EMMAUS, Pa. — A special presentation of a film that looks at what could happen if an election goes drastically wrong is coming to Emmaus Theatre, with a panel discussion led by Gov. Josh Shapiro.
The movie "War Game" will start at 6 p.m. Wednesday, with the panel discussion immediately following the film. The panel will be moderated by Shapiro.
Tickets are free and available at the movie's website.
The event will be introduced by producer Mark DiCristofaro, a 2004 graduate of Emmaus High School who now resides in Los Angeles.
The film, penned as "a real-life political thriller set on January 6, 2025," imagines a nationwide insurrection in which members of the U.S. military defect to support the losing presidential candidate, according to a film synopsis.
Meanwhile, the winning candidate and his advisors — played by an all-star roster of senior officials from the past five U.S. administrations — use war games to work through the crisis in the White House situation room, the synopsis says.
Those participating in the war game have six hours to save democracy "as the country teeters on the brink of civil war," it says.
Participants in film, panel
Participants in the filmed and non-scripted exercise include former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. (Ret.) Wesley Clark, former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, and other real-life high-level officials, advisors and legislators.
The film has received praise from the Sundance Film Festival, as well as outlets including The New York Times and the Washington Post newspapers, Rolling Stone and Variety magazines, and more.
Panelists to discuss the film include Co-director Tony Gerber; Executive Producer Jonathan E. Steinberg; film participants Jack Tomarchio, who was principal Deputy U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security in the Bush administration, Vet Voice Foundation Chief Executive Officer Janessa Goldbeck and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Linda Singh; and 32nd Under Secretary of the U.S. Army Patrick Murphy.
The Emmaus High School Young Democrats Club will co-present the film, although the film highlights a bipartisan group of federal officials from different presidential administrations participating in the role-play exercise.