While it may seem a bit crazy to already have a film that documents the craziness of 2020, filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi has crafted it, and “American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself” not only aims to show just how batshit bonkers this year has been for the United States but frames it around the use of our smartphones.
As seen in the trailer for ‘American Selfie,’ Pelosi talks about the events of 2020, the civil unrest, COVID-19, the upcoming Presidential Election through the lens of the younger generations and our society’s obsession with smartphones. Not only are we capturing seemingly innocuous pictures of ourselves at famous landmarks, but these video cameras in our pockets are documenting the craziness that surrounds us. And unfortunately, the pictures aren’t as pretty as we hoped 2020 would be, replaced by images of violence, racism, and one nation divided politically.
“The purpose of this film was to take the temperature of how people feel about America today — to take a selfie of how America looks in 2020,” Pelosi said. “It’s an artifact of this moment in time, and I’m immensely grateful to Sheila Nevins, MTV Documentary Films and Showtime for bringing this film to audiences at such an urgent time.”
“American Selfie: One Nation Shoots Itself” arrives on Showtime on October 23. You can watch the trailer below.
Here’s the description for the film:
Placing viewers directly within the most consequential events of the past year, Pelosi takes the pulse of the country while capturing the fervor of this precise moment. Powerful and provocative, AMERICAN SELFIE raises critical questions about the stark divisions in how Americans feel, and asks if it’s possible to ever find a way to a more perfect union. As unthinkable perils engulf the land, Pelosi bravely captures the rising tensions among warring factions that eventually spill over and erupt into protests in the streets.