Battleground, © 2020 Keystone Docs, LLC. Directed by Hemal Trivedi. Edited by Chris McCue and Hemal Trivedi.

This feature documentary premiered on WGBH Boston and is still screening at select locations. From 2018-2019 I edited this film for award-winning director Hemal Trivedi. This creative collaboration was a truly amazing experience. The characters are fascinating, and the issues in the democratic process they expose are as pressing as they are willfully ignored by the establishment. It was really a pleasure to co-edit this fascinating, funny film with Hemal, and dive deep into the most critical political issues nobody is talking about.

Across America, an ideological battle for the heart and soul of the country is underway. The front lines of this fight are so-called “pivot counties” — communities that voted for Barack Obama twice, then flipped to Donald Trump in 2016. Battleground offers a raw glimpse into the ongoing emotional struggle of a Pennsylvania community grappling with socio-economic and political change through the lens of the 2018 midterm elections. As voters head to the polls in 2020, Battleground helps Americans understand the depth and intensity of this struggle, and the stakes for their county and the country at large.

The film focuses mostly on the struggles of two political operatives in a Pennsylvania district, who could be described as being on opposite ends of our traditional political spectrum. Both see themselves as outsiders who wanted to bring a new, idealistic status quo to the area, either through voter mobilization, supporting a candidate for the House race, or being that candidate. They both find that near the end of the primary cycle, outside groups based on the East Coast throw wads of money into the race to support more establishment candidates. The personalities are magnetic, especially the charismatic Reverend Greg Edwards. His idealism and that of Tom Carroll were really inspiring to me when editing this film.

As you might expect when shooting goes on for a few years, the direction of the film changed more than a few times. It’s always a journey making this type of film, but we are damn proud of what we made.