NEW ULM – The NU Film Society’s debuting it’s mockumentary film series with “Privilege,” one of the earliest examples of the genre.

The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13 at the New Ulm Public Library.

“Privilege” was released in 1967 and is presented as a documentary about a British pop singer named Steven Shorter, played by Paul Jones, who is uncomfortable with his fame and what it is being used to promote.

The film is set in the near future where England’s main political parties have created a coalition government that is pushing uniformity. The State wants to use  pop culture figures, like Shorter, to push their political agendas. Shorter’s musical act is designed to distract the population from rising up against the State. 

Shorter’s stage persona is of an imprisoned and abused man. He typically appears on stage wearing handcuffs. His act involves appearing handcuffed on stage in a cell and beaten by police. The reality is he is a captive for his own fame and success. 

Shorter has very little privacy. His life is closely watched by managers, public relations representatives and financial backers. In addition, his handlers force him to promote things benefiting the government. This includes a deal with the collective churches of England to turn Shorter into a modern prophet who could increase church attendance.

Today, “Privilege” is considered one of the main influences for the mockumentary. A mockumentary is a film or TV show that presents fictional events as a documentary. 

In the case of “Privilege,” the film is using the music documentary to tell a story. Audiences at the time would have been familiar with documentaries following famous singers. 

Director Peter Watkins was specifically inspired by a 1962 documentary about Paul Anka called “Lonely Boy.” There are some scenes in “Privilege” lifted directly from the documentary. “Lonely Boy” was ultimately about how a popular singer is merchandised by the music industry. “Privilege” is about satirizing the concept of fame and media manipulations. The film also addresses concerns about how the state could promote authoritarian or fascist policies using a populous figure. 

The mockumentary approach to storytelling is often used to parody the documentary format, but in the case of “Privilege” the goal was to comment on real world concerns. The documentary approach also gives this dystopian world a sense of reality. The cinematography in “Privilege” is simple with natural framing. It doesn’t depict impossible imagery. The film closely resembles newsreel footage. Even though audiences know the story is fictitious, they see how it could easily become real.

Film Society’s screening of “Privilege” is free to the public. Before and after the film, there will be a discussion about the film’s place in film history.