Prime Minister is a 2025 documentary that first premiered at Sundance earlier this year, premiered in theaters last month, and should eventually be releasing on HBO Max at a later date. Directed by Michelle Walshe & Lindsay Utz, the film covers Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s 40th Prime Minister, who led her nation through unprecedented challenges, implemented bold policies, and became the second leader in history to give birth in office, all while championing an inclusive and empathetic leadership style that changed global expectations of what a leader can be.

I remember first knowing about this film when looking at what was playing at my local theater. It initially didn’t fully grab my attention right away, but when I got an email for a digital screener, I thought why not. It took a little while to get to me and there were some complications with playing the film, so forgive me for not getting to this sooner as I don’t think it’s playing in theaters anymore. To my surprise, I saw the HBO Documentary Films logo appear at the beginning of the film, which makes me believe it will be on HBO Max at some point in the near future. When it does become available, I highly encourage everyone to seek it out. I believe there’s a lot that can be learned through Jacinda Ardern’s leadership.

I feel like whenever someone doesn’t see themselves as a leader, but sort of finds a way into leadership are the best kinds of leaders. That’s what happened with Jacinda Ardern. I admittedly should have known more about Jacinda Ardern before the film as I heard so much during her time in office. I, too, found myself quite capable of leadership even when I didn’t believe I could do it. what Ardern does here as a leader should set an example as to how the right leadership can positively impact those around us.

Right away, you get the sense that Ardern is for the people, not for a select group. Her methods proved to be controversial to some during the height of the pandemic, but when she did during her tenure in office should shed light on compassion. Between dealing with sexism and having a daughter of her own, Ardern still manages to keep fighting and preserving. Not many people could do what she does. It’s not easy to be in that kind of position. The film shows her at her most vulnerable. Even then, she never raises her voice to anyone nor does she wear her stress on her sleeve.

At about 100-minutes, I was quite impressed by how much the film covers in that amount of time. The film covers about 7 years of her work, which may seem like a daunting task in the editing room. The film does do quite a bit to get you all caught up to speed, which can be exhausting. There’s almost a sense that the film already trusts that the viewer knows who she is. New Zealand is a relatively small country, but it’s how Ardern responds to the crises should set an example as to how leadership should look like, not just in politics, but in general.

Considering she just left office last year, it’s clear the film has plenty of time to edit this down into a cohesive film. Knowing that this released at this year’s Sundance while establishing quality should give you an idea at how committed the filmmakers were to bringing this story to life. You don’t get many documentaries that are ran like that, especially with one that’s meant to give you so much hope. Documentaries are tough when it comes to getting people in seats in theaters. I hope that when this eventually releases in theaters that it will get more recognition.

By the the time she leaves office, Ardern marries her partner Clarke Gayford. They appear to live an unorthodox lifestyle where even one reporter questions why they haven’t married since Ardern is pregnant. It’s clear Gayford has love and admiration for his wife and doesn’t want to get in the way of her success. He is patient and willing to even help out with their daughter. He is even listed as one of the directors of photography as he recorded home videos of what it was like to live at home, offering a more personal perspective into Ardern’s life. There’s even a scene showing how she is mentally handling the pandemic that goes to show just how human she is.

Lastly, I have to note how much the film is a love letter to New Zealand solely based on the cinematography. The visuals are quite strikingly beautiful to look at. Dark Doris Entertainment apparently asked Ardern for permission to create the film in 2023 after her resignation, but you can still can get a strong sense where making this into a documentary was always a part of the plan.

Overall, Prime Minister may be one of the most important documentaries of the year as it showcases what positive leadership should look like when the world already looks so dark and grim. There’s quite a bit of catching up to do in the beginning, but the film manages to keep the pacing afloat with meaningful information. By the end of the film, I think viewers will find themselves inspired to be their best self.

VERDICT: 4.5/5 (Amazing)