BETTER THIS WORLD
POV/PBS National Broadcast / Netflix / SXSW Premiere
How did two boyhood friends from Midland, Texas wind up arrested on terrorism charges at the 2008 Republican National Convention? BETTER THIS WORLD follows the journey of David McKay (22) and Bradley Crowder (23) from political neophytes to accused domestic terrorists with a particular focus on the relationship they develop with a radical activist mentor in the six months leading up to their arrests. A dramatic story of idealism, loyalty, crime and betrayal, Better This World goes to the heart of the War on Terror and its impact on civil liberties and political dissent in post-9/11 America.
FILM TEAM
Directed, Written and produced by Kelly Duane de la Vega & Katie Galloway
Edited & Written by Greg O’Toole
"[A] direct reflection of post-9/11 paranoia."
Stephen Holden, The New York Times
"A case of solid journalism that happens to be cinematically interesting...Docu thriller with twists that will catch many by surprise...Better This World delivers the kind of case study, rich in national and personal dimensions, that would have made the New Journalists of the '60s and '70s swoon."
Robert Koehler, Variety
AWARDS
- Won the Writers Guild Best Documentary Screenplay
- Won the Gotham Award for Best Documentary
- Won Barbara Hendricks Foundation Prize for Peace & Reconciliation
- Won the IDA's new Creative Recognition Award
- Won the Best Documentary at San Francisco International Film Festival
- Won the Best Documentary at Sarasota Film Festival
- Won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at DOCUWEST
- Nominated for an Emmy for Best Documentary
- Nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Investigative Journalism – Long form
- Nominated for an Emmy Outstanding Achievement in Craft - Editing
- Nominated for Best Documentary by IDA
- Nominated for Cinema Eye Award
- Nominated for London’s Grierson Award
POV/PBS National Broadcast / Netflix / SXSW Premiere
How did two boyhood friends from Midland, Texas wind up arrested on terrorism charges at the 2008 Republican National Convention? Better This World follows the journey of David McKay (22) and Bradley Crowder (23) from political neophytes to accused domestic terrorists with a particular focus on the relationship they develop with a radical activist mentor in the six months leading up to their arrests. A dramatic story of idealism, loyalty, crime and betrayal, Better This World goes to the heart of the War on Terror and its impact on civil liberties and political dissent in post-9/11 America.
FILM TEAM
Directed, Written and produced by Kelly Duane de la Vega & Katie Galloway
Edited & Written by Greg O’Toole