The new documentary Knock Down the House follows four inspiring women who challenge powerful politicians in the 2018 race for Congress is currently on Netflix.
Director Rachel Lears focused on Cori Bush, Amy Vilela, Paula Jean Swearengin and the incredibly well known Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez during their unexpected runs. The movie discusses each of their personal reasons for running. For instance, Bush, a nurse, pastor, and mother, was inspired by the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, after the murder of Michael Brown by a police officer. As the daughter of a coal miner, Swearengin is concerned about the terrible effects coal mining has had on local health, the environment, and the economy of her home state of Coal City, West Virginia. Meanwhile, Vilela turned into a fierce advocate for Medicare For All after her daughter, Shalynne, died from a massive pulmonary embolism which was linked to denial of care at an emergency room. Finally, Ocasio-Cortez’s father died in 2008, during the financial crisis, so she worked in the hospitality industry after getting a degree in international relations and economics in order to try to avoid the foreclosure of her family’s home. If all of these intriguing stories aren’t enough for you, in the documentary, you get to see some behind the scenes action of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign which she eventually won making her the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
However, the story is not solely based on Ocasio-Cortez, but instead on four women representing a larger movement. As Swearengin says in the film, “It’s time for ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Let’s raise some hell and take our lives back.” That quote alone should show you that the film is a must-see, filled with powerful and inspiring women.