A Savage Art: The Life and Cartoons of Pat Oliphant

Follows the life of Australian-born Patrick Oliphant, who satirized presidents, popes and business leaders with his art. His tenure as America’s most celebrated and feared political cartoonist spanned five decades and 10 administrations. In 1990, The New York Times called him “the most influential editorial cartoonist now working.” The film covers the history and importance of political cartoons in global democracies, as well as the decline in the profession and in the newspaper industry. It also highlights the effects of extreme political partisanship on media and editorial cartooning, and shows how Oliphant used his wit, critical eye and drawing skills to take on the powers that be, sending up everyone from Ho Chi Minh to Donald Trump.