I know you know the election is in 13 days, but I wonder what comes to mind when you hear the phrase “64 days.” That’s right: It is the length of time between Election Day 2020 and January 6, 2021.
Appropriately, “64 Days” is also the new documentary from British filmmaker Nick Quested. Accurately subtitled “The Insurrection Playbook,” another solid reason to see this film is the fact that Quested embedded himself with the Proud Boys to examine the seditious “Stop the Steal” project.
Because this deeply misguided attack failed to overthrow our modern republic but did result in four deaths on January 6, Quested was subpoenaed to testify before the House committee investigating the attack during its first public hearing in 2022.
I recently saw “64 Days” and strongly urge you to see it this Saturday at The Moviehouse in Millerton, N.Y. Of course, I cannot tell a lie: This is not an easy film to watch, but as Quested himself has noted, “64 Days is without question the single most important film I’ve directed.” This, from a man who has directed at least a half dozen films and produced over 40 documentaries already.
“64 Days” is 100 minutes long—and every single moment is reason enough to see the film. Additional reasons include ubiquitous warnings of a repeat coup attempt by Donald Trump.
For example, you can read Anne Applebaum’s latest in The Atlantic, “Trump is Speaking Like Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini.” In this article, she reminds us that Trump is calling for mass violence now.
If you can stomach it, NPR ran “Trump has made more than 100 threats to prosecute or punish perceived enemies” yesterday. It is chilling.
As Nick Quested tells us at the end of “64 Days”:
January 6th was not a spontaneous event. It was the culmination of months of planning by a small group of highly motivated individuals. It was exceptionally violent, and I was maced, gassed, and shot by bean bags. My camera was ripped from my hands and broken.
It took weeks for me to recover. I couldn’t regulate my body temperature, I couldn’t sleep. I’d wake and doomscroll through social media looking for images of myself and searching for explanations. I’d experienced exactly how “Stop the Steal” came to change America forever. They had detailed exactly what they were going to do and then they did it. Why would it be any different this time?
When I testified, I swore to tell the truth. And this film is that truth.
See “64 Days” at The Moviehouse in Millerton, N.Y. You will be surprised by how much of January 6 is still being told. And we have people like Nick Quested to thank for never-before-seen footage; eyewitness reports; exclusive access to the Proud Boys; and unreported emails, videos, and social media posts.
Like last weekend’s screening of “War Game” at The Triplex, “64 Days” may be the best get-out-the-vote message yet.
Why? Because We. Are. Not. Going. Back.
