Conventioneers

A combination of documentary and fictional narrative, writer-director Mora Stephens' Conventioneers is a star-crossed romance set at the actual 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, shot among the many real protests and varieties of political street theater that spontaneously sprang up during those sweltering and contentious summer days (the filmmaker, incidentally, along with several producers and camera operators, were all arrested merely for videotaping protesters around NYC). Texan Republican delegate David (Matthew Mabe) arrives in Manhattan revved up for his first convention but finds himself unexpectedly embroiled in an affair with former college friend Lea (Woodwyn Koons), who just happens to be an angry anti-Bush liberal neck-deep in organizing a protest. Meanwhile, Lea's friend Dylan (Alek Friedman), who abandoned the activist lifestyle after he and his wife had a baby, is suddenly tossed a delicious opportunity for dissent when he is offered work as a sign-language interpreter for none other than George W. Bush himself. A smart, savvy film about the choices and compromises we make in our quest for fulfillment—in our hearts and in our minds—this provocative film won the John Cassavetes Award at the 2006 Independent Spirit Awards and the grand jury prize for best narrative feature at the 2006 Florida Film Festival. Recommended. (M. Johanson)