When New Zealand politician Jacinda Ardern found herself catapulted to the top of the Labour Party in 2017, with the general election just seven weeks away and the party's popularity in decline, it's unlikely she could have predicted what would come next. At just 37 years old, she was on the cusp of becoming prime minister and discovered she was pregnant with her first child. American director Lindsay Utz and New Zealand documentarian Michelle Walshe give us a front-row look at Ardern's five-plus years in office, while also offering a glimpse into her later life.
Offering a revealing insider's perspective that serves as a reminder of what conviction politics looks like when sustained even under extreme pressure, as well as being a celebration of feminism, "Prime Minister" appeals to an audience far beyond New Zealand's shores. Its presence in Sundance's World Film Documentary Competition should propel it to the attention it deserves.
Directors: Lindsay Utz, Michelle Walshe
Star: Jacinda Ardern
The bulk of the documentary combines archival footage and private conversations with intimate videos recorded by Clarke Gayford, Ardern's partner and now husband, at her home. The Prime Minister also has access to recordings Ardern made for the National Library's Political Diary Oral History Project. Grace Zhrah and Enat Sidi provide a smooth edit, but Utz's extensive work as an editor—she worked on the Taylor Swift documentary Miss Americana and the Oscar-winning American Factory before making her directorial debut—must also have been a huge advantage, given the wealth of material gathered.
"We will continue to be relentlessly positive," Ardern says early in the documentary, and we see her lead by example throughout her time at the top. Her optimism is infectious and, in some ways, even more endearing as she openly admits to anxiety and imposter syndrome. Utz and Walshe intertwine personal challenges, such as breastfeeding at work, with national crises as Ardern's term continues, revealing the tensions she faces, often compounded by the harsh judgment placed on her as a woman.
Ardern's ability to connect with people beyond mere commentary is more evident than ever in the wake of the 2019 terrorist attack on the Christchurch mosque, which left 51 dead and dozens injured. Poignant footage shows her speaking to families who have lost loved ones as she advocates "telling people what you know, even if it's difficult."
At the time, Ardern famously promised never to mention the gunman by name, and the film follows suit, a smart move that ensures the victims' stories remain front and center. Ardern's emotional response to the letters of thanks she receives is typical of her overall attitude: unafraid to show what she feels. "People shouldn't have to thank you for a human answer," he insists. The film also details his practical attitude toward positive change, as he negotiates with his coalition partners to ban assault weapons and most semi-automatic weapons in response.
Other crises caught on camera include a volcanic eruption and the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Ardern insisting on strict measures to preserve life rather than "impersonating Churchill" like Boris Johnson. The darkest moments come when anti-vaxxers begin violent protests in Parliament, feeling infected by the conspiracy theories flourishing elsewhere in the world.
The film's more serious considerations are tempered by footage shot by Gayford, which highlights the couple's close bond. "Are you pretending to wear dirty laundry?" she asks him in one, while in others, he demands honest answers to difficult questions. Gayford, who is also one of the film's producers, has a fairly constant background presence, often looking after her young daughter Neve, making the film a low-key celebration of spousal support and uncomplicated, dedicated fatherhood.
Ardern deeply admires Ernest Shackleton for how he saved his crew after HMS Endurance became trapped in the ice in Antarctica, but it's debatable whether the incorporation of archival footage from the ill-fated expedition adds much to a film that is best when focused on its main subject. Her decision to resign is also given a small touch of gloss, but it's consistent with a film that is as much about the person as the position she held. Moving to the United States, where she continues to research at Harvard, Ardern remains true to her principles.
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