UpHILL Battle

In the film upHILL Battle, we follow Dr. Ashley Ward as she attempts to be the first climate expert elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Dr. Ward’s passion for bettering her community and making a difference on the national level is noble but is derailed due to the influx of PAC and super PAC money poured into her primary race. Making the race for the North Carolina 4th Congressional seat the most expensive primary in North Carolina History and the second most expensive in the United States. Through the film, we see the contrast between a multimillion-dollar campaign versus a grassroots campaign. Asking the fundamental question, are grassroots campaigns even possible in our current political system? Through upHILL Battle, the viewer gets an in-depth look into what running for a local Congressional seat is like in one of the most contentious primaries in the country. MFA Thesis, passed with no revisions.