Documentary examines Bush’s small-town connection

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“Crawford,” described as a “… hilarious and heart-thrashing documentary,” will be shown at 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Lake Pepin Art and Design Center, Second and Main streets. A 7 p.m. social hour will precede the Second Saturday Film Series presentation.

Crawford, Texas, a one-stoplight town, is where then-Gov. George W. Bush bought a ranch in 1999 when he set his sights on the White House. David Modigliani’s documentary traces the effects on that community of just 705 residents.

According to an Austin, Texas, newspaper, “Having invented Bush’s ‘folksy image,’ the campaign’s victory thrusts Crawford onto the world stage and an insular community of barely 700 explodes overnight.” His winning slogan became “Small town values.”

The newspaper continued, “While the high school band plays the inauguration and the Baptist pastor declares a miracle, Crawfordites sell souvenirs hand over fist, finding themselves nearly trampled under the heels of the international press corps, patriotic tourists and boomtown opportunists.

The movie “Crawford” is an often funny, human story told by a colorful assortment of characters. “The film ultimately becomes a microcosm of a nation in flux — a unique and poignant reflection on the Bush era,” sponsors said.

Tags: lake pepin art and design, applause, crawford