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On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Diversity, strong female role models in political docu.
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On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries
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What's the Story?
ON THE TRAIL: INSIDE THE 2020 PRIMARIES centers on several women of diverse races, ethnicities, and backgrounds who are working to cover the primaries of the 2020 presidential election. It shows well-known CNN correspondents such as Dana Bash, Kyung Lah, and Kaitlan Collins as they report from the campaign trail, traveling (often on very short notice) from one state to the next as they fight to stay on top of the relentless 24/7 news cycle. It also shows the behind-the-scenes work of "embeds" (embedded journalists) who are assigned to the different candidates as they follow Democratic candidates like Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, and Pete Buttigieg, or the Trump campaign rallies that happen as these primaries are taking place. The long hours, exhausting travel, and personal sacrifices these women are making for their careers are shown and discussed in detail, but these women also discuss their love of their work, and their fervent belief that what they're doing isn't only fulfilling, but also necessary. As candidates begin to suspend their campaigns, and the coronavirus begins to rapidly spread in March, the correspondents and embeds show and discuss how their lives and careers have abruptly changed since quarantines and social distancing measures went into effect.
Is It Any Good?
For teens interested in careers in television journalism, this documentary is a must-see. On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries pulls no punches in presenting the challenges of the job -- the long hours, the separation from loved ones, the constant travel -- but it also shows the adrenaline rush and fulfillment the work provides. More experienced correspondents like Dana Bash and Kyung Lah reflect on how far the industry has come since the not-too-distant past when it was dominated by White males, and how the next generation of female journalists are building on this progress with their energy, fearlessness, and determination.
On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries also offers an inside look at what has already become a historic election year. What begins as a frenzied glimpse into the lives of reporters constantly on the go while trying to keep pace with a 24/7 news cycle concludes with quarantine in makeshift home offices. Those who have lived it already know this contrast between the before and after of COVID-19 in their own lives, and this contrast is especially stark against the backdrop of covering campaign politics. And when the Black Lives Matter protests also emerge near the conclusion, it seems to confirm what was probably meant to be the takeaway from the documentary all along: that now, more than ever, reporting the news as it happens is absolutely necessary for a functioning democracy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about documentaries. How does On the Trail: Inside the 2020 Primaries compare to other movies that use interview and archival footage to tell true stories?
What did you learn about the challenges in covering the campaign of someone running for president of the United States?
How does the documentary show the vast difference in the lives of the interviewees before and after the emergence of COVID-19? How is this similar to what so many have experienced?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: August 6, 2020
- Cast: Dana Bash , Kyung Lah , Kaitlan Collins
- Director: Katie Hinman
- Studio: CNN Films
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Great Girl Role Models , History
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 27, 2022
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