THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Q&A with Sarah Botstein || Sag Harbor Cinema

Co-director Sarah Botstein joins SHC Founding Artistic Director Giulia D'Agnolo Vallan for a Q&A following a screening of Episode 3 of THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION at Sag Harbor Cinema. Recorded February 15th, 2026 CHAPTERS: 00:00:00 - Introduction of Co-Director Sarah Botstein 00:00:27 - Starting the Project: 10 Years of Research and Reading 00:01:44 - The Multiplicity of Voices: Telling an Inclusive History 00:02:46 - Literacy in 18th Century North America and Documentary Evidence 00:04:06 - Representing Women and Native Americans in the Revolution 00:06:09 - Visualizing History Without Photographs 00:07:54 - The Decision on Reenactments vs. Impressionistic Cinematography 00:09:47 - Working with Reenactors to Show the Violence of War 00:10:49 - Using Maps as 18th-Century "Photographs" 00:11:47 - Innovative Use of CGI and Commissioned Watercolors 00:12:52 - How the Project Lands in Our Current Political Moment 00:14:21 - Audience Q&A: Sourcing Native American Voices 00:16:13 - Recommended Reading: Rick Atkinson and Alan Taylor 00:17:39 - Voice Casting: Challenges and "Tremendous Humility" 00:18:58 - Casting Highlights: George Washington, Abigail Adams, and Thomas Paine 00:20:38 - Ken Burns’ Evolution: From the Civil War to the Revolution 00:22:32 - Is this the most important Ken Burns film? 00:24:07 - Greg Harlin’s Watercolors and the Influence of Children’s Books 00:25:46 - Educational Outreach: PBS Learning Media and Lesson Plans 00:27:26 - Why Shared History is Unifying 00:28:44 - The Art of Listening and Empathy in Historical Interviews