New Documentary '11/8/16' Profiles Everyday Americans On Election Day
Matthew Jacobs
Updated
There’s been no shortage of analysis on how we arrived at Donald Trump’s presidency. The wonky polls, an angry and splintered America, James Comey, misogyny, the entertainment industrial complex ― it’s all been explored from a variety of angles.
The upcoming documentary “11/8/16,” however, isn’t focused on the aftermath or the minutiae of how we got there. It’s a portrait of voters across the country, preparing to participate in their divided homeland’s democratic process. Sixteen filmmakers follow different folks on Election Day, including a West Virginia coal miner, a Hillary Clinton staffer and a Mormon mother in Utah. HuffPost has the exclusive first trailer.
“In the months leading up to Election Day 2016, I wanted to attempt a reckoning with America at large, in all its vastness, its chaos, and its confusion,” Jeff Deutchman, who curated the movie, said in a statement to HuffPost. ”’11/8/16′ was my way of doing that. I enlisted an army of filmmakers who had ties to different regions of the country so that we could create a sweeping canvas of a single day. We wanted to make sure that we captured as many different aspects of American life, and of American opinions, as possible ― no other country contains such multitudes; that’s the source of many of our strengths and our weaknesses. Where that nets out is the subject of this film. There is no such thing as ‘too soon’ when it comes to confronting and trying to understand the country that we live in. We need this now.”
“11/8/16” opens in theaters and premieres on VOD platforms Nov. 3.
Also on HuffPost:
We vote to make the future better than the past.
Me and my 5-week-old daughter. This election has been triggering as a woman, but now having my first daughter has really given me a reason to advocate and vote for the sort of world I want/need her to grow up in. Teach your daughters to care less about fitting into glass slippers and more about shattering glass ceilings.
It was so important to me that my 4-year-old daughter was in the voting booth with me as a witness to this historical election. She will grow up knowing that she helped cast the ballot that elected our first female president It was a very special moment for this mom for sure.
Put on my red lipstick, grabbed my best squad member and pushed the button together. Honored my privilege to vote by trusting my intuition, conscience and brain power. My 3-year-old is watching and taking notes. #raisingfeminists #hearmeroar #girlpower
Voted early. Took both of my girls to see me vote for the first female president of the United States. My oldest daughter was so excited to be there and feel that she was part of the process. I voted for the person I want to be the leader of their country during some of their most formative years. I want them to know that as Latinas they are loved and respected in THEIR country. #StrongerTogether
We always take our girls to the polls every time we have voted. Our oldest will be 5 in February and I want to instill in her that it is her civic duty to vote. We explained the election process without telling her who we were choosing. I hope she grows up to be fiercely independent like her momma. I feel it is important to teach our children to take action and not to sit back and complain about things they can influence.
We took our girls to early vote with us on Halloween. Voting as a child is a learning moment for parents to show future, expected behavior. Whether or not the choices are the most ideal, a decision has to be made and you should always want to be a participant... win or lose. Someone fought and died for us to have a voice.
Here we are voting early this past Sunday. Showing my son the importance power of the vote. He's voted once in my belly, 2 times out. But this was his first presidential election. And I teared up. Our choices today impact our children tomorrow.
This is Matthew. He was upset that we weren't able to go Thursday after school, so on Friday I picked him up and we went straight to our local library for early voting. He was a part of the whole thing and was happy and says he can't wait to vote.
I brought my twin 3-year-old girls and my newborn baby boy to vote with me so that they understand that it is our duty as Americans to vote to make sure we protect our future.
My husband will be taking our 6-year-old with him today and I took our 4-year-old with me on Halloween to vote early. My girls know the importance of voting and how it is our right that many fought for to vote for what we believe in.
Took my daughter so she could see the process and it gave me a good opportunity to explain to her why it's so important and such a big responsibility to vote. As we were getting back in the car to leave she asked, "Can we go someplace else to vote again?" lol
My birthday gift to Hillary was my vote. My 10- and 7-year-old know how important this election is and they helped me cast this historic vote. It was a happy day for us and one I'm sure they will always remember.
I brought my 3 daughters with me when I voted early. Casting my vote for the first female president with my daughters by my side was an incredible feeling I'll never forget.
We voted because it's his country too. Habits are formed as children and I want him to be in the habit of participating in the political process.
My six year old was so proud to help me vote today. She has been asking about it for a week. I cast my vote for her future and was happy that she got the chance to see me do it. 🇺🇸
Different from other posts, but proudly voted with my daughter and granddaughter last Saturday. Three generations. First time voting in a Presidential election for my 19-year-old granddaughter. This election is too important and I was never sure if my daughter thought her vote mattered. A memory and perhaps a new tradition.
We're with her.
My 9-year-old and I voted in Lebanon, CT this morning. This election was especially important to me as a woman as the mother of a biracial child and as the mother of a young boy who needs a positive role model in the White House.
My daughter, Rose is 11 months old. She is a stroke survivor and neuroblastoma fighter. She wears my voting sticker, that I purposefully documented, to show her that any thing is possible. She fought to be here, stay here, and because we live in America, she can be anything she wants to be (even the future president). America is already great -- we have seen the goodness that abounds, kindness and love from even strangers. She will grow up knowing that.
In Colorado, almost everyone is voting by mail-in ballot this year. I took our nearly 3-year-old twins with me to drop off my ballot so they could learn about our civic duty. We also happened to talk about how they were helping mommy make history by voting for the first female president. "Girls Can Be Anything" was my favorite book as a kid so I read it to them for the first time before dropping off our ballots. And made sure to dress Lydia in a Girls Can Do Anything shirt for the occasion.
Early voters. I've taken my twins to vote each November. Want them to know how important it is.
I have taken the kids to vote with me every year since they were born and yes I vote every year -- local ballots matter, too. Even more excited to vote this year, lets make herstory! I love the Future Voter stickers they handed out to the kids.
I took my girls with me to vote today so they could see democracy in action. I want them to know that their voice matters, and that it's very important to participate in our government. Who knows maybe one day their names will be on the ballot!
Voted early in Indiana. I wanted to take my daughter to see me vote for a woman for the first time ever. It was a good platform to talk about women's rights equality in the workplace and what we should never take for granted.
My daughter was more than excited to go along w me to vote. And i felt it was important enough for her to see me vote against hate. To quote her, "It's time the boys give us a chance. It's stupid only boys have been president."
My daughter insisted on going to vote with me today even though she's not feeling well!! We have to set an example.
My husband and I voted early in Maryland and brought our 21-month-old and 6-week-old along with us. We each wore a baby and waited for close to an hour with shockingly no meltdowns from the kids. We talked about the paintings of doggies and sailboats on the wall while we waited and when my children get older and ask us about this election we'll talk to them about the issues close to our hearts and the change we hope to effect in the world. Even though they're way too young to understand now the significance of this vote, one day they'll feel the impact of it.
My 6 year old son is very fascinated by history-like crazy obsessed with presidents- he wanted to be apart of history when a woman was a choice as a president. And wanted to "see the setup" of the voting center 😂
This is my early vote pic in MA. It was my first time ever voting for President as an American citizen. What an honor and privilege is to be able to vote. My youngest son was with me and he was patient and observant.
Took our 7-year-old early voting in Florida last Friday. We want her to appreciate how special the right is to vote and how historic it is to be able to cast our ballot for the first woman president. #imwithher
Although my 5-year-old wasn't thrilled when she figured out we were VOTING instead of what she heard me say which would've required life jackets and fishing poles, she now understands the process much better after going in person. There is no substitute for showing her how to do something rather than just telling her what it takes to get something accomplished and today she got to see hundreds of people exercising their rights. She also knows the difference between the words VOTING and BOATING so I feel like the experience was a win.
It's so important for my boys to see my husband and me voting for a strong woman and against a man who couldn't be a worse role model. We are raising our boys to understand their white privilege but use it to fight for rights of all people no matter gender or color of your skin or religious beliefs.
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Trump is entitled to an additional 36 million shares if the company's share price trades above $17.50 "for twenty out of any thirty trading days" over the next three years.
