About the Film
The Heart of Unity Is Conversation
A Los Angeles liberal Democrat and an Iowa Conservative Republican set off on a trek across the country with the intention of bridging the gap between the 2 parties. At a time when families and friends and colleagues across the country are being torn apart based on political persuasion and ideology, Dave Rosenberg and Susan Gorrell see this crisis as an opportunity to come together and recognize that we’re more alike than we are different. We also explore the role of Social Media and the general media in exacerbating the divide between Democrats and Republicans. In addition, Dave and Susan explore their friendship despite political opinions, and how that can be an example for other Americans struggling with partisan antipathy.
Director's Vision
I started thinking about this idea about a year and a half ago, as our country continued to devolve into an increasingly divided nation—two sides unable and unwilling to even engage in discussions, let alone come together to create solutions. We face many challenges in this country: from immigration to education, health care to campaign finance reform, school shootings to the economy... and we’re being distracted by social media and traditional media fabrications (as opposed to facts), political vitriol, retribution, ego, and, frankly, middle school buffoonery.
I should know. I teach at a middle school. When I first started working there, that’s exactly what it looked like: hatred, anger, bullying, gang affiliation, and constant fighting on a daily basis. But after years of intentional, vision-led work by our administrators and teachers, we now have a completely different school—with a positive, productive, creative, and solution-based culture.
And it got me thinking: If we can make that kind of drastic change in a middle school, why can’t we have that kind of change in our country? Why can’t we turn the negative into a positive, the hatred into peace? Why is it inevitable that we devolve into warring factions and a potential second civil war?!
At this point, I believe it’s not going to be the politicians who bring people together. It’s not going to be the traditional media. And it’s most definitely not going to be social media. They all benefit too much from division. I truly believe that the only way we can truly become the United States of America is through people on both sides of the political spectrum connecting with each other, having respectful conversations, healing old wounds, and recognizing that we have more similarities than differences.
And this is why we are taking this journey to Bridge the Gap.
Dave Rosenberg
Director