Native son Zach Galifianakis stars in documentary about NC’s ‘regressive’ politics

Actor Zach Galifianakis, a North Carolina native, stars in a documentary that discusses how his home state went from being “a beacon of light and generosity in a sea of red state reactionary politics” to what the film’s website refers to as “one of the most regressive and intentionally belligerent states in the union.”

The documentary, “Democracy For Sale,” will be screened across North Carolina in January and February. More screenings are still being scheduled. The Raleigh screening is 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at Community UCC.

Galifianakis, who was born in Wilkesboro and attended N.C. State University, gained international fame for his part in the “Hangover” trilogy of films. He owns a farm in northeastern Alleghany County and splits his time between the farm and his work.

The documentary tells the story of North Carolina’s transformed politics, including new and growing political spending, or as the film’s website says, “how the money of a few has come to dominate our democracy.”

Galifianakis investigates allegations that the North Carolina government was “put in power by moneyed interests and has thus carried out a program that only benefits its backers: cuts to education, health care spending and environmental protection; lowering of taxes for the wealthy and corporations; and the passage of laws designed to roll back access to the ballot.”

“Democracy For Sale” is part of the “America Divided” docu-series produced by Common, Norman Lear and Shonda Rhimes. The five-part series features narratives of inequality in education, housing, health care, labor, criminal justice and the political system.

Galifianakis is joined by other stars, including Rosario Dawson, America Ferrera, Amy Poehler, Peter Sarsgaard and Jesse Williams, who serve as correspondents in other documentaries in the series.

Working Films, the company heading up the series, is working with Appalachian Voices, Democracy NC, the N.C. NAACP and other North Carolina organizations to set up the screenings.

People can request free screenings of the series online.

This story was originally published January 12, 2017 at 4:16 PM with the headline "Native son Zach Galifianakis stars in documentary about NC’s ‘regressive’ politics."