“Best of Enemies” tells a story of conflict rather than love. It is just one of this year’s Savannah Film Festivals “Docs to Watch.” The film documents a series of debates between Gore Vidal and William Buckley from the 1968 U.S. elections.
“It’s funny in 2010 we came across these raw interviews and we thought it’s so contemporary. This will be the perfect documentary for the 2012 election. And now five years later its the perfect documentary for the 2016 election,” director Morgan Neville said on the film’s relevance for today’s audience.
“Best of Enemies” takes a very honest and raw look at the role the media plays in politics.
“The political divide and the way the media feeds that politic divide is just expanding, unfortunately and I think that’s something we wanted to make a film about in the beginning,” Neville said. “Trying not to make a film about politics but the culture of politics. To not make a film about the arguments but about how we argue.”
When asked if staying objective when making of film of this nature was a difficulty, Neville noted that it was indeed a struggle.
“It’s hard because you always want to root for one side. But I think we wanted to step back and make a broader film about the systemic problems not the symptomatic problems,” he added. “I’ve had people from the left and the right feel like the film was somehow leaning on their side.”
With advancements in technology and broadcasting the media is ever changing as well as becoming more and more influential.
“There’s a study that came out last month from University of Washington about the rise of punted media and political networks has effected the political divide. The rise of Fox News and MSNBC. There’s no doubt the evidence is in: there’s a clear connection between the media and its role in fanning those flames and we just don’t talk about it.”
“We didn’t set out to make that film but I think our film at least starts to make people think about it in some way,” he added.
“Best of Enemies” premiered in the U.S. on Jul. 31, 2015. For more information, you can visit the film’s website.
Written by Asli Shebe.
Photographed by Kathrine Rountree.
Asli Shebe is a senior writing major from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She began working for District in 2014 as a staff writer, then copy editor, A&E editor, Chief Assignment editor and finally, Editor-in-Chief in 2017. Asli currently holds the record for obtaining the most job titles during her time at District. When she’s not writing for District you can find her biking around the Historic District of Savannah at odd hours of the day.
