C.S.A. The Confederate States of America

C.S.A. The Confederate States of America. 2005 Hodcarrier Films & IFC Films.
Presented by Spike Lee
Written and Directed by Kevin Willmott
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A mockumentary that dares ask: What if the South won the Civil War?

Presented as a British documentary airing on San Francisco's affiliate (channel 6 if you must know) of the "Confederate Television" network, complete with a disclaimer, faux newsreel footage, and fake, racist advertisements. The credits do claim that some of the products depicted in the fake commercials did exist.

In the fictional timeline, the Confederates succeed in getting aid from England and France during the Civil War, turning the tides in their favor. After they win the war (and after Abraham Lincoln is captured along with Harriet Tubman, and exiled into Canada), the C.S.A. annexes the United States, eventually conquering all of the Western Hemisphere except for Canada. Canada becomes the home of refugee abolitionists and escaped slaves, and a wall called the "Cotton Curtain" separates both nations. Despite this, Canada becomes the pop culture capital of the world, and the C.S.A.'s culture never evolves past government-inspired propaganda. In time, the C.S.A. government outlaws all religion apart from Christianity.

During World War II, the C.S.A. was friendly with Nazi Germany, but disagreed with Hitler's Final Solution, preferring to enslave non-white raves and not exterminate them. After pledging to remain neutral, the C.S.A. attacks Japan on December 7th, 1941. The Axis still loses World War II, and the Vietnam War is briefly hinted at as a C.S.A. "expansionist campaign".

By 1960 in the C.S.A., only 29 percent of voters approve of slavery. John F. Kennedy (depicted as a Roman Catholic Republican in the film) is elected President, unable to change the nation before being assassinated.

In the early 1990s, Democratic Senator John Ambrose Fauntroy V is interested in becoming President, wanting to return the nation to its former Southern Protestant Biblical values (tolerance of adultery and wife beating; intolerance of homosexuals). Instead, rumors circulate that Fauntroy V has slave ancestors and he is part black, which costs him the election and drives him to suicide.

This is one of the most interesting and thought provoking mockumentaries ever made, and a movie not afraid to confront the racism that existed in the early days of America, as well as the racist feelings that sadly exist today. Highly recommended.