- Starring
- Hayden Pedigo
- Director
- Jasmine Stodel
- Rating
- n/a
- Running Time
- 69 minutes
- Release Date
- n/a
Overall Score
Rating Summary
This will be one of many reviews during this year’s SXSW Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.
Government isn’t what it used to be, often becoming so big and out of control that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. As a result many are resigned to the fact that this is the way it is as they have been left behind by people who don’t care about them as they have essentially shifted away from the public interest and towards their own personal interests while failing to adapt to the times. Ultimately, this will keep happening as long as no one steps up to the plate to challenge that status quo and bring some fresh ideas to the table. Win or lose, it’s all about inspiring and starting a discussion. Kid Candidate is a documentary that chronicles the recent run of Hayden Pedigo, a 24-year-old musician and artist from Amarillo, Texas who was inspired by viral video for that city council. While many could just google the result, the film is much more than that.
Suffice it to say that Pedigo had no idea what he was getting himself into but despite the seemingly insurmountable odds against him, he maintained a positive attitude as all he wanted to do was help his city that was becoming more and more divided. Kid Candidate showed how Amarillo was a microcosm of the United States political system as a whole with the wealthy and privileged propped up by a special interest group fueled by money and designed to keep them in power in order to line their own pockets regardless of their claim otherwise. Nevertheless, Pedigo was still very human in the face of that which only made him more inspiring. In the end, as much as he was a candidate, he was an inspiration for others in his community as he presented hope for a better future.
Running at a lean 60+ minutes, the film is simple and to the point while not running out its welcome. For those interested in civics, Kid Candidate is certainly a worthy watch.
still courtesy of Gunpowder & Sky
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
