Reviews and Festivals
"Film also highlights the often nasty city council meetings that at times broke down completely. Those with an interest in local politics will find much to glean from this film."
— Library Journal"Expect outrage -- but also hilarity from the wild, guerilla-style documentary that reveals
racism, class warfare and other ugliness at the heart of political
ambition."
— East Bay Times
"It's like watching a year-long boxing match with no referee."
— East Bay Express"
Recommended. Giving a viewer something to think about on both sides, the documentary builds some suspense as the election outcome is awaited...The issues raised are faced in many other places in the country besides Richmond."
— Educational Media Reviews Online"
Recommended.
Nat Bates for Mayor offers an often fascinating fly-on-the-wall view of small city politics and the frequent lapses into pettiness and tribalism that result in polarized communities."
— Video Librarian"A fascinating history of that [Richmond] campaign...a timely reminder of the stakes involved in a key Left Coast battle against big money in politics that resonated nationally...Captures the defining moment of a campaign old-fashioned in many ways but hyper-modern because of its indirect business financing."
— Steve Early,
author of Refinery Town: Big Oil, Big Money, and the Remaking of an American City
"
Nat Bates for Mayor is the perfect documentary. It is as entertaining as it is informative and educational, and will have sitting at the edge of your seat. It is an excellent resource for educators teaching on the topics of politics, social movements, urban life, environmentalism, race relations, and corporate control. I cannot recommend it more highly."
— Clayton Childress, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Toronto"Bradley Berman and Eric Weiss go behind the scenes of Richmond, CA citizens' ongoing struggle to breathe in the shadow of the Chevron oil refinery."
— Bay Area Reporter"Shows us what happens when a multinational corporation gets involved. The microcosmic, local version of Citizens United at the national level, and a true harbinger of things to come...Serves as a document and an instruction manual as other towns and politicians find themselves taken over by corporate interests."
— CineSource Magazine"Filmmakers do an excellent job of neither judging nor praising any candidate. Everyone has their flaws, everyone comes off looking a little dirty."
— Jason Watches Movies
OFFICIAL SELECTIONSF DocFest
Nevada City Film Festival
St. Louis International Film Festival
Woodstock Film Festival
Santa Cruz Film Festival
Awareness Festival
Salem Film Festival