The Sixth (film)

Last updated
The Sixth
The Sixth poster.jpg
Official poster
Directed by
Written byAndrea Nix Fine
Produced by
  • Andrea Nix Fine
  • Sean Fine
CinematographySean Fine
Edited by
  • Jeff Consiglio
  • Chrystie Martinez-Gouz
Music by H. Scott Salinas
Production
companies
  • A24
  • Change Content
Distributed byA24
Release date
  • May 3, 2024 (2024-05-03)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Sixth is an 2024 American documentary film, directed and produced by Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine. It follows the January 6 United States Capitol attack through the perspective of individuals who lived it.

Contents

It was released on May 3, 2024, by A24.

Premise

It follows the January 6 United States Capitol attack through the perspective of individuals who lived it. Robert Contee, Mel D. Cole, Daniel Hodges, Erica Loewe, Jamie Raskin and Christina Laury appear in the film.

Production

In January 2021, it was announced Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine would direct a documentary revolving around the transition of power between presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden for A24. [1] Initially, The Fines sent a crew to capture Trump's speech, unaware of what was about to happen, before losing contact with their cinematographer Caz Rubacky and seeing the events of January 6 United States Capitol attack happen. Following the attack, The Fines decided to change course and make the film about the attack, with A24 agreeing. [2]

The Fines did not purchase any footage shot by insurrectionists, instead using other sources. [3]

Release

The film was released on video on demand on May 3, 2024. [4] Initially the film was set to be released on Amazon Prime Video alongside video-on-demand, but this plan was rolled back. [5] The distribution of the film was criticized by multiple outlets, including participants, Jamie Raskin and Mel D. Cole, with Cole strictly participating in the film due to the involvement of A24. [6] [7] The films release was compared to other A24 documentaries receiving releases with little fanfare including My Mercury and Open Wide. [8]

Reception

Critical reception

Noah Gittel of The Washington City Paper wrote: "This is the power of the documentary form. Never again must we forget our own nightmares. Especially when they come true." [9] André Hereford gave the Metro Weekly gave the film four out of five stars writing: "The Sixth delivers an urgent eyewitness chronicle of the Capitol under siege from people who feared for their lives that day." [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Raskin</span> American politician (born 1962)

JaminBen Raskin, better known as Jamie Raskin, is an American attorney, law professor, and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 8th congressional district since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the Maryland State Senate from 2007 to 2016. The district previously included portions of Montgomery County, a suburban county northwest of Washington, D.C., and extended through rural Frederick County to the Pennsylvania border. Since redistricting in 2022, Raskin's district now encompasses only part of Montgomery County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sean Fine</span>

Sean Fine is an American cinematographer, producer and film director whose film Inocente won the 2013 Academy Award for Best Documentary. He directs his films with his wife, Andrea Nix Fine. The Fines' first feature-length film War/Dance about child soldiers was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2007. In 2013 their film, Life According to Sam won both a Peabody Award and an Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary filmmaking. The Fines launched a boutique film studio Change Content to develop documentaries that affect way audiences feel about critical issues. Change Content's first film LFG (film) premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was instrumental in the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team achieving equal pay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A24</span> American independent entertainment company

A24 is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. The company is based in Manhattan.

Mel D. Cole is an American documentary photographer. He originally became notable for his black and white photographs of hip hop concerts, artists, and other figures, including The Roots, Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar, and others. Cole later branched into photojournalism, documenting the George Floyd protests in various cities in 2020 and the January 6 United States Capitol attack in Washington, D.C. in 2021. He was named the "Editorial/Press Photographer of the Year" at the 2021 International Photography Awards.

Andrea Nix Fine is an American documentary film director whose film Inocente won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2013. She directs her films with her husband, Sean Fine. The Fines were also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2007 for War/Dance, a story about the power of music to heal and transform the lives of children living in Uganda's war zone, and their 2013 HBO documentary Life According to Sam was honored with a Peabody and Emmy award. Nix is a 1991 graduate of Colby College. The Fines launched a boutique film studio Change Content to develop documentaries that affect way audiences feel about critical issues. Change Content's first film LFG (film) premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was instrumental in the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team achieving equal pay.

<i>Dangerous</i> (2021 film) 2021 film

Dangerous is a 2021 action thriller film directed by David Hackl and starring Scott Eastwood, Tyrese Gibson, Famke Janssen, Kevin Durand, and Mel Gibson. The film was released on November 5, 2021. It was David Hackl's fifth film as director. Dangerous was produced by Kevin DeWalt, Ben DeWalt and Doug Falconer under the banners of Mind's Eye Entertainment and Falconer Pictures; and marks the last film of Falconer as a producer - he suddenly died in July 2021 before the release of the film. The film was distributed in the United States and the United Kingdom by Lionsgate. It received negative reviews from critics for its plot and action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 6 United States Capitol attack</span> 2021 attempt to prevent presidential electoral vote count

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of then-U.S. president Donald Trump, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election. They sought to keep Trump in power by occupying the Capitol and preventing a joint session of Congress counting the Electoral College votes to formalize the victory of President-elect Joe Biden. The attack was ultimately unsuccessful in preventing the certification of the election results. According to the bipartisan House select committee that investigated the incident, the attack was the culmination of a seven-part plan by Trump to overturn the election. Within 36 hours, five people died: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three died of natural causes, including a police officer. Many people were injured, including 174 police officers. Four officers who responded to the attack died by suicide within seven months. Damages caused by attackers exceeded $2.7 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second impeachment of Donald Trump</span> 2021 US presidential impeachment

Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, was impeached for the second time on January 13, 2021, one week before his term expired. It was the fourth impeachment of a U.S. president, and the second for Trump after his first impeachment in December 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second impeachment trial of Donald Trump</span> 2021 trial in the US Senate

The second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, began on February 9, 2021, and concluded with his acquittal on February 13. Donald Trump had been impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives on January 13, 2021. The House adopted one article of impeachment against Trump: incitement of insurrection. He is the only U.S. president and only federal official to be impeached twice. He was impeached by the House seven days prior to the expiration of his term and the inauguration of Joe Biden. Because he left office before the trial, this was the first impeachment trial of a former president. The article of impeachment addressed Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results and stated that Trump incited the attack on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., while Congress was convened to count the electoral votes and certify the victory of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestic reactions to the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

In the aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack, after drawing widespread condemnation from the U.S. Congress, members of his administration, and the media, 45th U.S. President Donald Trump released a video-taped statement on January 7 to stop the resignations of his staff and the threats of impeachment or removal from office. In the statement, he condemned the violence at the U.S. Capitol, saying that "a new administration will be inaugurated", which was widely seen as a concession, and his "focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly, and seamless transition of power" to the Joe Biden administration. Vanity Fair reported that Trump was at least partially convinced to make the statement by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who told Trump a sufficient number of Senate Republicans would support removing him from office unless he conceded. Kayleigh McEnany, the White House Press Secretary, had attempted to distance the administration from the rioters' behavior in a televised statement earlier in the day. On January 9, The New York Times reported that Trump had told White House aides he regretted committing to an orderly transition of power and would never resign from office. In a March 25 interview on Fox News, Trump defended the Capitol attackers, saying they were patriots who posed "zero threat", and he criticized law enforcement for "persecuting" the rioters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span>

The January 6 United States Capitol attack was followed by political, legal, and social repercussions. The second impeachment of Donald Trump, who was charged for incitement of insurrection for his conduct, occurred on January 13. At the same time, Cabinet officials were pressured to invoke the 25th Amendment for removing Trump from office. Trump was subsequently acquitted in the Senate trial, which was held in February after Trump had already left office. The result was a 57–43 vote in favor of conviction, with every Democrat and seven Republicans voting to convict, but two-thirds of the Senate are required to convict. Many in the Trump administration resigned. Several large companies announced they were halting all political donations, and others have suspended funding the lawmakers who had objected to certifying Electoral College results. A bill was introduced to form an independent commission, similar to the 9/11 Commission, to investigate the events surrounding the attack; it passed the House but was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. The House then approved a House "select committee" to investigate the attack. In June, the Senate released the results of its own investigation of the attack. The event led to strong criticism of law enforcement agencies. Leading figures within the United States Capitol Police resigned. A large-scale criminal investigation was undertaken, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opening more than 1,200 case files. Federal law enforcement undertook a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators, with arrests and indictments following within days. Over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">January 6 commission</span> Failed legislation proposed during the 117th U.S. Congress

The National Commission to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol Complex, known colloquially as the January 6 commission, was an unsuccessful proposal to create a commission that would have investigated the January 6 United States Capitol attack. On February 15, 2021, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi announced that she planned to create a "9/11-type commission". The details were initially negotiated by Republican John Katko, and would have consisted of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. A bill forming the commission passed the House of Representatives on May 19, with all Democrats and 35 Republicans voting in support of it. However, it was blocked by Senate Republicans on May 28, with 54 Senators voting in favor and 35 voting against, failing to clear the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criminal proceedings in the January 6 United States Capitol attack</span> List of people charged with crimes

On January 6, 2021, supporters of then President Donald Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol Building, disrupting the joint session of Congress assembled to count electoral votes to formalize Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 United States Presidential Election. By the end of the month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had opened more than 400 case files and issued more than 500 subpoenas and search warrants related to the riot. The FBI also created a website to solicit tips from the public specifically related to the riot and were especially assisted by the crowdsourced sleuthing group Sedition Hunters. By the end of 2021, 725 people had been charged with federal crimes. That number rose to 1,000 by the second anniversary of the attack, and to 1,200 by the third anniversary, at which point over 890 people had been found guilty of federal crimes. These federal cases are handled by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (D.C.). State cases, of which there are fewer, are handled in the D.C. Superior Court.

<i>LFG</i> (film) 2021 American film

LFG is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine, with Andrea Nix Fine also serving as a writer. It follows Megan Rapinoe, Jessica McDonald, Becky Sauerbrunn, Kelley O'Hara, Christen Press, Sam Mewis and Julie Foudy, as they sue the United States Soccer Federation for pay discrimination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack</span> Former select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives

The United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol was a select committee of the U.S. House of Representatives established to investigate the U.S. Capitol attack.

Day of Rage: How Trump Supporters Took the U.S. Capitol is a 2021 American documentary short film about the January 6 Capitol attack by supporters of former president Donald Trump, reported by The New York Times.

<i>Four Hours at the Capitol</i> HBO documentary regarding the 2021 United States Capitol attack

Four Hours at the Capitol is an HBO original documentary film produced in association with the BBC and directed by Jamie Roberts. It was released on October 20, 2021. The film chronicles the 2021 United States Capitol attack and focuses on the hours of 1-5 p.m. through an assortment of footage from that day, some previously unseen, in addition to testimonies from some rioters, law enforcement officers, Members of Congress and staffers who were inside the Capitol Complex.

Couy Dale Griffin is an American former politician who served from 2019 to 2022 as a county commissioner for District 2 of Otero County, New Mexico, which covers Tularosa, Three Rivers, La Luz, the western parts of Alamogordo, and the Mescalero Apache Reservation. In September 2022, Griffin was removed from office pursuant to the Insurrection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution due to his actions in the January 6 United States Capitol attack. He is a member of the Republican Party.

<i>This Place Rules</i> 2022 American documentary film

This Place Rules is a 2022 American documentary film directed by Andrew Callaghan in his feature directorial debut. The film premiered on HBO on December 30, 2022, and was released on HBO Max the following day.

References

  1. Lindahl, Chris (January 14, 2021). "A24 Producing Documentary on U.S. Government's Transition of Power — First Details". IndieWire . Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  2. Saito, Stephen (May 6, 2024). "Andrea Nix Fine and Sean Fine on Filling in the Emotional Details of the Day That Democracy Nearly Died on "The Sixth"". Moveable Fest. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  3. Rao, Sonia (May 6, 2024). "How a documentary about the Jan. 6 insurrection covers new ground". The Washington Post . Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  4. Yen, Amanda (May 3, 2024). "Is Hollywood Burying A24's Jan. 6 Documentary?". The Daily Beast . Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  5. Richlin, Harrison (May 4, 2024). "A24 Rolls Back Planned Streaming Release of Insurrection Documentary 'The Sixth' — Report". IndieWire . Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  6. Schaffer, Michael (May 3, 2024). "Is Hollywood Deep-Sixing January 6?". Politico . Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  7. Hayes, Britt (May 6, 2024). "Why Is A24 Suppressing Its Own Jan. 6 Documentary?". The Mary Sue. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  8. Adams, Sam (May 9, 2024). "Why Is A24 Burying Its Jan. 6 Documentary?". Slate . Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  9. Gittel, Noah (May 9, 2024). "What Nightmares Are Made Of: The Sixth Forces Us To Confront an Awful Chapter of American History". Washington City Paper . Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  10. Hereford, André (May 11, 2024). "'The Sixth' Recounts the Day a Storm Struck the Capitol (Review)". Metro Weekly . Retrieved May 11, 2024.