WASHINGTON (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) October 13, 2008 -- With three weeks to go before perhaps the most consequential election in recent history, SnagFilms today announced it would offer viewers free streaming of more than 60 election-themed films so that voters might become better informed on issues before November 4^th. “Snag The Vote: Elections ‘08 Film Festival” will feature the World Premiere of Inside The Bubble, director Steve Rosenbaum’s jaw-dropping insiders’ view of the 2004 Kerry campaign, and a suite of other films that have never previously been distributed online. SnagFilms brings the best nonfiction films to the web audience, promotes viral web distribution through virtual movie theater widgets, and engages viewers to assist in charitable and community efforts. “Snag the Vote” is particularly designed to let voters embed films on their blogs or social network pages, to share them with friends, and to advance the electoral debate in a way that is both fun and deeper than bumper stickers and sound bites.

Snag The Vote: Elections ‘08 Film Festival

Snag The Vote: Elections '08 Film Festival.

So much of the discourse in American elections is reduced to 30-second ads and sound bites

We offer long-form, substantive, issues-based documentaries which viewers can view immediately, on-demand, and for free. In addition to our deep library of issues-focused films, for these last three weeks of the election, we've secured an amazing line-up of documentaries that will appeal to voters across the political spectrum.

Democrats might want to watch it as a reminder of the dangers of overconfidence, while Republicans might well be reminded that the election isn't over 'til it's over

Snag the Vote: Elections Film Festival

SnagFilms has redesigned its homepage to make its extensive library especially accessible to viewers interested in entertaining and in-depth films that illuminate key election issues. The more than 60 election-relevant movies, culled from SnagFilms’ library of 450 nonfiction films available for instantaneous free streaming, will be organized under such issue headings as the Economy; National Security/Iraq War; Energy; Health Care; Education; Environment; Electoral Process; Government Ethics and Partisanship; Immigration; and Individual Rights.

“So much of the discourse in American elections is reduced to 30-second ads and sound bites,” said SnagFilms CEO Rick Allen. “We offer long-form, substantive, issues-based documentaries which viewers can view immediately, on-demand, and for free. In addition to our deep library of issues-focused films, for these last three weeks of the election, we’ve secured an amazing line-up of documentaries that will appeal to voters across the political spectrum.”

Making Inside The Bubble available to a broad web audience three weeks before the election is a fascinating reminder of the last, very close election. Acclaimed director Steve Rosenbaum (7 Days In September), had broad access inside a confident Kerry campaign, whose senior team is seen early on election night prematurely proclaiming they’d recaptured the White House. “Democrats might want to watch it as a reminder of the dangers of overconfidence, while Republicans might well be reminded that the election isn’t over ‘til it’s over,” said Rick Allen.

Note to the news media, bloggers, and website publishers: “snagging” a virtual movie theater widget to your website is as easy as going to www.snagfilms.com, finding a movie, and clicking on the “Snag” button. There are no restrictions on who can snag a film, and doing so is a breeze.

The slate of featured films available online for the first time as part of “Snag the Vote: Elections Film Festival” follows. The complete list of nearly 70 films organized as part of the festival can be found at Snagfilms.com.

CALL IT DEMOCRACY (2005) – Available now.

A comprehensive look at the history of Presidential elections and the Electoral College, Call It Democracy presents historical and non-partisan analysis of both the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections and tells amazing stories such as the 1960 Kennedy v. Nixon recounts, the attempts by Segregationist Third Party Candidate George Wallace to manipulate the Electoral College in 1968, and President Ford’s consideration about whether he should overturn the election results in close states. In a sweeping study of how elections are controlled by local election administrators, Call it Democracy argues that the Electoral College directly impacted 2002’s Help America Vote Act which tried to eliminate punch card ballots but brought us electronic voting.

THE END OF AMERICA (2008) – Available October 21.

The End of America, based on Naomi Wolf’s best seller, details the ten steps a country takes away from democracy when it sacrifices individual rights at the behest of the state. Directed by Academy Award short-listed directors Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern, The End of America resists categorization as a “lefty” film. Instead, it is a historical look at destructive trends in once-functioning democracies that are being repeated in our country today. Offering this historical context to recent events that may have escaped broad public notice leads to compelling and disturbing conclusions.

HAZE (2008) – Available October 16.

Young people are dying in increasing numbers due to alcohol abuse. Haze is a documentary introduced by Robin Wright Penn about this American crisis. Framed by the personal story of the death of college freshman Lynn Gordon Bailey due to a hazing incident, the film takes a hard look at lifestyles of young people within America's universities, sororities and fraternities. And at a time when states around the country are considering lowering the legal drinking age, Haze illuminates one resonant battleground in the balance of individual rights and responsibilities, one of the central public policy categories in Campaign 2008.

INSIDE THE BUBBLE (2008) – Available Now.

A Democratic Presidential candidate portrayed by his opponent as elitist. A campaign structure brimming with confidence. Sound familiar? As we head into the final days of Campaign ’08, it is illuminating to follow the triumphs and failures of John Kerry’s 2004 election campaign. Inside the Bubble offers intimate portraits and insights into the personalities and process that drive and are buffeted by Presidential campaign fever. Director Steve Rosenbaum had extraordinary access to Kerry’s senior traveling staff, and reveals for the first time some of their deep-seated concerns about their own candidate. Inside The Bubble encapsulates the human side of Kerry and his campaign staff – and is both a fascinating reminder of the last, very close election, and perhaps a preview of the one to come.

THIRD JIHAD (2008) – Available Now

A pointed assessment of the threat of Radical Islam to Western civilization, Third Jihad uses experts, first-hand accounts and images rarely seen in the West to reveal an 'insider's view' of radicals’ plans to extend the global jihad to American shores.

Background on SnagFilms: SnagFilms features free ad-supported viewing of hundreds of award-winning titles from some of the greatest names in documentary film production and distribution, including PBS, National Geographic, Sundance Preserve, IndiePix, Peter Jennings Productions, Arts Alliance America, ITVS, Koch Lorber Films, Cactus Three, and many others. Many of the most prominent documentary filmmakers are participating not only by having their films distributed via SnagFilms, but by engaging with their audience through blogs and offering special “bonus” material, as well as suggesting nonprofit organizations that viewers motivated by these films can link to and support via charitable contributions, volunteering or spreading the word. The company was founded by digital entrepreneur, documentary film producer, sports entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Leonsis, and is additionally backed by AOL co-founder and Revolution LLC Chairman Steve Case, and venture capitalist Miles Gilburne. SnagFilms also owns indieWIRE. Founded in 1996, indieWIRE is the leading source on independent film, publishing breaking business news, dispatches from hundreds of film festivals, weekly movie reviews, interviews with emerging and established filmmakers, links to leading blogs, and resources for filmmakers and the entertainment industry.

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