Why did a man with no political experience think he could be President of the USA, and who were the people behind him pulling the strings?

Neurosurgeon Ben Carson became a figurehead for the American Right when, in 2013, he criticised President Obama to his face. Soon, he was being touted as a Republican candidate and he was encouraged to run for President. Support was provided by mysterious SuperPACs, the secretive political action committees controversially made legal in 2010. For the first time, we peek behind the curtain as two SuperPACs raise money from wealthy evangelicals and passionate libertarians to put this unlikely candidate in the Oval Office.

Australian filmmaker Luke Walker (Lasseter’s Bones, MIFF 2012) originally set out to make a film about the inner workings of a Presidential campaign, but soon realised the dark role of SuperPACs was the real story of American politics. As Carson weathers attacks from Republican rivals Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, Walker shadows the people who support him from afar, as they gamble everything in support of a man they are legally prohibited from talking to. A fly-on-the-wall political drama, PACMen is a vital documentary for everyone looking for answers about what has gone wrong in American politics.

'A portrait of a political system that has gone hopelessly off the rails, PACmen is essential viewing for anyone seeking to understand some of the reasons why.' – The Hollywood Reporter

Director Luke Walker will be at both sessions to introduce the film and take part in a post-screening Q&A.