Rebuilding a broken America, the next presidential election.
Can you tell us a little bit about the places where the film is set?
Bing:The location is about two hours west of Chicago. It is one of the cities that developed after World War II and was once a prosperous place for manufacturing and heavy industry. It is a medium-sized city with a population of about 150,000. The area was originally settled by a large Scandinavian and Germanic population. The area also has a large white blue-collar population.
What do you mean by "Rust Belt"?
Bing:Illinois, where it is set, is another example, as well as Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
The area has several swing states (states that influence presidential elections). How do you see the presidential election coming up this November?
Bing:The old Rust Belt was an area where many middle class people lived and many iconic American cities were located. From there, globalization and technology advanced rapidly, factories were forced to close down, and the gap between the rich and the poor widened. So many people living in these areas feel left out of society. And they are both angry and confused.
Bing:Such disaffected people are easily taken advantage of by authoritarian leaders. Trump's "Make America Great Again" is one example, and others fall for "It's not your fault, it's theirs" or "Vote for me and I'll fix everything". I think the outcome of the Rust Belt will again largely determine the outcome of the war.
Do you feel the power of social networking?
Bing:Five or ten years ago, it would have been unimaginable that social networking services such as Twitter could influence the war situation.
The other thing I feel is that the liberal base is being lost. It seems to me that young people are becoming more and more disinterested in politics because of this. The choice given to them is the Democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden. I think I will vote for Biden in the next election. I'm paying very close attention to the next presidential election because of the situation with Corona. You could say that the next generation of Kier and Zach will determine the future.
Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
Bing:It may be difficult to heal or make a difference in just 90 minutes, but I would be happy if through the characters in this film, young people who are struggling with similar issues can gain courage, get through their situations, and make a life for themselves.
