Coming to theatres today, Friday, October 31: TRUE SON
Kevin Gordon’s portrait of young man’s entry into local politics had its world premiere at Tribeca this Spring. The doc has gone on to SF DocFest, Oakland Underground, the United Nations Association, and the upcoming Indie Memphis film fests.
Michael Tubbs already beat the odds once, taking the charismatic African American young man from the beleaguered city of Stockton CA to the halls of Stanford University. Having completed his studies, Tubbs isn’t content to put his past behind him – instead, he returns home, ready to make a difference in a city with serious problems. His solution, borne of late-night dorm talks: run for city council and unseat an incumbent who seems content with the status quo – despite a lack of experience and funds. While he faces an uphill battle, his passion, and ability to rally otherwise disinterested young adults, gives Tubbs a fighting chance – even if Stockton’s electoral rules systemically make it unlikely for minority candidates to win seats. While fairly conventionally constructed, Gordon’s film benefits greatly from the engaging personalities of Tubbs and his campaign team to rally audience engagement, making this an appealing entry in the nonfiction subgenre of political campaign docs.
what (not) to doc 