Citizen Sam

Canadian Sam Sullivan qualifies as one of the most brazenly controversial politicos on the international scene. Unabashedly right-wing, with a history of making polarizing choices -- such as his decision to hand money to addicts for crack and heroin -- Sullivan also happens to be a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic. With his vérité documentary Citizen Sam, filmmaker Joe Moulins observes Sullivan's daily struggles in 2005, as the then-city councilor of Vancouver, British Columbia, campaigns valiantly for the mayoral race. Moulins watches, cameras rolling, as Sullivan contends admirably not only the stress and pressure of the election, but with the completion of daily tasks that others take for granted, such as getting dressed in the morning. Meanwhile, Sullivan must also tend to his image as any politician does, with trips to the tanning booth and to the dentist, to have his oft-filmed teeth whitened. Sullivan also confesses, to Moulins' camera, shocking truths that most politicians would prefer to keep long buried. Citizen Sam provides a personal and multifaceted look into the world of this complex and multifaceted public figure.