Netflix released the trailer Monday for its new documentary “Knock Down the House” chronicling liberal lightning rod Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning victory last summer.
The story features four of the 591 women who ran for Congress in the November midterms — Ms. Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vielia from Nevada, Cori Bush from Missouri and Paula Jean Swearengin from West Virginia.
The New York progressive was the only successful campaign out of those featured in the film.
“For one of us to make it through, a hundred of us have to try,” a voiceover says as the trailer focuses on Ms. Ocasio-Cortez sitting outside the U.S. Capitol.
Netflix reportedly paid $10 million to secure the rights to the documentary, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January. There, it played to standing-room-only crowds and won the Audience Award for the best U.S. documentary at the festival.
Progressive groups are already praising the film.
“The film does an amazing job portraying the blood, sweat, and tears involved in running a grassroots primary challenge when all the odds are stacked against you,” Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats, said in a statement. “I hope the footage from the early days of these campaigns encourages other leaders, especially progressive working-class women and women of color, to consider running for Congress. Even if it means taking on the machine.”
Justice Democrats, which worked with Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign last year, is one of the 28 progressive groups forming a network under the banner “DCCC Blacklist” for candidates who want to run as a primary challenger.
“Knock Down the House” is set to start streaming and run in select theaters May 1.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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