Back when the 2014 election of mayoral candidates was hot and heavy, Eric Weiss and Brad Berman came to Richmond to produce a documentary about the event.

As is typical these days come election season, this was a contest of anti-Chevron people versus the rest of the world, of supporters of the Richmond Progressive Alliance and those that did not embrace their ideology, of one ethnic group against another.  This was a typical Richmond election where people seem to look for issues in which to divide the community.

Eric and Brad’s documentary, titled Nat Bates for Mayor, focuses on the mayoral race between Councilmember Nat Bates, RPA spokesman Michael Parker, businessman Uche Uwahemu and Councilmember Tom Butt.

The 107 minute video starts off with wailing sirens and a long distance shot of a plume of smoke rising from the Chevron refinery after the fire of August 6, 2012.  This was the divisive wedge issue used in the election where a litmus test was imposed demanding that residents take sides either for or against Chevron—either for the people or for big business.

The documentary makes use of extensive interviews with candidates and local shotcallers.

To view this interesting retelling of that election, visit

www.natbatesformayormovie.com

The video can be watched in it’s entirety or as a three parter.