While Seftel may have moved into the realm of reality television, his documentaries have won him much acclaim over the past few years. One such film, Seftel's "Taking on the Kennedys," a documentary about contemporary political warfare, premiered on PBS in 1996. The DVD version of the film was released earlier this year.
The documentary follows the story of a political campaign for a Rhode Island congressional seat. In 1994, Patrick Kennedy - the young son of Mass.'s favorite senator, Ted Kennedy - launched a campaign against Republican Kevin Vigilante, a physician with extensive community and civic service behind him. He had never run for office before, however.
"Ill-prepared for the rough and tumble of political campaigning, Vigilante brandished lofty ideals, naively swearing off the mudslinging tactics most voters claim to deplore," said the Boston Phoenix in a review of the film. "Kennedy, on the other hand, rolled up his sleeves and faced the business of politics head-on, delegating fundraising duties to his famous relatives and deploying negative TV ads from the start."
As the history of our political system would predict, Kennedy won, proving that money, clout, organization, and political savvy frequently triumph over idealism and honesty when it comes to politics.
"Taking On the Kennedys" is a behind-the-scenes look at the entire campaign, shot from within the Vigilante campaign. Armed only with his Hi-8 video camera, Seftel created, directed and produced the film on his own, trailing Vigilante as he attempted to become a politician.
With full access to the candidates as they plotted strategies, pandered to the voters, attended fundraisers, debated and glowed in the media attention, Seftel presented a deconstruction of political campaigns and powerful dynasties, featuring appearances by Caroline Kennedy, Senator Ted Kennedy, the late John F. Kennedy Jr., and other powerhouse political figures.
According to the Phoenix, "Seftel's low-budget, neo-noir work is sure to become a modern classic of New Social Realism."
- Andrea Bradford
