Change can genuinely happen…when you’re just fed up.

Debuting tonight on Showtime’s SHOxBET channel; Surge is a unique look at how mass disappointment can lead to genuine change.

Surge is a feature documentary about the record number of first-time female candidates who ran, won and upended politics in what became the historic, barrier-breaking 2018 midterm elections. The film explores whether this is another moment in women’s political history or the beginning of a true movement.

If we can get past the concept that this film was directed, produced & shot entirely by women there’s a key point that needs to be made beyond any PC marketing points.

This is a damn good movie that needs to be seen by as many audiences as possible because it really gets down the emotional core of trying to make change in your country and how the politicisation of public service is eroding the base of American Democracy.

From directors Hannah Rosenzweig and Wendy Sachs we get an effort that to be honest is a little predictable and perfunctory as far as political documentaries are, but the fact that it got made is the real magic in the first place.

Surge captures the feeling that was so rife in America after the election of Donald Trump for everyone who had ever felt marginalized or ignored and wanted to do something to make the world that they live in a better place.

As the film narrowed in on its subjects we got to follow their individual journeys but never lost sight of the bigger picture in how that it was important for not only women to be running for higher office but that is was also women of color and how genuinely support they all were of each other during their campaign process.

It was politics for all the RIGHT reasons rather than the power hungry, entitled usual reasons that we see play out far too often in public service.  This isn’t a film that honestly doesn’t care if they all win (1 did, 2 didn’t) but rather it wants to invigorate a political base that has been neglected and ignored for decade.  In that instance I’d say that Surge gets the job done.

Ultimately the debate if this influx of female candidates is a movement or just a moment will have to play out over time, but in documenting these people going through the motions of actually trying to get involved with government; Surge could very well be the seminal document not just for a movement, but for the revolution of equality that always needs some positive momentum to keep it rolling in the right direction.

Airs tonight in the US on SHOxBET at 9PM and is on the Showtime/Anytime app as of tomorrow.