Sep 23, 2026 · 40 min · 11 segments
We’ve lost a lot of trust in politicians in America, and it’s not hard to see why. Politics feels like a permanent campaign where leaders are performing, fundraising, and protecting their careers…
Yeah.
I mean, I remember having other conversations with you and talking about that I think you had added the video diaries as you were making them.
Is that fair to say? And I thought that was a real...
gift to the audience to be a and honestly, and I think I said this to you before, Adam, to the participants, to be able to process what they were going through in a very intimate way.
It allows this intimate humanity to emanate through the screen.
it doesn't matter what they believe.
You're just like, I'm connecting with this human.
The storytelling that you are telling, Adam, is really beautiful.
And it's also, Jolena, like, but how do we do this? Like, how do we, like, that's sort of the end of the film is like, okay, how do we make this work? Like, how do, like, the granular, because I feel like People seeing the movie, no matter what side of the aisle they're on, will be like, well, yeah, how do we do this?
You know, I think deep down, most Americans are kind of hungry to be proven wrong about the worst opinions they have or fears they have about their political others.
And then there's also this question of like, you know, how we see ourselves as citizens.
And we have for so long been relegated to being spectators in a political system that we're told is democracy.
liberal or conservative.
The question of where we go from there, I mean, I think a lot of folks would be really surprised with what can be achieved when enough Americans, enough of us in this country want a change and want it enough.
And especially as I think we all sense, wherever you're on the political spectrum, that things are getting more and more turbulent.
And that tends to present opportunities for change that people didn't think were possible.
But that can go in a lot of different directions, and I feel like if there's not a truly hopeful vision for where to go in this country, then I don't have a lot of hope for where things will head.
There are ways to bring about these changes, but I think the first step is us as Americans deciding, well, what do we want? And so for us in making this movie, it's really to give people a glimpse so that they can see it for themselves and they can decide for themselves.
Who do you think should be making these types of decisions? And should this be, you know, something that's left to professionals who compete for the job? Or should this be something that we decide is, you know, this should be something that we do as citizens.
Yeah.
I mean, I remember having other conversations with you and talking about that I think you had added the video diaries as you were making them.
Is that fair to say? And I thought that was a real...
gift to the audience to be a and honestly, and I think I said this to you before, Adam, to the participants, to be able to process what they were going through in a very intimate way.
It allows this intimate humanity to emanate through the screen.
it doesn't matter what they believe.
You're just like, I'm connecting with this human.
The storytelling that you are telling, Adam, is really beautiful.
And it's also, Jolena, like, but how do we do this? Like, how do we, like, that's sort of the end of the film is like, okay, how do we make this work? Like, how do, like, the granular, because I feel like People seeing the movie, no matter what side of the aisle they're on, will be like, well, yeah, how do we do this?
You know, I think deep down, most Americans are kind of hungry to be proven wrong about the worst opinions they have or fears they have about their political others.
And then there's also this question of like, you know, how we see ourselves as citizens.
And we have for so long been relegated to being spectators in a political system that we're told is democracy.
liberal or conservative.
The question of where we go from there, I mean, I think a lot of folks would be really surprised with what can be achieved when enough Americans, enough of us in this country want a change and want it enough.
And especially as I think we all sense, wherever you're on the political spectrum, that things are getting more and more turbulent.
And that tends to present opportunities for change that people didn't think were possible.
But that can go in a lot of different directions, and I feel like if there's not a truly hopeful vision for where to go in this country, then I don't have a lot of hope for where things will head.
There are ways to bring about these changes, but I think the first step is us as Americans deciding, well, what do we want? And so for us in making this movie, it's really to give people a glimpse so that they can see it for themselves and they can decide for themselves.
Who do you think should be making these types of decisions? And should this be, you know, something that's left to professionals who compete for the job? Or should this be something that we decide is, you know, this should be something that we do as citizens.
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