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"Down and Dirty"

'Anytown, U.S.A.' makes its New Jersey debut as part of the Second Annual Trenton Film Festival.

By: Jim Boyle, TimeOFF

   When Bogota resident Juan Dominguez took a look around at what was happening to his New Jersey hometown during its 2003 mayoral race, he did the only thing he could. He called his friend and colleague Kristian Fraga and told him to bring a camera.

   "Within 48 hours, we were shooting this political circus," says Mr. Fraga, making his directing debut with Anytown, U.S.A. "The town is very politically active, and we figured there are probably hundreds of small towns across the country going through something similar to this."

   From late August to Election Day, Mr. Fraga and his crew filmed the hotly contested race from all sides. What started as a two-man showdown between Republican incumbent Steven Lonegan and Democratic candidate Fred Pesce, who came out of retirement to run, turned into a free-for-all when independent write-in candidate and former local football hero Dave Musikant threw his hat in the ring.

   The politicians' desire for public office was nothing compared to the citizens' passion for their side. Egg-tossing, sign-tearing and plain old name-calling were all captured by Mr. Fraga's cameras, making for one of the liveliest political documentaries since Fahrenheit 9/11. One of the main differences between the two, however, was that Mr. Fraga didn't pick a side.

   "That was key for us," says Mr. Fraga, who grew up one town over from Bogota in Leonia and graduated from New York University. "We were having our own debates behind the scenes, but we wanted to step back and not put our views on the forefront. We wanted to let the town tell its own story. We're not here to change opinions or get people to believe in one party or the other. This is more of an overview of local politics."

   Mr. Fraga will be on hand when Anytown, U.S.A. makes its New Jersey debut May 1 at The Contemporary in Trenton, part of the Second Annual Trenton Film Festival. The movie made its world premiere April 9 at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival, where it won the Emerging Filmmaker Award for best documentary. It's a huge boost for Mr. Fraga and Sirk Productions, a production company started up in 1997 by Mr. Fraga, Mr. Dominguez and Marc Perez. While the critical accolades continue to build, Mr. Fraga finds more satisfaction in how the audience connects with the story.

   "In the past two weeks we've played it in theaters with 300 people in the audience," says Mr. Fraga. "They pay their money and watch it unfold, and they're all saying, 'I know a guy like that.' I think it is a microcosm of what's going on in American politics, because everybody seems to identify with it. We don't want to show how terrible or great the system is. We establish that it's the best system in the world, but it's flawed human beings running these elections. You see the independent, and at first he's naive and wants to make a difference, but soon he realizes he has to play the game."

   Mr. Musikant plays the game by bringing in Jesse Ventura's campaign manager, Dean Barkley, to help out. The addition of Mr. Barkley's personality takes Anytown, U.S.A. to a whole new level.

   "He came in kind of at the midway point," says Mr. Fraga. "It's something that we just couldn't write. If the independent candidate doesn't enter the race and if Dean Barkley doesn't come in to help, we don't have a movie. At least, not one as interesting."

   This time capsule of small-town politics is a perfect fit for the Trenton Film Festival, which boasts 90 films in every category from short, foreign, narrative, animated and experimental, submitted from all over the world. Marking its second year, the festival has added a fourth venue to its slate, Gallery 125. The festival organizers even added a couple of non-competition events to include some films that didn't make the final cut.

   "We wanted to offer as many as possible," says festival director Kevin Williams. "We formed a program around films that deal with social issues and public affairs. They could make a great impact, and this is a good way to get their messages out."

   Mr. Williams wants to make sure that every film chosen resonates with the audience, hoping to get big reactions from the opening and closing films. The weekend's events kick off April 29 at the New Jersey State Museum with Wilderness Survival for Girls, about three high school girls on a weekend getaway who encounter a strange squatter at a remote mountain cabin.

   Other highlights for the weekend include local filmmaker Michael McClure's five-minute short Cup of Joe, which won the Films of the Trenton Film Society competition in January; Dirt, a documentary about dirt-track car racers in Dallas; and The Dust Bunny, an animated short by Princeton's Grady Klein, about a dust bunny fighting a vacuum cleaner.

   Finally, the weekend closes with Trudell, a documentary about Native American poet/activist John Trudell. Director Heather Rae followed the influential artist for 10 years, combining concert and interview footage with abstract imagery to create a portrait of the lone wolf.

   "With an opening film, you don't want something too heavy," says Mr. Williams. "You want something exciting and fun that will rev people up for the rest of the weekend. Inversely, the closing film is something you want to sit with people and give them something to think about for the next couple of weeks."

The Trenton Film Festival will take place April 29-May 1. Screenings and seminars will be held at the New Jersey State Museum, 205 W. State St.; The Contemporary, 176 W. State St.; Trenton Marriott Hotel, 1 Lafayette St.; and Gallery 125, 125 S. Warren St. Tickets cost $8, $6 seniors/students. An all-access weekend pass costs $75. For information, call (609) 396-6966. For a complete schedule, visit www.trentonfilmfestival.org