A documentary based on the life and leadership of former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has won a prestigious honour at the News and Documentary Emmy Awards.
The film, Prime Minister, received the award for Outstanding Politics and Government Documentary. The documentary traces Ardern’s rise within the Labour Party and her leadership during some of New Zealand’s most challenging moments, including the Christchurch mosque shootings, the Whakaari/White Island eruption disaster, and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The film also explored Ardern’s personal journey, including her pregnancy while serving as prime minister and becoming only the second world leader to give birth while in office. It featured intimate home footage captured by her husband, Clarke Gayford, as reported by Stuff.
Celebrating the achievement on social media, Ardern congratulated the “talented” team behind the documentary, describing it as something that “feels like the most accurate portrayal of what it’s like to lead with your heart on your sleeve.”
She also paid tribute to Gayford, calling him “the first person who picked up a camera.”
“I wasn’t the easiest person to film, and nor through the years of being PM was I the easiest partner,” Ardern wrote, Stuff has quoted.
“But that never changed the amount of support he gave in return. Our loved ones don’t choose politics, but they are still on the front line alongside us every day, cheering us on, keeping life at home going, reminding us why we’re there,” as quoted by Stuff.
“So thank you, Clarke. Now it’s my turn to cheer you on xx.”
According to Stuff, Ardern added that Gayford also addressed the audience during the awards ceremony and expressed gratitude to New Zealand for the support they received during their years in public life.
The documentary was co-directed by Auckland filmmaker Michelle Walshe and American director Lindsay Utz. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received mixed reviews from critics.
Despite differing opinions, the film performed strongly at the box office, earning NZ$432,000 in its opening week, making it the highest-opening local documentary since 2018, as reported by Stuff.
The Los Angeles Times described the film as a “revealing portrait”, while Variety called it “intimate but simplistic” Stuff reported.
The documentary’s success surpassed the opening week performance of Peter Jackson’s documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, while New Zealand’s highest-grossing documentary remains Chasing Great, based on former Richie McCaw, Stuff has reported.