Hot Docs 2008

Virtual JFK is a fascinating investigation of one of the most debated "what if" scenarios in the history of U.S. foreign policy: What would President John F. Kennedy have done in Vietnam if he had not been assassinated in 1963, and had he been re-elected in 1964? Using an array of resources, the film employs what Harvard historian Niall Ferguson calls "virtual history," assessing the plausibility of counterfactuals, "what ifs" and the outcomes they might have produced. The film examines Kennedy's decision-making patterns, like his responses to such Cold War events as Bay of Pigs and East Berlin. Studying Kennedy's term of presidency is not merely an academic exercise; it serves as a case study of the broader issue about presidents and their decisions regarding war and peace. On the eve of a U.S. election, Virtual JFK offers a timely and chilling reminder that the individual who holds the office of the president matters greatly indeed.
-Shannon Abel