I VOTED TODAY wins Best Documentary at Portobello Film Festival

Our film won (and got a gold 'Trellik') for Best Documentary and was also nominated for Best Director and Best of Festival out of 700 films!

I VOTED TODAY at Portobello Film Festival

http://www.portobellofilmfestival.com
Wehay! The film has been picked up at the Portobello Film Festival and will be shown at Westbourne Studios on 6th of September.

Wednesday, November 5 - last words

US ELECTION - Wednesday, November 5... last words from ali alvarez on Vimeo.

Monday, November 5 - the morning after

US ELECTION - Wednesday, November 5... the morning after from ali alvarez on Vimeo.
The day after the Obama won... we went out and caught up with some of the people we spoke to earlier. We visited Tina at the diner, checked back in at Grace Baptist Church, then we asked Debby and Rafik to meet for a coffee and a chat... each having worked for McCain and Obama organizations, each looking a bit tired and frustrated still... I wanted the chat to be friendly but there was so much tension there. It was a sobering moment, that although Obama was elected, America has a lot of tension between the people still and a big, big divide between them that will take a lot of time to heal. The question to me was similar to Rafik's: Will some Americans acknowledge what black/minorities have gone through to get here, or will they sweep it under the carpet and move on? Guess we have to wait and see...

Tuesday, November 4 - the map

Here's what the maps looked like the next morning. Looks like only the cities in Ohio liked Obama... hmmmmm....

Tuesday, November 4... THE moment

US ELECTION - Tuesday, November 4... THE moment from ali alvarez on Vimeo.

And then, much faster than anyone expected, Obama was named President-elect. No waiting up all night, no contesting votes, no close call. Before we knew it McCain was giving his concession speech and Obama was giving his victory speech. The bar was cheery, but as a lot of them were campaign workers, it felt mostly like a sign of relief and tiredness.

Tuesday, November 4 - what winning Ohio means

US ELECTION - Tuesday, November 4... Obama wins Ohio from ali alvarez on Vimeo.

When Ohio went to Obama... the nerves turned to excitement. I followed Rafik outside to get his thoughts on what this meant to him...

Tuesday, November 4 - final Republican/Democrat parties...

US ELECTION - Tuesday, November 4... evening at Rep/Dem parties from ali alvarez on Vimeo.
Skander and I split up to cover both a Republican party and a Democrat party... waiting for the results. Totally by chance, we found ourselves at two totally differnet events. One full of suits and ties, one of pool tables and trainers. Once Ohio went to Obama we couldn't help spending the rest of the night with Rafik at the Democrat bar.

Tuesday, November 4 - at the polls...

US ELECTION - Tuesday, November 4... day at polling stations... from ali alvarez on Vimeo.

We rode with Rafik in the Voting "taxi" to pick up a few people and give them a lift. But by this point most people had voted. We talked to a lawyer at one polling station and found Debbie who we met at the Palin rally where she was working as a poll watcher. All seemed a bit quiet, everyone seemed a bit nervous, and just as the polls were going to close, an Obama worker got a phone call...

Tuesday, November 4 - the chicken lady...

US ELECTION - Tuesday, November 4... the chicken lady... from ali alvarez on Vimeo.
Before we head out, our man Rafik shares a story about someone he picked up to take to the polls.

Monday, November 3

US ELECTION - Monday, November 3 from ali alvarez on Vimeo.


Today is "Republican Day" for us so we got up at 6am to attend a Palin rally and watch her do her thing. Here's just a few photos and a little clip. We got great interviews, the Republicans were extremely nice and very passionate. ("Drill, Baby, Drill" for oil dependency and "We Will Win" for the war seem to be their top 2 chants).... we're all knackered so more will be posted after a nap!

Sunday, November 2

US ELECTION - Sunday, November 2 from ali alvarez on Vimeo.

Ok. Today I cried... We rode with a Baptist church in a bus down to the polling stations for them to all get their vote in. Gospel all the way there, and all over the streets. The hope they carried was unbelievable. They know they're writing history, you can see it in their eyes. Came across a Republican lady, then a giant Obama, then the real Obama and then Skeletor...

Saturday, November 1

US ELECTION - Saturday, November 1 from ali alvarez on Vimeo.

Our first day here.... I'll let the pictures and a bit of film tell a bit of the story, but I was totally and completely overwhelmed - in a good way. People were lining up down the street for hours to get their vote in. One woman started to complain and another just piped up, "This isn't a line, this is history". You get the most incredible feeling of hope; poor, mainly black, people coming out to vote for the first time, feeling impowered and proud. There are people from everywhere here to help. We met to Brits on the plane going to North Carolina to help, we met people from New York that had come to Cleveland to help.

We met a homeless man named Robert who we spent an hour with, who was so articulate and trying so hard to get back on his feet. We got in a fight with another homeless man who had just given up and was pissed off at the system.

We met campaigners who used music to motivate people, and others who were a little more - uh - hardcore. We spent an hour with friend's parents, talking about the state of things.

I almost cried three times. I was on a buzz the entire day and there are two more to go...

look! a full crew!

First there was me. Then Skander came on board as camera man... Then Luke came on as another camera man... then Amy came on as extra hand/sound/driver. I'm feeling damn lucky, we're all feeling damn excited. Cleveland Ohio, here we come.

Hey, these folks could help!

Over the weekend I got in touch with an organization called Vote Today Ohio. I was excited to find some people that had already started driving people to the polls. They were excited to hear someone was coming out with a camera. Perfect! (Yes, yes, they're very pro-Obama. And I am too. But I'm going to get both sides of the vote. Without opinion. Hard as it might be.)

FLIGHTS BOOKED

It's official, the flight is booked, I'm going to Cleveland! And even more exciting, I've got an awesome camera man with me - Skander Allani. He's brilliant with a camera, up for it from the moment I mentioned it... I'm flattered and excited to have him with me.