Apple and its partner film studio A24 have acquired the rights to "Boys State" a political coming-of-age documentary that examines the health of American democracy, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Apple is said to have paid $10 million for the documentary, which was directed by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine. Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs' widow, served as an executive producer on the project.

appleboysstate

Image courtesy of Sundance Film Institute

The film features an experiment in which 1,000 17-year-old boys from across Texas gather together to build a representative government from the ground up, reproducing some of democracy's worst principles and flaws.

Strap up your saddle and get ready for a wild ride. Boys State is a political coming-of-age story, examining the health of American democracy through an unusual experiment: a thousand 17-year-old boys from across the state of Texas gather together to build a representative government from the ground up. High-minded ideals collide with low-down dirty tricks as four boys of diverse backgrounds and political views navigate the challenges of organizing political parties, shaping consensus, and campaigning for the highest office at Texas Boys State--governor.

Documenting impeachment threats, dramatic debates, underdog victories, and even nefarious internet memes, filmmakers Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine (The Overnighters, 2014 Sundance Film Festival) chart the dramatic twists and turns of these intersecting stories to reveal profound truths about our political choices and civic obligations and to remind us, ultimately, that democracy is not a spectator sport. With cunning insight that will have audiences buzzing, Boys State holds a mirror up to our divided country. This is a film for the ages in every sense of the term.

Prior to being purchased by Apple, the documentary premiered on January 24 at the Sundance Film Festival.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Top Rated Comments

konqerror Avatar
72 months ago
I thought people were screaming here on the forums that Apple TV+ wasn't going to be a political and social justice streaming service?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2010mini Avatar
72 months ago

Another swing and a miss.
Wow. You’ve seen it already?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hipnetic Avatar
72 months ago
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote."

- Benjamin Franklin
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PickUrPoison Avatar
72 months ago

Well, probably also no Latinos, so I’m guessing that’s not the reason.
Turns out it’s a program run by the American Legion; they also have a Girls State program.

Boys State (like Girls State) is a decades-old program, run by the American Legion in states across the country, intending to give bright high school kids a crash course in the American political system.

That description is from the Hollywood Reporter review:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/boys-state-review-1272560
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chucker23n1 Avatar
72 months ago

That's political by definition.
Wait, so you take issue with the political opinion of “I believe a functioning government is good”? Wow. So partisan!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eatrains Avatar
72 months ago
Surprise, the whiners started whining immediately. Some people will be offended by anything.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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