director…Heath Eiden
- Producers…Iris Cahn, Heath Eiden, Deanna Kamiel
- Editor…Iris Cahn
- Cinematographer…Heath Eiden
- Executive Producers…Sandra Ames-Eiden, Heath Eiden
- Additional Camera: Eddie Martinez
- Assistant Editor: Ilya Chaiken
- Post Production Engineer: Rafael Parracoles
- Web Designer: Shawn Gross
- “Shiloh” written by Eddie Wilchins performed by Dead Eddie
Cast
DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean , Martin Sheen, Al Franken, Senator Hillary Clinton/ D-NY, Senator John Edwards/D-NC, and wife Mary Edwards, Rep. Dick Gephardt/D-MS, Senator Tom Harkin/D-IA, Senator Edward Kennedy/D-MA, Senator John Kerry/D-MA, Senator Joe Lieberman/I-CT, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-OH, Tucker Carlson and Chris Matthews /MSNBC, Paul Begala, James Carville and Candy Crowley/CNN, Karl Cameron, Sean Hannity and Brit Hume /FOX, George Stephanopoulos/ ABC, Jonathon Alter and Howard Fineman/ Newsweek, David Gergen/US News, Katrina vanden Heuvel/The Nation, Craig Crawford/Roll Call, Tom Oliphant/ The Boston Globe, Joe Trippi/Dean Campaign Manager, Terry McAuliffe, Alexandra Pelosi/filmmaker, Biff Henderson/David Letterman Show, General Wesley Clark, Reverend Al Sharpton, Huma Abedin/Hillary Clinton Aide
Participants
- Al Sharpton
- Alexandra Pelosi
- Anna Brosovic
- Atticus Eiden
- Biff Henderson
- Bill Mondale
- Brit Hume
- Candy Crowley
- Carl Cameron
- Chris Matthews
- Craig Crawford
- Darius Mitchell
- David Gergen
- Dennis Kucinich
- Dick Gephardt
- Eames Eiden
- Elizabeth Edwards
- George Stephanopoulos
- Hillary Clinton
- Howard Fineman
- James Carville
- Jennifer Donelan
- Joe Trippi
- John Edwards
- John Kerry
- John Wilson
- Jonathan Alter
- Katrina vanden Heuvel
- Martin Sheen
- Paul Begala
- Peter Freyne
- Sam Hemingway
- Sean Hannity
- Ted Kennedy
- Ted Mondale
- Tom Harkin
- Tom Oliphant
- Tucker Carlson
- Wesley Clark
Thanks to:
- Adam Barthel
- Alan Kucharski
- Caroline DiCarlo
- Carroll N. Jones Jr.
- Charles Smith
- Chris Demars
- Ian Corbin
- Kristen Vermilyea
- Larry Patterson
- Leonard Eiden
- Michael Oat
- Ray Seaman
- Walter Ludwig
Special Thanks to:
- Al Hilde Jr.
- Brett R. Johnson
- Dan Wardell
- Dick Bancroft
- E. Daniel Eckberg
- Judy C. Stern
- Linda Kadue
- Richard Kadue
- Sayre Wardell
- Steven Debrovner
- Ted Mondale
- Ted Yates Jr.
- The people of Morristown, Stowe, and all of Vermont
We have the power! We can direct your film too!