With the lives of 62,000+ uninsured Idahoans at stake, a tiny grassroots team, led by a married couple with a newborn and almost no political experience, hit the road in a 1977 RV to campaign for the state’s desperately needed Medicaid expansion bill. This is their story.
Santa Barbara, CA (March 22, 2021) – RECLAIM IDAHO, a feature documentary, will light up screens across America as it makes its world premiere at the 36th Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) which debuts virtually on Saturday, March 31, 2021. The independent documentary production was shot on the roads of Idaho and in the cabin of a temperamental, bright green 1977 RV during the 2018 election cycle. Directed by husband-and-wife team Laura Wing-Kamoosi and Jim Kamoosi, RECLAIM IDAHO will also unspool at an outdoor screening on Friday, April 9, 2021 at 4:30 PM at a beach-side outdoor drive-in set up exclusively for SBIFF.
“In a political climate that is often vicious, it was a joy to witness the kindness and respect with which Reclaim Idaho ran their Medicaid Expansion campaign”, said co-Director Laura Wing-Kamoosi, “They reached people in a way that was genuinely compassionate. They didn’t scream on social media or refuse to speak to people based on party lines. They simply talked to people, one at a time, answering their questions, addressing their fears, and eventually, winning them over. If positive change is to happen in this country, this is how.”
RECLAIM IDAHO is a documentary feature shot on the roads and in the neighborhoods of Idaho during the final days of the 2018 election cycle. Directed by the husband-and-wife filmmaking team, Laura Wing-Kamoosi and Jim Kamoosi, the pair followed the grassroots citizens movement of the same name as they rode along inside the Medicaid Mobile, a temperamental 1977 Dodge RV painted green with “Medicaid for Idaho” spelled out on the side in white duct tape. Originally organized as part of an initiative to strengthen and protect public schools, Reclaim Idaho also works to protect public lands and to extend healthcare to all Idahoans. Traveling to every corner of the state while reaching remote communities often ignored by traditional political campaigns, RECLAIM IDAHO was shot entirely in Idaho. The eye-opening feature length documentary offers audiences front-seat access to witness democracy in action as over 2,000 ordinary Idahoans, volunteering in over 25 counties, from every part of the state, come together to accomplish what the Idaho legislature failed to do. And, as these regular Idahoans became citizen lawmakers, Laura and Jim were there with their cameras, and their five-year old daughter in tow, to capture it all for the world to see.
“We’re incredibly honored to see the story of Reclaim Idaho told and to have that story serve as a ‘how to guide’ for anyone feeling inspired to effect change in their communities”, said Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville. “We began this long shot journey because the fight alone gave people all around the state something to believe in and forced the political conversation to focus on kitchen table issues. Thousands of people joined the fight because they heard the stories of those in the gap and saw their power manifest as their efforts snowballed into Proposition 2 and the eventual passage of Medicaid Expansion. When we organize, when we band together, when we commit to talking to everyone, we can create change in our states no matter and often in spite of the composition of the legislature.”
Watch the trailer here: https://vimeo.com/463992340
The film will be available to view online from March 31, 2021. Tickets cost $10 and will be available at the SBIFF web site: https://sbiff.org
Reclaim Idaho will also be available at a special beach-side drive-in screening:
RECLAIM IDAHO
DRIVE-IN SCREENING
Friday, April 9, 2021 at 4:30 PM
All Drive-In screenings at the 2021 SBIFF will have 100% FREE admission. Advance reservations must be made in advance in order to secure a spot. RSVPs will be accepted starting 24 hours ahead of the screening time at the SBIFF web site.
For more information about the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, to purchase tickets or reserve a spot for the drive-in, go to: https://sbiff.org
About the Film
With the lives of 62,000+ uninsured Idahoans at stake, a tiny grassroots team called Reclaim Idaho hits the road in an unreliable 1977 RV to campaign for Medicaid expansion. Led by a married couple, Emily and Garret Strizich, and their childhood friend, Luke Mayville, Reclaim Idaho started with little political experience and few resources. Against all odds, and defying expert advice, they succeed in getting Medicaid on the ballot the very first time. Now, they have to cross the next hurdle: getting voters in this majority Republican state to approve the measure. In the final days of the campaign, filmmakers Laura Wing-Kamoosi and Jim Kamoosi fly to Idaho with their five-year-old daughter in tow. They join Reclaim Idaho’s founders, following them as they drive across the state to reach every last voter. Can Medicaid Expansion actually pass despite the dire predictions by experts and pundits insisting it was doomed to fail? RECLAIM IDAHO is a record of the tireless work of regular folks, coming together to do what’s right. In a time when so many of our elected representatives are fueled by divisive rhetoric and piles of cash from wealthy donors, Reclaim Idaho reminds us that when we build a community, we have power. Starting the conversation with a big green RV, while optional, doesn’t hurt either.
Social Links:
Facebook: ReclaimIdahoFilm
Twitter: @ReclaimIdahoDoc
Instagram: @ReclaimIdahoFilm
Hashtag: #ReclaimIdahoFilm
About SBIFF
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit arts and educational organization. Over the past 36 years, SBIFF has become one of the leading film festivals in the United States – attracting 100,000 attendees and offering 11 days of 200+ films, tributes, and panels, fulfilling their mission to engage, enrich, and inspire people through the power of film. They celebrate the art of cinema and provide impactful educational experiences for local, national and global communities. The 36th Annual SBIFF runs virtually from March 31, 2021, to April 10, 2021. For more information and tickets go to: https://sbiff.org.
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