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EXCLUSIVE: Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger may not be running for Congress, but he’ll be at the center of another campaign this fall – for Oscar recognition.
Deadline can reveal The Last Republican, the documentary about Kinzinger directed by Steve Pink, will get a week-long Oscar-qualifying run in Los Angeles beginning November 22, accompanied by special screenings in New York, San Francisco, and additional theaters across Los Angeles.
The film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, documents Kinzinger’s final term representing his district in Northern Illinois when he made the bold choice to join the select congressional committee investing the January 6th insurrection, knowing it would cost him his political career. In February 2022 the Republican National Committee voted to censure Kinzinger and Rep. Liz Cheney – the only other Republican to join the Democratic-led committee – for participating in the House investigation. Despite immense pressure from his party, Kinzinger held firm in his insistence that Former President Trump be held accountable for his role in the insurrection.
Multiple documentary filmmakers approached Kinzinger wanting to tell his story; he chose Pink because of his affection for one of the director’s earlier films, the classic comedy Hot Tub Time Machine. Despite their political differences – Pink is generally described as a “far-left progressive,” while Kinzinger is a conservative in the mold of Ronald Reagan – they developed a rapport that leads to amusing repartee in the documentary.
“This vital and surprisingly funny film offers a modern portrait of courage, illustrating that thoughtful, civil dialogue between people with opposing political views is indeed possible,” notes a release about The Last Republican. “Displaying an unwavering commitment to putting country over self, Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger sacrificed his career and personal relationships by publicly demanding accountability for Donald Trump’s role in the January 6 insurrection. Filmed during Kinzinger’s final year in Congress, The Last Republican reveals behind-the-scenes insights into the explosive January 6 committee hearings while delving into what drove him to take a stand as well as the lasting impact of his decision.”
At TIFF, Pink told Deadline – semi-seriously – that he wrestled with focusing a film on someone whose political views are so much more to the right of his.
“I did not want to feature a conservative, being a progressive, but I had no choice actually, because Adam did something really courageous, something I admired at a time when our country’s in crisis,” Pink explained. “I had to marry those things in my head. I had to kind get past my own politics so that I could dive in and tell that story.”
Kinzinger described why he decided to join the Jan. 6 investigative committee.
“It’s one thing to vote against the president and vote for impeachment or vote for the creation of the committee, but by getting on the committee, I knew I’m not just making a decision to be on the committee — I am making the decision to end my political career. Am I ready for that?” he recalled asking himself. “At the time I was looking, maybe I’ll run for Senate, maybe I’ll run for governor. But I also knew that I couldn’t say no if I was asked… I could never look at my kid, who’s two and a half now, and tell him what it means to do the right thing if I was unwilling to do it.”
Kinzinger endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president and has campaigned actively for her (as has Fmr. Rep. Cheney).
“For someone to give up so much and to endure a lot of what you went through in your last year of Congress, on principle, on an idea that what is most important is that we preserve… our democracy, putting politics aside,” Pink noted. “You lost your friends; your family members came after you; certainly, became a pariah in the Republican Party; it takes a lot to do that.”
The Oscar-qualifying release is a self-funded initiative. Negotiations for distribution of The Last Republican are ongoing. Before the qualifying run in Los Angeles, a special screening of the film will be held in New York on Tuesday, Nov. 12, with Pink and Fmr. Rep. Kinzinger in attendance.
In addition to TIFF, the documentary screened at the Camden International Film Festival in Maine, the Chicago International Film Festival, the Philadelphia International Film Festival, and the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Arkansas.
My colleague Ted Johnson, political editor at Deadline, is working on a piece about Steve Pink. Look for that to post on Tuesday.
