Event Description: This event is part of the Carr Center’s Human Rights Film Series. This series aims to explore the human rights challenges faced by individuals around the world through various documentaries. The screening will feature both the film and a panel discussion. Light refreshments and pizza will be served during the event.
Film Description: War Game sweeps audiences into an elaborate future-set simulation that dramatically escalates the threat posed by the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The film follows a bipartisan group of US defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations as they participate in an unscripted role-play exercise. Portraying a fictional President of the United States and his advisors, they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the US military in the wake of a contested 2024 presidential election. Like actors in a thriller, but with profound real-world stakes, the players have only six hours to save American democracy. The simulation’s outcome hinges on several inflection points, from the government’s capacity to counter the disinformation that’s effectively spread by the insurgent side to the potential invocation of the Insurrection Act (i.e., the “nuclear option”). While the exercise served to stress test our institutions, the film is a critical wake-up call, underscoring the urgent need for bipartisanship in safeguarding American democracy.
Speakers:
Tony Gerber (Co-Director), an Emmy and PGA award-winning filmmaker, has directed over a dozen films for NatGeo, including Kingdom of the White Wolf, a series shot in the Arctic. His feature docs include Full Battle Rattle with Jesse Moss, The Notorious Mr. Bout (Sundance, 2014.) He produced Jane and Oscar-shortlisted, Takeover.
Jonathan E. Steinberg (Executive Producer) is the co-creator and showrunner of "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" for Disney+ and "The Old Man" for FX, the latter being the network‘s most-watched series. He leads Quaker Moving Pictures at 20th Television/Walt Disney Co. Steinberg’s notable works include "Black Sails" on STARZ, "See" on Apple TV+, and "Human Target" on FOX, as well as the cult-favorite "Jericho" for CBS.
Retired Major General Linda Singh (Game Participant - portrayed National Guard Bureau) served in the Maryland National Guard from 1981-2019, culminating with her appointment to Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters. Previously, she served as the Commander of the Maryland Army National Guard, where she helped lead the response to the 2015 Baltimore riots. During her time in the National Guard, she was deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan.
Lt. Col. John "JD" DeMello (Harvard Kennedy School National Security Fellow) served as Materiel Leader of Enhanced Space Capabilities at the Department of the Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office in Washington, D.C. Additionally, Lt Col DeMello served as the Secretary of the Air Force’s Country Director for the Indo-Pacific Region and deployed to the Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Lt Col DeMello was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2006. JD is a career space acquisitions officer with a broad range of experience in radiation effects, spacecraft design, integration, and test, space launch and recovery, spacecraft operations, and international defense security cooperation. Lt Col DeMello holds a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, an M.S. in Space Systems Operations, an M.S. in Military Operational Art and Science, and an M.S. in International Relations.
Bethany Russell (Belfer Young Leader, moderator) is a joint Masters in Public Policy and Business Administration candidate at Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. Prior to attending Harvard, Bethany served for six years as an Army Intelligence officer. She deployed once to Iraq with special operations forces and worked with the First Multi-Domain Task Force analyzing adversary anti-access/area denial in the Indo-Pacific. Bethany graduated from the U.S. Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in International Relations and Chinese and from Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University with a Master of Management Science in Global Affairs. Her research interests include the Indo-Pacific, U.S. foreign policy and economic security.
This event is only open to Harvard ID holders. Preregistration for this event is required.
Speakers and Presenters
Bethany Russell, Belfer Young Leader Student Fellow and Joint Master in Public Policy and Master in Business Administration Candidate;
Jonathan Steinberg, Executive Producer of War Game;
Lt. Col. John "JD" DeMello, Harvard Kennedy School National Security Fellow;
Maj. Gen. Linda Singh, Maryland National Guard (featured in War Game as Chief of the National Guard Bureau);
Tony Gerber, Director of War Game
Organizer
Co-Organizer
Additional Organizers
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative