Rising Democratic star was to have appeared at world premiere of documentary Knock Down the House
One of the most anticipated star sightings at Sundance is not going to happen. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was to have appeared Sunday at the world premiere of the documentary Knock Down the House, tweeted Saturday she won't be coming.
"Due to complications from the gov shutdown, I’m sad to say I’ll miss @jubileefilms’ premiere of Knock Down the House," Ocasio-Cortez wrote.
The freshman Congresswoman, who has rapidly become one of the most talked about political figures in America, is featured in the documentary along with fellow "insurgent" Democratic candidates Paula Jean Swearengin, Cori Bush and Amy Vilela. In order to bring representation to one of the most marginalized constituencies in America, Alexandria runs for office.
Swearengin, Bush and Vilela all fell short in their bids to unseat incumbent Democrats, but Ocasio-Cortez pulled off a massive upset when she defeated powerful 10-term Congressman Joe Crowley in the Democratic primary for New York's 14th Congressional district.
AOC, as she has come to be known, tweeted in reference to Knock Down the House director Rachel Lears, "She was one of the 1st to substantively pick up my campaign + didn’t dismiss it. She was one of the only reporters to recognize & take it seriously, thanks to her local reporting + expertise on Queens politics."
AOC officially began her first Congressional term on January 3. Well before then she became an obsession of right wing commentators, who have attacked everything from her outfit choices to her decision to support Rep. Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. Her decision to cancel plans to attend Sundance no doubt has to do with concern over the "optics" as the government shutdown comes to at least a temporary end, with President Trump capitulating to Pelosi. Ocasio-Cortez would have been assured of savage commentary from the right had she left Washington to "hang with the stars" (as no doubt her critics would have couched it). Swearengin, Bush and Vilela are expected to attend the world premiere on Sunday evening, along with the film's director. Nonfictionfilm.com will be there to cover. AOC will be missed.
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AuthorMatthew Carey is a documentary filmmaker and journalist. His work has appeared on Deadline.com, CNN, CNN.com, TheWrap.com, NBCNews.com and in Documentary magazine. |