Pete Buttigieg’s historic presidential campaign is getting the documentary treatment. “Mayor Pete” follows the candidate as he navigates public service, all the while maintaining a private life. The project hails from director and producer Jesse Moss; his last effort — “Boys State” – became one of 2020s most talked about documentaries. Acclaimed for its portrayal of a gathering that pushes social and political motivations, the film won a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. ‘State’ co-director Amanda McBaine returns for “Mayor Pete.” She’s taking on writing as well as producing duties for the documentary. It’s not the first time McBaine has held down both roles — doing the same on 2008’s “The Investigators.”
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‘Pete’ shows the delicate balance between what we know about a subject versus the truth of their story. The film stands as an unflinching look at the relationships built before, during, and after a significant candidacy. Personal aspects of Buttigieg’s life play out alongside the very public moments that made up media coverage. Both Buttigieg and husband Chasten welcome viewers into their lives — without glossing over the challenges of campaigning. The documentary also explores complex motivations behind being a politician, even when the spotlight can be glaring.
The film’s official synopsis:
Mayor Pete brings viewers inside Pete’s campaign to be the youngest U.S. President, providing an unprecedented intimacy with the candidate, his husband Chasten, and their ambitious team. From the earliest days of the campaign to his unlikely, triumphant victory in Iowa and beyond, this film reveals what goes on inside a campaign for the highest office in the land – and the myriad ways it changes the lives of those at its center. Recently appointed to U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Buttigieg serves as the first openly LGBTQ Cabinet member in U.S. history.
A portrait of what it means to be a candidate unfolds in “Mayor Pete.” Laurie David, Julie Gaither, Liz Garbus, Regina K. Scully are executive producers on the documentary. The Amazon Studios global release comes to Amazon Prime Video on November 12th. Watch the new trailer below.