Boys State (film)

Boys State is a 2020 American documentary film, directed, and produced by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine. It follows a thousand teenage boys attending Boys/Girls State in Texas, coming to build a representative government from the ground up.

Boys State
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Produced by
  • Amanda McBaine
  • Jesse Moss
Music byT. Griffin
CinematographyThorsten Thielow
Edited byJeff Seymann Gilbert
Production
companies
  • Concordia Studio
  • Mile End Films
Distributed by
Release date
  • January 24, 2020 (2020-01-24) (Sundance)
  • August 14, 2020 (2020-08-14) (United States)
Running time
109 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

It had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020, where the film won the U.S. Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize. It is scheduled to be released on August 14, 2020, by A24 and Apple TV+.

Plot

The film follows a thousand teenage boys attending Boys/Girls State in Texas, coming together to build a representative government from the ground up, from all different political backgrounds, navigating challenges of organizing political parties, consensus, and campaigning for the highest office at Boys State, governor.[2]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020.[3] Shortly after, A24 and Apple TV+ acquired distribution rights to the film for $12 million.[4][5] The film was set to screen at South by Southwest on March 13, 2020, but the festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7] It is scheduled to be released on August 14, 2020, after its UK release at Sundance London 2020 Online on August 9th.[8]

Critical reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96% based on 49 reviews, with an average rating of 8.45/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Startling, upsetting, and overall absorbing, Boys State strikingly depicts American political divisions -- and machinations -- taking root in the next generation."[9] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 85 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[10]

At the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, the film won the U.S. Documentary Competition Grand Jury Prize.[11] At South by Southwest, the film won the Louis Black Lone Star Award Special Jury Recognition for Documentary.[12]

References
  1. "Boys State". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  2. Nero, Dom. "Boys State, the Subject of an Outstanding New Documentary, Was One of the Strangest Weeks of My Life". Esquire. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  3. Siegel, Tatiana (December 4, 2019). "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  4. Lang, Brent (January 27, 2020). "Apple and A24 Partner to Buy Documentary 'Boys State' Out of Sundance". Variety. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  5. D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 27, 2020). "Apple & A24 Snap Up 'Boys State' Documentary – Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  6. "Boys State". South by Southwest. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  7. "City of Austin Cancels SXSW March Events". South by Southwest. March 6, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  8. "Boys State". Apple TV+. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  9. "Boys State (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  10. "Boys State Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  11. Siegel, Tatiana (February 1, 2020). "Sundance Awards: 'Minari' Wins Grand Jury Prize". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  12. N'Duka, Amanda (March 24, 2020). "SXSW Film Festival Unveils Award Winners For Canceled 2020 Edition". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
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