Virgil Films released the socio-political feature documentary film Stars and Strife, written and directed by New York Times Best-Selling Author David Smick and executive produced by Academy Award-winner Barry Levinson. Stars and Strife exposes how an epidemic of hatred and division has left America helpless and presents how a rediscovery of empathy will move the nation forward.

Beginning on August 11, the film will be available for rent or purchase onVimeo on Demand, and on STARZ platforms on September 21.

The film explores systemic hatred, division and the need for change through direct experiences of its cast. Featuring diverse perspectives from an all-star cast, including the late Alice Rivlin, the founder of the Congressional Budget Office and a 60-year fellow at the Brookings Institution; the Godson of Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke, Derek Black, who left behind his family’s white nationalist beliefs and has publicly condemned white nationalists; as well as Ken Langone, the self-made billionaire philanthropist and co-founder of Home Depot. Together, the cast explores how we can overcome the forces of division to meet the challenges of our time and live up to the promises of our founding.

The film features an all-star cast of activists (Hawk Newsome – Social Justice Activist) past political leaders (James Baker – two-time White House Chief of Staff, Leon Panetta – White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of Defense and CIA Director, Rahm Emanuel – White House Chief of Staff and Mayor of Chicago), academics (Amy Chua – Yale University, Francis Fukuyama – Stanford University), and current elected officials (Rep. Chrissy Houlihan of Pennsylvania and Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland).

“This film explores the epidemic of hate that has left us helpless in the face of crisis,” said the film’s writer and director, David Smick. “We have world-class leaders in activism, business, politics, and academia discussing how we can build a main street economy that expands opportunity and a practical politics that encourages compromise and puts country before party. But most of all, the film is about why we need to rediscover empathy — the lost heart of America.”

Image via screengrab