Homegrown is a 2024 American documentary film directed and produced by Michael Premo. The film follows three right-wing activists during the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign. Once they become convinced that the election was stolen, they take to the streets. The film had its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival in the International Critics Week section on August 30, 2024.
The documentary provides a fly-on-the-wall perspective without any narration or judgment, allowing audiences to form their own opinions about the actions and views of the subjects. This approach feels refreshing in an age where everyone has their own opinions, which they often impose on others. By granting access to a world that those on the left or in the middle politically would rarely have insight into, the film builds understanding. While not all the answers are provided, viewers get a glimpse into the life experiences that led the characters into extremist activism: service in the military during the George W. Bush era, divorce, and workforce exclusion. It doesn’t justify their actions but provides some direction regarding how to solve the polarization plaguing many Western democracies.
The extent of access to the activists prior to January 6 will inevitably lead to accusations that this is deep state propaganda. However, Premo could be the new Louis Theroux. The film humanizes characters that are often presented as caricatures. The views expressed by the subjects and their actions are often repulsive or objectionable, but they still love their wives or children and express care for others within their own group. The film reminds us that nobody sees themselves as inherently bad; there’s always an inner narrative, a moral justification, forged through life experiences and culture. You are left with the feeling that if the subjects grew up in a different place, at a different time, with different opportunities and media and cultural influences, they could have followed a different path, which is both a hopeful and despairing message.
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