Gerrymandering Exposed

It has been described as the most political activity of all; you guessed it - or maybe not since most Americans rarely think about it - redistricting. After the $13 billion national headcount in 20 IU, when all the census figures have been compiled and the government knows exactly who lives where, the nation's 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives will be reallocated according to the population distribution and states will start carving up congressional districts and rearranging boundaries to suit their needs. This is when mischief can enter into the picture as various interests - political parries and incumbents among others - try to gerrymander districts to their advantage. Once drawn, district boundaries tend to stay in place for a decade (unless they're in Texas), so this is serious business.

As technology has evolved to give politicians and operatives the tools to carve out districts with remarkable precision, gerrymandered districts are becoming the rule rather than the exception.

And Jeff Reichert, writer/ director/ producer of Gerrymandering, a new film documentary that exposes the rcdistricting process, worries it is damaging American democracy. "Redistricting is, at heart, an issue about representation," says Recihert, "a question that undergirds the very reason the United States became a country in the first place."

Just in time for the 2010 round of redistricting, and the controversies it will likely generate in states across America, Gerrymandering presents a fair, comprehensive and nuanced view of gerrymandering that gets viewers thinking seriously about its potential consequences. The film sheds light on a topic that often escapes under the radar.

The story is rich and layered, and the filmmakers succeed in demystifying a truly a complicated process in a compelling way. Anchored by interviews with over 50 leading experts and politicians - including California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former U.S. Senator and Governor of Florida Bob Graham, and former DNC Chair Howard Dean - the film probes the complexities of redistricting in an accessible and balanced way. It also showcases the role political strategists can play in the process and the opportunities district changes can create for consultants.

Gerrymandering, an official selection in the 2010 Tribeca, Seattle, Philadelphia and Woodstock film festivals, was produced by the Green Film Company, formed by Chris Romano and Dan O'Meara in 2(107. The Company's first film. By the People: TIw Election of Baraci; Obama, featured exclusive access to then-Senator Obanias historic campaign from early 2006 through the general election in November 20OK, The film, co-produced by Edward Norton's Class 5 Films, premiered on HBO in the fall of 2009.

Gerrymandering, opens on October 1 5 in select theaters. The film is bound to attract a wide enough authence to kindle a national debate about redistricting. You wi� want to know what viewers know about this important aspect of American politics and elections.

[Sidebar]

Gerrymandered districts are becoming the rule rather than the exception.

[Author Affiliation]

Mark Ruggiero is a freelance writer who resides in New York.