Director Nick Broomfield's bizarrely fascinating depiction of the difficulties he faced making "Sarah Palin:You Betcha!"

 On his documentary teams arrival in America:

October 24, 2010: We’ve arrived – or I have. Half my film crew have been arrested and deported. Everything is going fine at Seattle airport until they find out we are doing a film about Sarah Palin. The authorities go mad. They search our bags and detain my two researchers. 

Sarah, 22, is subjected to a urine test against her wishes – just in case she is pregnant and tries to get citizenship by giving birth on US soil. Her colleague Mark is spreadeagled against the wall and given a rectal search before being handcuffed. The 25-year-old spends the night on a filthy floor littered with cigarette butts. They are both sent back to England, supposedly because they don’t have the right visas. 

My cover for the documentary is blown. Discretion was the key. But thanks to our airport kerfuffle, the Wasilla branch of Homeland Security – an organisation dedicated to protecting America from terrorist activity (are my films that bad?) – has been told all about us. Instead of slowly ingratiating myself into Sarah Palin’s home community, I have landed in a blaze of notoriety.

On fear of Sarah:

November 21: Not everyone finds Sarah quite so charming. Many are frightened to talk. Sarah, a former Mayor of Wasilla and vice-presidential candidate, is very influential. Friends and supporters have been banned from speaking. But there are a few folk who have fallen out with her and don’t mind saying so. 

We throw a dinner party and invite the local pastor, some of Sarah’s old acquaintances, and a neighbour and sworn enemy of Sarah called Colleen Cottle. 

We rustle up pork loin as a change from our all-moose diet. Moose is delicious; like venison, only better. But there’s a lot of it. A single moose keeps a family for an entire winter. Our guests bring moose sausages. 

The conversation is tortured. One of the wives gets annoyed. Her husband had talked to us for the film and, coincidentally, had lost his job. Word spread that we were responsible for his unemployment. The wife walks out. The night wears on. We drink an awful lot of whisky.

 On getting Chuck Heath to talk to them:  

The only way I can get Chuck to speak to me is to buy moose and reindeer antlers from his mountainous collection. They are $150 a pop. He is getting less communicative as the days go by. 

But he does reveal something more powerful than his words ever could. Chuck points to a picture on his wall of some mangled feet. They are his. 

He explains he once took part in a marathon across the snow and that his toes filled up with pus. Luckily, he had packed a hand drill and bored through his digits to release the fluid. He finished the race. 

You understand a lot about Sarah’s unbelievable drive and grit when you see the picture of her father’s feet.  

On learning that old Alaskan maxi about men in Alaska, "The odds are good, but the goods are odd:"

December 5: We set off on snow- mobiles to a restaurant called Islander Lodge. You can tell it is a classy joint by the fake palms and laminated menus. Another night we visit the Bikini Bar, opened to cater for workers building a nearby prison. 

A 22-year-old brunette opens the window and enquires: ‘How can I help you today?’, wearing nothing but two scraps of fabric over her very generous, goose-bumped chest. In such a religious community, it is hil- ariously incongruous. 

We go to a bar across the way. It is full of bearded, beer-guzzling rednecks. All heads turn as we walk in. Silence descends. Our researcher is not unattractive and the guys’ eyes are out on stalks. It is like Deliverance on ice. We don’t go back. 

By the way I also met Nick's researcher, also named Sarah, and I can attest to the fact that she was quite beautiful, so I don't think I would be too hard on the somewhat inebriated men of Wasilla for gawking at her. I have seen some of the women in that community (Mercede notwithstanding) and one can hardly blame them for acting as if they they had never seen a beautiful woman before.

I had heard some of these anecdotes from Nick himself but certainly not all of them.

I did know they had significant difficulty getting anybody to talk with them after they were outed and that they ran into some very hospitable people, but also some extraordinarily rude behaviors as well. I am ashamed and embarrassed about how they were treated by our customs agents in Seattle. That seems uncalled for, but I have little difficulty believing that was directly due to them wanting to do a film on Palin. Before she became inconsequential her reach was long indeed.

You can read more courtesy of Mail Online.

Get your popcorn ready kids! "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!" to be available for Video On Demand by November 11th of this year.

Courtesy of Talk TV World:

SARAH PALIN: YOU BETCHA! will be available on Internet VOD/EST on November 8th and Cable VOD on November 11th from Freestyle Digital Media. The DVD will be released in 2012. 

The film is directed by Nick Broomfield (Biggie and Tupac, Kurt & Courtney) and Joan Churchill (Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer) with appearances by: John Bitney (Palin's former Legislative Director), Howard Bess (Former Alaskan pastor), Colleen Cottle (Former Wasilla Deputy Mayor), Walt Moneghan (Former Police Chief of Anchorage), Mike Wooten (Palin's former brother-in-law/Troopergate Scandal), Chuck and Sally Heath (Palin's parents) , Lyda Green (Former Alaskan Senate President), and Laura Chase (Palin's former campaign manager). 

SARAH PALIN: YOU BETCHA! tells the story of Nick Broomfield's quest for the real Sarah Palin - a journey across the icy snows of Alaska in mid winter, to meet the school friends, family, and Republican colleagues that in previous days gave their heart, and souls to the charismatic, charming, and intoxicating ex hockey mum. But it's not all plain sailing. People are frightened to talk, Wasilla makes Twin Peaks look like a walk in the park. It's a devout evangelical community - 76 churches with a population of only 6 thousand, and the Crystal meth capitol of Alaska. Who are the flying monkeys, the enemies, the friends, and most importantly - are you with her or against her? Join the quest and for Christ's sake buy some thermals! 

I am of the mind that much of the reason that this film did not get more attention, and a wider release, was that Palin took herself out of contention for the Republican nomination. Which was great news for America, but really unfortunate for this film because from what I have seen of the documentary it is highly entertaining.

As a rule I do not ever take advantage of my VOD as it always seemed ridiculous to pay the cable bill and then pay additionally to watch a certain movie. I will of course make an exception in this case.

And I will also purchase the DVD which is supposed to be available in 2012. In my opinion we owe Nick, and Joe McGinniss, and Geoffrey Dunn, and Frank Bailey a huge debt of gratitude for scaring Sarah Palin back into the shadows, so if I can repay them even a little by purchasing their books and movies I am definitely going to do so.

(I actually received a free copy of both Geoffrey and Joe's books in the mail, but still purchased an additional copy as well which I have donated to people who could not afford one of their own. They have now both been donated to local libraries if I am not mistaken)

Oh and speaking of books, I had another conversation with Fred this morning and he and his publisher are still working out some kinks, but hope to provide an update, including the release date, in the near future.  From what I understand part of the hold up has to do with the number of pictures included in the book.

Nick Broomfield's "Sarah Palin--You Betcha!" debuts at the BFI London Film Festival.

Joan Churchill and Nick Broomfield at the 55th BFI London Film Festival.

This from The Film Pilgrim:

Sarah Palin – You Betcha! is a political, biographical documentary of Sarah Palin. 

Throughout the film Nick Broomfield and his team come up against many obstacles; from people who are increasingly unwilling to discuss Sarah, to Sarah herself who claims she will give an interview, but inevitably doesn’t. The film is a mix of one-on-one interviews, archive footage and also some beautiful scenery shots. Seeing the development of Sarah’s career is eye-opening and gives stark evidence of what it has taken for her to become such an influential woman in American politics. The range of interviews with her old colleagues and neighbours also provides a personal insight into what she has done to get where she is in politics; including firing people who were once her friends and helped her get into a powerful position within the community. There is also evidence of bitter family feuds, and other disputes she regularly gets into. 

The archive footage dug up is relatively unseen and deeply personal, including Sarah Palin playing basketball in school. With this extensive archive and interview footage comes a sense of naivety or to put it plainly, stupidity. We are informed that Palin thought Queen Elizabeth II was the head of the UK government, incorrectly believed that she made all the decisions regarding policy and legislation, she couldn’t find Iraq on a map even though her son was being sent there, and the film ends with the famous prank phone call in which Sarah believed she was accepting a call from French president Nicolas Sarkozy. Some of the people interviewed are very worried that if she won the presidency she would have no qualms with starting a nuclear war. There was also evidence that she doesn’t always want what was best for the people, and is more concerned what was best for her. This was seen in the way she behaved to her ex-brother in law, whom she tried to get fired purely because he split from her sister. Quite a scary picture is painted of the incompetence of this powerful figure in American politics. 

There were a total of 125 hours of rushes and another 125 hours of archive footage that had to be trawled through during editing. The fact that this extensive amount of film was condensed down into an incisive and very well structured hour and a half documentary is a monumental achievement in itself. On top of this, the filmmakers also had to change the direction of the film numerous times as it was not clear whether Palin was running for president or not. 

Sarah Palin – You Betcha! is witty and funny, yet rather than taking the easy route of ridiculing a figure who is regularly mocked anyway, it takes a serious look at a character who could have had a catastrophic impact on the world. Broomfield maintains his already established filmmaking style, there is unfortunately no attempt at an evolution in his approach, but it is nevertheless another remarkable achievement from one of the documentary genre’s most vital auteurs. 

Sarah Palin – You Betcha! is showing at the BFI London Film Festival on the 15th and 16th October

I am still very much looking forward to seeing this film even though it did not exactly set the movie world on fire with its limited release here in the states. I have to blame a portion of that on the fact that Palin is no longer considered a viable Presidential candidate, nor a real threat to our democracy as we know it.

Essentially the majority people are starting to "get over" her. Something which I have little doubt is driving her insane.

By the way I have been badgering Fred about his book and when the website will be up. I am told that it will be very soon. I was giving a date, but I refuse to share it just in case there is another setback.

I also apologize for the tease, but this time it is totally not my fault. If it were up to me I would have had both the website up and book published ages ago.

Absolutely MUST SEE review of the documentary "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!"

Courtesy of the New York Observer:

For a shrill, obnoxious loudmouth spouting more semantic goofs in public than Mrs. Malaprop, she has mangled more facts, misquoted more people and been on the wrong side of so many things that she’s ready for a cinematic firing squad. And for a veteran documentary filmmaker with the credits of British director Nick Broomfield, I expected Sarah Palin—You Betcha! to be a hair-raising exposé. But he didn’t have to put in much overtime. All he had to do was go to Wasilla, Alaska, open his eyes and ears, and keep his cameras rolling. As her family, friends and enemies—including just about everybody she has ever worked with as mayor, governor and vice presidential nominee-—prove in every scene, Sarah Palin defines self-parody. 

The result is a balanced job of reporting that drives a stake through the heart of whatever she had left of a political career. Not easy, when a subject speaks only through Facebook and Twitter. But Mr. Broomfield, who wrote and directed the film with Joan Churchill, has profiled difficult subjects before: Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, and lesbian serial killer Aileen Wuornos, for starters. This might have been his easiest job yet. She was a pistol-packin’ mama who arrived on the scene after shooting and killing animals from a helicopter just in time to wreck John McCain’s bid for the presidency (although he did plenty to make a fool of himself on his own), stuck around to drive the Tea Party to infamy, and flapped her mouth with notable quotables like “What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.” It’s all in the movie. She does the work. You just shudder.

In case you think Sarah Palin—You Betcha! is a hit job on an easy subject, see the movie and learn something. It’s terrifying, but in all fairness, no disgrace, no rumor of extramarital affairs in office, no broadside is explored unless it can be substantiated. No need to gild a poison lily. She didn’t know Africa was a continent. She still insists you can see Russia from Alaska. The movie has wry humor and sobering facts, but Mr. Broomfield doesn’t make anything up. By the end, the catalogue of her failures, hypocrisies and lies is still overwhelming. But despite her political irrelevance, her biggest supporter is Rupert Murdoch, who paid her a $3 million salary for Fox and a $7 million advance for her book, Going Rogue. She is currently being offered a cool million to undergo a polygraph test to disprove accusations of immorality in public office in the new Palin biography by Joe McGinnis. Ignorant, self-serving, vengeful, deeply dishonest, power-mad and pathological are just a few of the descriptions in this film, and they do not come from a bunch of sore-headed Democrats either. Both sides get a chance to cast a ballot. One long-time Palin voter says, “When she meets people, they just melt.” Oh, where have I been? 

This is a great review.  I loved it!

Even I had not already been convinced to go see this, I certainly would be now.

P.S. For a reminder of where you can see this film just click here.

Lawrence O'Donnell interviews Nick Broomfield.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here is the information for the upcoming premiers that Nick sent to me yesterday:

Sarah Palin: You Betcha! opens on Friday September 30th in the following theatres:

Angelika Film Centre, New York.
Fri - Sat. 11:00, 12:35, 13:15, 15:30, 17:45, 20:00, 22:30
Sun - Thu. 11:00, 13:15, 15:30, 17:45, 20:10, 22:00
Nick Broomfield will be doing a Q&A on Friday 30th September after the17:45 screening, on the 1st October after the 20:00 screening, and on the 2nd October after the 15:30 screening.
To view information about this screening and purchase tickets click here

Lincoln Plaza Cinema, New York
Fri - Thur. 12:30, 14:10, 16:05, 18:25, 20:30, 22:20
Nick Broomfield will be doing a Q&A on Friday 30th September after the 20:30 screening, on the 1st October after the 18:25 screening, and on the 2nd October after the 14:10 screening.
To view information about this screening and purchase tickets click here

Laemmle Monica, Santa Monia, CA
Joan Churchill will be doing a Q&A on Friday 30th September after the 19:50 screening, and on Sunday 2nd October after the 15:10 screening and the 17:25 screening.
To view information about this screening and purchase tickets click here

Laemmle Monica, Pasadena, CA
Joan Churchill will be doing a Q&A on Saturday 1st October after the 17:25 screening and the 19:50 screening.
To view information about this screening and purchase tickets click here

Kabuki 8, San Francisco, CA Elmwood 6, Berkeley, CA

Sarah Palin: You Betcha! will also play at the following theatres from the 7th October:

Drexel East Theatre, Columbus, OH

Sundance Cinemas 608, Madison, WI

St Anthony Main, Minneapolis, MN

Starz Filmcenter, Denver, CO

Valley Art 1 Theatre, Tempe, AZ

Clinton Street Theatre, Portland, OR

For more information click here

Admiral Twin, Seattle, WA

For any further information on upcoming screenings, please click here.

P.S. Before you ask YES I saw Rachel Maddow, and I will have that video up later.

Nick Broomfield, director of the documentary "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!", talks about the fear that Sarah Palin inspires in Wasilla.

Courtesy of The Telegraph:

"There was a genuine fear in the community about saying anything against Sarah Palin because people were worried about the power of the Palins and worried about losing their jobs,” he says. “In some cases, the children were friends with the Palin kids and didn’t want their parents to talk. 

She is such a polarising character that, even within a family, the husband or the wife liked her and the other one didn’t. She inspired such strong opinions that people were either passionately for her or against her.

” The 63-year-old Londoner, whose 30 films include Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam, Kurt and Courtney, Biggie and Tupac and the memorable Tracking Down Maggie: The Unofficial Biography of Margaret Thatcher, says, perhaps somewhat disingenuously, that he had no preconceived opinion when he set out to turn his camera and wry style of documentary-making on Palin. 

“I just wanted to understand where she was coming from,” he says. “I didn’t have any strong opinions, and I didn’t know that much about her. I’d seen her on stage with lots of babies and all the rest of it, and I wondered who the hell she was and where she had popped up from and what she believed in. 

“Sometimes when you hear her talking it’s as if she doesn’t quite understand what she’s saying. She comes out with all this stuff and you think, 'Who’s the real person here? You’ve learned the speech, but who are you?’ ” 

“A lot of people would talk off the record but wouldn’t talk on the record, so you pick up an impression, and, even if you can’t quote them, you still get the inside story. One of the things we got from a lot of people there is that she really didn’t spend any time with her kids at all. There seemed to be a big disappointment in the community about her – inevitably, I suppose, when you’re hobnobbing with the McCains and Washington elite – that she had moved on and she had no loyalty to her old friends, who had been left by the wayside.”“T

If you watch Broomfield's documentary you will hear people tell the same exact stories that are in Joe McGinniss's book "The Rogue." Except Joe got more information because he did not ask to put people on camera.

However the fact is that everybody who REALLY investigates Sarah Palin hears the same stories, by a variety of different people. And simply calling them "haters" or "disgruntled ex-staff members" does not negate the truth of what they are willing to share.

By the way, I have a name for these people as well.  I call them "Heroes."

A Pugnacious Potpourri of Palin Presentations.

First up we have more tidbits from Jeanne Devon and Ken Morris, co-authors of the book "Blind Allegiance."

Courtesy of Mudflats:  

In writing Blind Allegiance—and even more so after listening to those who reflected on her non-political life—we struggled to understand Sarah’s lack of New Testament virtues including charity, forgiveness, and compassion. The born-again bona fides she swore were at the core of her spiritual life seemed hollow and without substance. Despite Sarah’s pleas to staff and followers to shield her with prayer when she believed evildoers were seeking to do her harm, Frank Bailey suspected that she had a different approach to faith than the one he’d embraced growing up on Kodiak Island. 

For us as authors who read over 50,000 emails and spent two years researching Sarah’s campaign and governorship, we developed more than a suspicion. The only Biblical message that seemed to resonated for the half-governor was from the Old Testament, and Sarah seemed a revisionist at that – rewriting the familiar verse from Exodus as Two eyes for an eye. Our subsequent interviews with those who knew her well confirmed and extended these observations. Blind Allegiance, we were authoritatively told, was, if anything, understated, and the devout images projected publicly were nothing more than a sham. 

One friend of the Palins commented, “I cannot ever remember a religious moment in the house. Ever. I can’t remember hearing a prayer. Ever. Todd rarely would get up and go to church with Sarah. When they did decide to go to church, it was a screaming match. ‘We’ve got to go now!’ Sarah would scream. ‘Get your asses in the car!’ The girls would roll out of bed, no breakfast, hair all messed up. Seemed that there was a lot of swearing.” Mad and stressed out, “Sarah often yelled at her family . . . the kids kind of learned to ignore it because it happened so much.”

Pictures of Sarah and family attending a church service to appear in 3..2..1

For those of us who have been covering Palin lo these many years, this information is quite will known.

Essentially Sister Sarah talked the talk but rarely, if ever, walked the walk.  For her God was a kind of cosmic Santa Claus whose job was to give HER what she wanted. However she was not one to consider herself a servant to ANYONE.  Not even the creator of the universe.

Palin did resort to prayers in times of great difficultly, or intense stress, but once again it was to ASK for something that she needed but NEVER to give thanks for what she already had.

There is more over at Mudflats so click the link to read the rest.

Now let's visit the world of Garry Trudeau to see what he, as one of only three people to read an advance copy of "Going Rogue," has to reveal about Joe's book.

(To read more Doonesbury strips click here to visit Go Comics.)

By the way according to Joe he has NO editorial control over the Doonesbury strips, nor contractual agreement with Trudeau. So for what it is worth he cannot be held accountable for how he, Fox News, or Sarah Palin are portrayed in the comics.

This is what Andrew Sullivan had to say today about the book:

One tiny nugget. Joe McGinniss sent advance copies of his devastating book on Sarah Palin, "The Rogue," to three people: me, Garry Trudeau and Rosanne Cash. Make of that what you will; but that book is unputdownable.

Update: Sullivan also had this to say:

One of the fascinating aspects of the coming Rogue whirlwind will be how the MSM handles it. Can they handle the Palinista blowback? Are they so afraid of being called "liberal"? Will they even note the existence of Chapter 19? 

I am still waiting for my advance copy to arrive so I cannot say with authority that it is "unputdownable," but I have every confidence that it will be a very good book that, despite the unfortunate drama surrounding it, will please many people who have been waiting patiently (Or for some impatiently) for more truth about Snowdrift Snooki revealed to the public at large. As for Chapter 19, I am pretty sure I know exactly what is contained in THAT chapter!

For those who like their information delivered in a more visual medium, there is this great interview from CBC News with Nick Broomfield, that may whet your appetite further in anticipation of his documentary "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!"

I have long said that this fall would be very satisfying for those of us following the saga of Sarah Palin, and I think that so far I have been proven correct. And of course as we know there is still MORE yet to come.

Update: Speaking of pugnacious presentations about Sarah Palin, what do we make of this rather interesting article from the Storm Lake Tribune?

Brenda McVinua was among the Storm Lakers Palin chatted with after the race. McVinua was working as a volunteer in the "chute" near the finish line, and was impressed with the former vice-presidential candidate's form. 

"She wasn't even breathing hard. You could tell she's an athlete. If you didn't know better you would have thought she'd just run around the block once or twice." She reportedly said, "Boy, that was fun," as she crossed the line. 

Really? Ms. McVinau said "She wasn't even breathing hard. If you didn't know any better you would have thought she'd only run around the block once or twice?"

This is a woman who has not run competitively since 2005 and she "wasn't even breathing hard?"Puh-lease!

I know people get really pissed at me for pursuing this story but seriously, who in their right mind believes THIS fairytale?

Now we're talking! First review from a "boots on the ground" Immoral Minority reader directly from TIFF.

Here is the full review from long time IM reader Stepahnie:

Hey! 

I just got home from the movie and wrote this up for you. 

The movie was really well put together with some people I haven't seen interviewed before. The best part was the question and answer. It's amazing to see people in Toronto know how dangerous Sarah would be in the White House. 

Nick was very fair and at the end he said he was glad to be done with Sarah Palin. He said it was tiring! 

I hope you enjoy my thoughts! 

I headed down to the AMC theatre where Sarah Palin You Betcha! was premiering. About a hour before it was about to start I lined up and there were already people waiting. There were two different movies lining up but the majority of the people were there for the Sarah Palin movie. They started letting us in and the theatre was full. A staff member from the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) always introduces the movie. He introduced Nick, Joan and the rest of the film crew, and stated there would be a question and answer after the film. The TIFF staffer then said, I’m the token American on staff and my personal opinion is Sarah Palin’s a crackpot, enjoy the film. 

As someone who reads the blogs, and for a Canadian probably knows way too much about Sarah Palin, I wasn’t sure if there was going to be any new information in the film, but Nick Broomfield’s approach to the film was very refreshing. Mixed in between the interviews would be commercials such as the bumpit, and evangelical Jesus will return to the earth clips. The humour kept the movie light. 

The movie followed Sarah’s political career from mayor, to governor to vice president candidate. Mixed in between were interviews from those that know her best. 

Nick had interviewed Chuck and Sally, the best part, in my opinion from that interview was that Chuck trained his dog to fetch antlers. There was also a clip of Nick talking to Chuck on the phone where he had decided this was a “hit piece” and that they scan and review opportunities for Sarah and if it’s a hit piece they don’t run these opportunities by her. 

Nick hit on some of the big scandals, her need for an enemy, her religion, affairs, love children, and of course troopergate. A big theme of the movie was her evangelical religion and the impact of that. Nick wasn’t able to interview any of Sarah’s classmates, so they went to Egypt to interview the only one willing to speak. I forget the lady’s name but she said regardless of your view of Sarah, the fact that most of her classmates were members of the Assembly of God, speaking out against Sarah is like speaking out against their religion and that’s just not done. 

She spoke of how she had never heard about hell until Sarah and her classmates told her she was going to hell, and how if you weren’t part of the Assembly of God you weren’t included in events, or “in the loop.” 

Another telling interview was with the former head of police John Ward, who said “your boss shouldn’t lie to you or the people she represents that’s what disappoints me the most.” 

The crowd was shocked with Lyda Green’s interview where she was disgusted with the interview Sarah did on the Bob and Mark show. Lyda said, “Sarah knew I had cancer, she sent me flowers, Bob and Mark may not of known, but Sarah did.” This actually made the audience gasp. 

Mercede Johnston talked about how when there was no need for her family anymore the pain that Sarah and Bristol caused. She said Levi’s comment about going on the national stage with the Palin’s was that he had to shave, and was told to smile, wave and say nothing. 

Mike Wooten talked about how when Todd was on the slope the children were farmed out to other people’s houses. He also said the Chuck didn’t like being around little kids, and would yell at them and tell them to play outside, then he used the same words to describe Sarah being home alone with the children. He said Chuck called all their mutual friends and threatened them to stay friends with the Heaths/Palins and not with him. He spoke very passionately and it was great to hear him speak so openly. 

Of course Gryphen was interviewed, I quite liked when he went through his Sarah Palin pictures showing how he picks what picture to use with a blog post. Nick asked his opinion on “the flying monkies” aka the palin-bots, and used Jesse’s story of what happens when you “cross” Sarah Palin. 

I saw the movie with my sister who doesn’t know anything about Sarah Palin and was most shocked at her need for an enemy, her lack of knowledge and how her religion drives her. 

The best part about seeing the movie at TIFF was question and answer afterwards. Nick and Joan were about to answer questions for about fifteen minutes. 

Someone asked how he was able to get people in Wasilla to speak to him. Nick stated that the people of Wasilla were extremely friendly, and invited them over to dinner before even interviewing them and that he got to know them. 

Another person asked what is the difference between Sarah and other politicians? Nick said that Sarah represents a change in American politics and how a majority of her base is poor and uneducated, and how that lack of understanding is how they can vote against their interests. 

He said Sarah uses an emotional message, which is not rational. 

Joan piped in that we need to remember almost fifty percent of Americans are irrational. 

Nick said Sarah uses the message of the “American Dream” and how you don’t need to rely on government. 

Nick was asked about Sarah and what he learned. He said Sarah’s religion and upbringing in Wasilla has shaped who she has become. He talked about how the first seven years shape who a person becomes and Sarah has this very strong good vs evil viewpoint. He spoke about how Sarah couldn’t just fire someone; she would make sure they would never work again. 

Someone asked if Nick or Joan had seen the Undefeated. They both shook their heads and asked if anyone in the audience had, no one raised their hand. 

Nick ended the question and answer with the fact Sarah was the biggest spending mayor in Wasilla’s history. How she raised oil taxes which many Republicans had opposed and she used democrats to pass the legalisation. 

He talked about how she didn’t really have a clear side on issues and jumped around the map, and how scary that would be for someone in the White House. 

The TIFF staffer ended the question and answer with a reminder that this movie would be coming out and to tweet, blog, and tell your friends because this message needs to get out. 

The movie is a great way to get a lot of the issues we talk about out to the general public. Nick uses humour, interviews and clips to bring a well balanced and fair look at Sarah Palin. 

I’d say it’s a must see, and hope it will get the message out to the “lame stream media.” 

Thanks, Stephanie

Now THAT is a review! Thank you very much Stephanie, I and the many readers of The Immoral Minority are very grateful that you were able to watch this premiere on our behalf and for the VERY impressive review that you have provided for our enjoyment.

The first reviews of Nick Broomfield's "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!" are in! Update!

Courtesy of the Guardian:

For its first third, Nick Broomfield's documentary feels worthy of a toast by the Tea Party. Our bumbling Brit, gamely kitted out in red-check lumberwear, heads to Wasilla, Alaska, where he's charmed by Sarah Palin's parents – plus Chuck, their antler-sucking puppy – and nods politely at gasps of adoration from wide-eyed Palin pals. 

He and his subject even seem to hit it off when Broomfield requests an interview at a book-signing: "You betcha!" is her dazzle-grinned reply. 

Such apparent eagerness to be amiable only makes the last hour the more devastating. As Broomfield encounters more and more local people, and his requests for interviews are batted away with increasing energy, so the picture of a woman who appears to have made more enemies that most of us have seen episodes of the Sopranos sharpens into focus. 

One after another classmates and relatives come forward to grind axes and shiver at the prospect of a Palin presidency. They're joined by former campaign managers, chief strategists, PR agents, mentors, preachers and policemen, all singing from the same hymn sheet: Palin's ruthlessness and venom for revenge knows little limit. 

You Betcha! works too as a portrait of how place can produce personalities: Wasilla is a defensive, isolated community where even Palin's detractors vote Republican, wear stars and stripes braces, and keep their beauty queen tiaras wrapped carefully in cake tins. It's a city where prom-queen politics can bleed far into adulthood, and one man's theory about how Palin still acts like "the most popular pre-teen girl" rings right when you hear her giggle at enemies being insulted, or watch her chew gum. It's the stuff of high school horror movies: can you stop the most popular girl in school from stabbing you in the back?

Now does that sound like the Sarah Palin that we all know and loath or what?

Tomorrow the film will have its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.  There will be few "boots on the ground" there on behalf of IM readers so fairly soon afterward we should be able to read reviews from those who are well versed in the personality and bizarre behaviors of Sarah Louise Palin.

On a similar note I am supposed to be receiving an update on Fred's babygate book so you can all look forward to learning a little more about that in the near future as well.

It has been a great summer, and it looks like the fall will be equally satisfying for all of us who have been anxiously awaiting the end to the Grizzled Mama's reign of terror.

Update: The LA Times has a review as well.

The sum total of Broomfield's research — whether with a former Wasilla mayor (and Palin mentor), a fired legislative advisor or a town gossip who was once close to the Palins and Heaths — is of a personality who can turn quickly and decisively against her allies and sees the world in strict with-us-or-against-us terms. 

What first might strike some filmgoers as a matter of standard political maneuvering soon becomes more pathological. As Stephen Schmidt, the John McCain advisor who initially advised choosing Palin for the ticket but wound up souring on her, says, Palin has "40 or 50 or 60 feuds" going at any one time. 

Broomfield's approach of talking mainly to enemies (perhaps not by design, since her current allies were surely not running around giving interviews to him) can give the sense of a stacked deck. Still, the very fact at Palin has so many enemies in the first place, and from within her own campaign and party, is telling. (Broomfield juxtaposes a lot of these interviews with an attempt to sketch out Palin's belief system from her church and other affiliations; those moments pack less punch.) 

At the end of this review the critic mentions that this documentary may suffer due to the fact that Palin is no longer considered a viable Presidential candidate and that her influence is waning dramatically. And that is a valid observation.

I recently suffered a rather  pointed attack from some who are usually on my side of the fence after I wrote that I thought Palin might be suffering poor health as well as a potential mental breakdown, and then again when I suggested that her participation in the half marathon race in Iowa was very likely staged. (By the way that remains my opinion today.)

At first I must admit that I was quite surprised at the blow back, but then I realized that the people who were the most upset at me were those who had a financial interest in Palin remaining a viable Presidential candidate or influential force in politics.  They weren't concerned that I was wrong, they were concerned that I was right.

Wall Street Journal interview with Nick Broomfield.

Courtesy of the Wall Street Journal:

“We didn’t go there determined to bury Sarah Palin,” says Broomfield about his 10-week jaunt to Wasilla, Alaska for his latest project “Sarah Palin ­ You Betcha,” a documentary about the former Vice-Presidential candidate (which premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday). 

“That was why we went,” explains the filmmaker: “To get an insider’s portrait; we think we approached it with an open mind.” 

“I think you get a fairly complicated portrait of her,” continues Broomfield, “as someone who is very charming and engaging, and who has an incredible ability to make people feel that they’re very special.” 

On the other hand, continues Broomfield, “Time and time again, she seems to turn against the very people who have done the most to promote her career. I was surprised at the level that people spoke of her need for an enemy. That was the most consistent thing: her feud-like vindictiveness against those who worked with her.” 

While Broomfield describes Wasilla as an evangelical community ­ “with strong loyalties and a lot of fear” ­ he says the documentary crew was gradually able to gain access to people, spending a lot of time with Palin’s parents, friends, Republican colleagues and former co-workers. 

Those who appear in the film include John Bitney, Palin’s legislative director when she was governor, Colleen Cottle, a former Wasilla councilwoman, GOP Senator Lyda Green, and Laura Chase, Palin’s campaign manager during her first run as Mayor. 

“I think there was a real sense ­ at the time we were there, in October to December last year — that was she going to run for President and she had a good chance of getting in, and that prompted a number of people to speak out who had previously been quiet, because they felt that she was sufficiently dangerous,” says Broomfield. 

Broomfield’s efforts to capture Palin on camera were rebuffed, however. “I asked her on film if she’d give me an interview, and she said you betcha I will,” which is where the title comes from,” he says, “but it never materialized.” 

After spending several months following Palin around the country and interviewing those who knew Palin, even journeying all the way to Egypt, where one of Palin’s former high school classmates now lives — Broomfield says he’s given up trying to figure out whether Palin will actually run for president. 

“I think she’s frightened of being accountable; I think she’s frightened of the kind of scrutiny that she will have to face up to, and at the same time, she needs the spotlight and it’s hard to know what she would do if she didn’t run,” he says. “But I kind of think she won’t.”

Well it appears that Nick really DID develop an understanding of Sarah Palin while he was up here.  I have to completely agree with his assessment.

What he says in this interview jives EXACTLY with what everybody that I know has run up against while trying to research Sarah Palin. Few people will talk, and those that do live in constant fear of retribution from Palin and her supporters.

Nick did talk to a couple of people that I have never been able to get close to, like Mike Wooten and Laura Chase, so this might have more bombshells in it than Palin was probably expecting.

By the way, that part in the preview where Palin agrees to talk to Nick (which of course she never did.) was at the same Anchorage Costco book signing where only about a half hour later I was given the boot.

I don't know about all of you, but the more I hear about this film, the more I want to see it.

Good news! Nick Broomfield gets distributor for his documentary "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!"

Courtesy of Deadline.com:

Days before its world premiere at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival, Nick Broomfield’s hot-button expose documentary Sara Palin: You Betcha! has been acquired by Freestyle Releasing. The plan is to open in New York and Los Angeles on Sept. 30 and roll out. Broomfield raised over $30,000 on the crowd funding site Kickstarter to support the doc’s release, with private investors kicking in more money to launch the film. Cassian Elwes made the deal with Freestyle co-president Susan Jackson. The doc, directed by Broomfield and Joan Churchill, is not a fave of the Palin crowd, and the filmmakers say it lifts the veil off her image as a former hockey mom as the former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate gears for a possible presidential run in 2012.

No slam against Geoffrey, Frank, Fred, or Joe, but I really think that I am going to enjoy THIS film about Palin even more than any of the books, articles, or blogposts written about her. Possibly including my own.

It just seems like Nick has the best sense of humor about his subject, and that he approaches this bizarre individual who, let's face it, has been covered to death, in a fresh and engaging manner.

As most of you know I really try to find the humor in things whenever possible, and it looks like "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!" is going to have some laugh out loud moments, that I for one could really use at this point in our little journey.

Just in case you missed my last update on this film, here is another look at the official trailer.

(By the way I missed it earlier, but the white truck that Nick is chasing while yelling "Frank!" is Frank Bailey's truck. Nick tried to interview him several times but he always refused.)

P.S. I just want to remind you that if YOU were one of the many who contributed to Kickstart to help Nick get his film distributed, you should give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done, and take pride in the fact that Sarah Palin now hates you too! Welcome to the club!

Must see excerpt from Nick Broomfield's documentary "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!"

(Clicking the picture will take you to Alaska WTF to see the video. One day back and already Diggler is scooping me, that figures.)

Did you see Anne Kilkenny Rev. Bess, and Sarah's parents?  This is going to be GREAT!

Update: It looks like Nick did make his goal of raising $30,000 on Kickstart, so this film will DEFINITELY make it into the theaters.

I also have somebody who assures me she will send a review after the screening at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11th, so we should soon have a pretty good idea of exactly how good this documentary really is.

From what I have seen so far it is awesome!

Update 2:  I hear some people are having trouble making the video play at Alaska WTF. 

Here you go: Sorry for the frustration.

More about Nick Broomfield's documentary "Sarah Palin-You Betcha!" Including when it will be shown at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Courtesy of tiff.net:

Sarah Palin is a galvanizing political force in America’s deepening cultural rift. While her missteps are lambasted by critics and satirists, her base of support only grows. After her defeat as a Vice Presidential candidate and her resignation as Alaska’s governor, she retains a red-hot following stoked by her bestselling book Going Rogue: An American Life and the TV series Sarah Palin’s Alaska . She assiduously avoids tak­ing questions from reporters, preferring to communicate with her fans via Facebook and Twitter. Filmmaker Nick Broomfield has never been fazed by uncooperative subjects, con­ducting his pursuits like a vigilante armed with a boom pole, frequently backed by his collaborator Joan Churchill behind the cam­era. His past documentary targets include Margaret Thatcher, Courtney Love and Heidi Fleiss. When headline makers block his access, he brings them down to a human scale by exploring their milieu. 

For Sarah Palin – You Betcha!, that means travelling to Alaska. Broomfield makes several trips to interview Palin’s parents, neighbours and former colleagues. They trace her values to her upbringing in the Pentecostal faith. One memorable archival clip shows a church ceremony in which she is being exorcised of witches. An Alaskan pastor characterizes her faith as “apoca­lyptic Christian” and elaborates, “She has no hesitancy to use violence against evil...Until you understand that, I don’t think you understand Sarah Palin.” Can she rise to a higher office? Several former allies describe Palin throwing them “under the bus” when they got in the way of her ambition. John McCain’s senior strategist tells Broomfield that she’s “deeply dishonest,” describing her aspiration to be President as “spine-chilling.” 

Broomfield brings a wry humour to his quest, but also draws out the serious impli­cations of Palin’s political future. Is this worthy of your concern? You betcha.

Showtimes are listed as:

Sunday September 11 AMC 7 7:00pm 
Monday September 12 AMC 6 2:30pm 
Sunday September 18 AMC 6 10:45am

I am still looking forward to any reviews that might be provided by any of you IM visitors who might be in the area during these showtimes in September.

I will gladly give you a byline, or respect your anonymity if that is what you prefer.

According to Nick I should have a DVD of the film arriving sometime in the near future, and I will likely provide my own review as well. However will not be able to gauge audience reaction by watching a DVD at home.

P.S. Remember Nick is still asking for donations to Kickstarter to help distribute the film, and it looks like he is almost halfway there with only 11 more days to go.

Nick Broomfield needs our help to get his documentary film "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!" into theaters.

From Kickstarter:

Nick Broomfield's quest for the real Sarah Palin involves battling the icy snows of Alaska in mid-winter to speak to the school friends, family, and Republican colleagues that in previous days gave their heart, soul and belief to the charismatic, charming, intoxicating ex-hockey mom. But it's not all plain sailing. People are frightened to talk; Wasilla makes Twin Peaks look like a walk in the park. It's a devout evangelical community – 76 churches with a population of only 6 thousand, and the Crystal meth capital of Alaska. Broomfield brings his celebrated wit and determination to cracking her story. 

The provocative and entertaining documentary is directed by Nick Broomfield (Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer, Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam,Kurt & Courtney) and Joan Churchill. The film is produced Marc Hoeferlin (Battle for Haditha). 

But producing the documentary was only half of the process. We need YOUR help to raise enough money that he can distribute the film. The release of Nick’s film before the potential candidates of 2012 announce their candidacy is a pivotal moment. Getting this film into theaters, and educating the public on Palin needs to happen as soon as possible to truly allow Nick’s vision to be achieved. This Kickstarter will help raise the capital to fund the nuts and bolts of the distribution (print and advertising fees) and help get SARAH PALIN: YOU BETCHA! into theaters.

As of last night when I wrote this post, Nick had about  $1,893.00 ($100 of it was from me), however he needs about $30,000 to start the wheels moving toward distributing the documentary and making it available to movie audiences.

I can attest to the struggle that Nick went through to find people to go on record, and allow their images to be filmed, for this important documentary (Hell even I balked at first!)  I would really hate to see all of that hard work go to waste.

And remember, unlike Palin's propaganda film "The Undefeated," THIS  movie did not have anybody with one million dollars to help finance it or a panting flock of sycophants ready and willing to pimp this movie to friends and family on behalf of their idol.

That movie failed miserably because it was telling an obvious lie, however this movie is trying to get the truth about Snowdrift Snooki, to a wider audience of Americans who may not be interested in sitting down with a good book.

Anyhow I know that Nick and his team would appreciate anything you could do to help.  And so would I.

(P.S. The link to donate is the Kickstarter link at the top.)

Thank you ahead of time, for your support.

A sneak peek at Nick Broomfield's documentary, "Sarah Palin--You Betcha!"

I heard about this scene.

The guy following behind Nick, as he is escorted out, is Marc Hoeferlin one of his assistants.

Nick also filmed the incident in Anchorage, where I was escorted out of the book signing after Todd recognized me and Sarah said: "Oh you are the one who is trying to destroy my children!"

I have no idea if it made it into the final cut, but both it, and my interview afterward, were filmed by Nick and his crew.

I think it looks pretty good, what do all you think, is it worth the price of a ticket?

"Sarah Palin--You Betcha!" Nick Broomfield's Palin documentary will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Here is the press release courtesy of Tiff.net:

Sarah Palin – You Betcha! Nick Broomfield and Joan Churchill, United Kingdom

World Premiere

Nick Broomfield's quest for the real Sarah Palin involves battling the icy snows of Alaska in mid-winter to speak to the school friends, family, and Republican colleagues that in previous days gave their heart, soul and belief to the charismatic, charming, intoxicating ex-hockey mom. But it's not all plain sailing. People are frightened to talk; Wasilla makes Twin Peaks look like a walk in the park. It's a devout evangelical community – 76 churches with a population of only 6 thousand, and the Crystal meth capital of Alaska. Broomfield brings his celebrated wit and determination to cracking her story.

Well I have to say I'm intrigued, even though I already I know most of this stuff.

I really enjoyed getting to meet, and hang out with Nick and Joan, and I KNOW they were able to get access to some very knowledgeable people when it came to Sarah Palin, so the film will be far more revealing, and informative, than that ridiculous piece of propaganda by Stephen Bannon. That I can promise.

I don't know if any of my IM visitors are living near Toronto but the 36th Toronto International Film Festival runs September 8 to 18, 2011, so if you get the chance to see the documentary I would LOVE to get a short review.

You know if you would not mind.

P.S. Nick's documentary is not the ONLY Palin related thing that now has a title. I spoke to the authors of the "babygate" book yesterday and they have narrowed their choice down to a handful of possibilities.  I will let you know what is decided just as soon as they are ready to release that information.

Lawrence O'Donnell compares the Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann appearances in Iowa. Guess who he considers more serious.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Lawrence also mentions Nick Broomfield's documentary, and Bailey's book.