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PressRelease<br/> RENOWNEDDOCUMENTARIANFREDERICKWISEMANEXPLORESTHEDECISION-MAKINGPROCESSATTHEHEARTOFDEMOCRACYINSTATELEGISLATURE,PREMIERINGJUNE13ONPBS<br/> TheRockyMountainstateofIdahoisgovernedby"citizen"legislators-notcareerpoliticians.Theselawmakersare,forthemostpart,farmersandranchers,businessmenandwomen,lawyers,doctors,salespeople,loggers,andteacherselectedfortwo-yearterms.Duringthe2004Idahostatelegislativesession,thesecitizenlegislatorsbecameanintegralpartofSTATELEGISLATURE,thelatestdocumentaryfromacclaimedfilmmakerFrederickWiseman.<br/> InhisongoingprojecttoexplorecontemporaryAmericanlifeasexpressedininstitutions,Wisemanturnedhiscameraonthelegislaturetoillustratethewaythedemocraticdecision-makingprocessworks.Inhistrademarkstyle,nothingisstaged.Wisemancapturesthelawmakersastheydebateanddiscusstheconcernsoftheelectorate,onissuesthatrangefromviolenceinschools,madcowdiseaseandvideovoyeurismtoillegalimmigration,secondhandsmokeandthederegulationoftelephonerates.<br/> InLeMonde,ThomasSotinelcalledSTATELEGISLATURE"(an)odetorepresentativedemocracy."Variety'sreviewstated,"Whatemergesisthethoroughnesswithwhichthesystemtreatseventhemostcontentiousofissuesandeccentricofconstituents."Afterashowingatthe2007BerlinInternationalFilmFestival,GermanfilmcriticEkkehardKnörerwrote,"Onestandstogainnothinglessthanmind-bogglinginsightsintothemachineryofAmericandemocracy."<br/> STATELEGISLATUREpremieresWednesday,June13at9p.m.(ET)onPBS(checklocallistings).ThefilmispresentednationwideonPBSbyThirteen/WNETNewYork,whichhasbeenthenationalpresenterofFrederickWiseman'sfilmsthroughouthiscareer.Wiseman,athree-timeEmmyAward-winningdirector,has34documentaryfilmstohiscredit,fromthecontroversialTiticutFollies(1967)andHighSchool(1968)toNearDeath(1989),PublicHousing(1997)andDomesticViolence(2001).<br/> "Thisfilmshowstheday-to-dayaspectsofthelegislativeprocess,thegoalofwhichisthecreationofthelawsthatgoverntheciviclifedepictedinmyotherfilms,"saidWiseman."Unlikeatextbookdescriptioninapoliticalsciencecourseofhowabillbecomesalaw,afilmofalegislaturecanconveyinauniquewaytheactualityofthelegislativeprocess,thatis,howdecisionsaremadeandpowerisexercisedinademocraticsocietyandtheconstraintsandlimitationsontheapplicationofthatpower."<br/> Whileitmaynotbeeasyorsmooth,thelegislativeprocessistheenginethatdrivesAmericandemocracy.AndineachofAmerica's50statecapitals,thelegislatureisthebasicdemocraticinstitution,whereelectedrepresentativesmakethelawsthatdefinetherightsandobligationsofcitizenship.Fromdetermininghowtofundgovernmentagenciestosettingthepoliciesofalltheservicesthestateprovides-frompolicetoprisonstoschools-thestatelegislaturedefines,regulatesandgivesshapetociviclife.<br/> Presentfortheentire2004sessionoftheIdaholegislature,Wisemanhadaccesstoallaspectsofthelegislativework.Theresultisaportraitofacomplexbodythatservesessentialroutinefunctionsintheday-to-dayoperationsofastateand,atthesametime,playsakeysymbolicroleintheAmericanwayoflife.<br/> Throughoutthecourseofthefilm,thecameraroamsthehallsandconferenceroomsoftheIdahostatelegislature.Thefilmobserveslegislatorsdiscussingbillsbeforetheyareformallyintroduced;thecommitteehearingswherethetestimonyofwitnessesandlobbyistsforandagainstthelegislationisheard;thedebateamonglegislatorstodeterminewhetherthebillshouldgototheflooroftheHouseorSenateforfinalconsideration;andthefinaldebateandvote.Thefilmalsocapturesinformaldiscussionswithlobbyistsandcitizens,aswellaspressconferencesandeventsheldinthestatehouserotunda.<br/> Sequencesillustratetheroleoflobbyists,thepowerofcommitteechairmen,theuseofproceduralmaneuverstoadvanceorretardlegislation,anddebatesincommittee-somerevealingthemundane,evenarcane,aspectsoftheprocess,andotherselicitingremarkablyeloquentoratory.<br/> Amongtheissuesdiscussedbythelegislatorsduringthecourseofthesessionare:violenceinschools;electronicwaste;utilitycosts;teachersalaries;asexoffendersregistry;therelationshipbetweenchurchandstate,welfareappropriations;liabilityofcompaniesmarketingunhealthyfoods;educationalpolicy;mentalillness;crimevictims'rights;contractorlicensing;andpublictransportationpolicy.<br/> "Forme,thedramaliesinthecommonnessoftheissues,intheordinarinessofthepeoplecalledontoresolvethem,andtheseriousnesswithwhichtheyaccepttheresponsibilityforparticipatingindecisionsthataffectallaspectsofourlives,"saidWiseman."STATELEGISLATUREis,inmyview,areflectionofcontemporaryAmericanlifeandbothanillustrationofandmetaphorforthedemocraticprocess."<br/> FundingforSTATELEGISLATUREwasprovidedbyPBS,theCorporationforPublicBroadcasting,IndependentTelevisionService,NationalEndowmentfortheArts,andTheLEFFoundationandtheFordFoundation.<br/> STATELEGISLATUREwasdirectedandeditedbyFrederickWiseman.Photography:JohnDavey.Sound:FrederickWiseman.<br/> STATELEGISLATUREisaco-productionforPBSofIdahoFilm,Inc.andThirteen/WNET,inassociationwiththeIndependentTelevisionService.ExecutiveproducerforThirteen/WNETisStephenSegaller.ExecutiveproducerforITVSisSallyJoFifer.TamaraE.RobinsonisvicepresidentanddirectorofprogrammingforThirteen/WNET.<br/> STATELEGISLATUREisaZipporahFilms,Inc.release.
