Filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon: 'The Undefeated' Sarah Palin is an existential threat to the existing political establishment

Answering today's five OFF-SET questions is Stephen K. Bannon, writer and director of the new film, "The Undefeated," which chronicles former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s rise from obscurity to national prominence.

Bannon's films include “Generation Zero,” "Fire from the Heartland: The Awakening of the Conservative Woman," "In the Face of Evil: Reagan's War in Word and Deed," and “Battle for America,” among others. Bannon spent 15 years in media investment banking and film financing. A former Goldman Sachs banker, he formed his own firm and sold it in 1998. From 1976 to 1983, Bannon served as a “surface warfare officer” in the U.S. Navy.

Gov. Palin and her husband Todd are scheduled to attend the premiere of the film on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at the Pella Opera House in Pella, Iowa, to be followed by a traditional Iowa cookout. The movie will then be shown at AMC Theaters in 10 cities beginning the week of July 15.

Did you make this film for people who already support Sarah Palin, or for those who haven't formed an opinion yet?

No, I made this film for everybody. I specifically made this film for those who might have formed a negative impression of Governor Palin because of the mainstream media’s portrayal of her and for those who had not formed an impression.

The National Review called the film “the introduction America never got to Palin in the hot political days of late August 2008.”

What I wanted to do is to introduce Sarah Palin through her through her actions and her accomplishments, because as a filmmaker it seemed to me that, while she is one of the most “media-drenched” people in the world, the real story of her record and her accomplishments has been hiding in plain sight. So I specifically did not make this for “Palinistas.”

Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota has just joined the GOP 2012 presidential race, and of course, there are potential voters who are curious about Gov. Palin entering the race. Could your documentary be viewed as part of her eventual campaign?

My last film, Fire From the Heartland, starred Congresswoman Bachmann and various women of the Tea Party movement.

I made this film, The Undefeated, as an independent filmmaker to tell a story that I thought transcended politics about a woman who came from complete obscurity, as nameless as anybody in American society, and who, through her struggles and her accomplishments over the last 20 years, was able to effect major change in modern America both in the state of Alaska and in American politics.  My partner Glenn Bracken Evans and Victory Film Group produced the film totally independently and we have never worked with her PAC.

What happened when you first told Gov. Palin that you were making the movie and how much cooperation did you get from her and her family?

Her PAC had first reached out to me to ask me to produce short YouTube videos, but I had no interest in that project. After talking with my partner, Glenn Bracken Evans of Victory Film Group, we decided instead to make a feature-length film about her accomplishments, which we would finance independently and we would retain complete editorial control.

Our strong feeling was that you couldn’t understand the meaning of Sarah Palin until you understood the stewardship of Governor Palin. The only thing we asked for were introductions and access to certain civil servants and politicians who had worked with Governor Palin in Alaska. Governor Palin saw a rough cut in Phoenix in late May and will see the finished film for the first time in Pella, Iowa, at Tuesday’s premiere.

Did Sen. John McCain give you an interview?

I made a film called Generation Zero about the financial collapse in the fall of 2008. In it, I explored a very different interpretation of the presidential election of that year.

The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and the complete incompetence of the Bush Administration in dealing with it dramatically altered the dynamics of that presidential race. That topic is specifically addressed in The Undefeated and therefore it was not necessary for me to interview Senator McCain. 

I believe it was Donald Trump who recently said the Republican Party was fired for their handling of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and their response to the financial collapse in the fall of 2008. I share those sentiments.

From your point of you, why has she succeeded at capturing the American political imagination, and at the same time, why does she seem to be such a polarizing figure?

One of the central theses of The Undefeated is that Governor Palin is an existential threat to the existing political establishment as she proved to be a threat to the Republican establishment in Alaska.

At the same time, Governor Palin has succeeded in capturing the American political imagination because her story is a true American success story of someone who, out of her desire to make a difference and her commitment to her values, took a stand and got involved, and was unwavering against any headwinds that she faced in making great change in Alaska and through her involvement with the Tea Party movement.

I have read that British filmmaker Nick Broomfield has also made a documentary about Sarah Palin. What do you know about that film and were you in competition for the same material?

I am familiar with Nick‘s previous work but I have not had an opportunity to view this latest film.

As you know HBO has completely “retorqued” the book Game Change to make it completely focus on the Sarah Palin character. So I think you will find, as with any fascinating character in history, filmmakers like Nick and others will be motivated to produce many more films, books and television specials about the Governor in years to come.