The first trailer for the prize-winning, politically-charged documentary Weiner, about disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner’s 2013 New York mayoral bid, was released online Monday.
Weiner chronicles the former Congressman’s infamous sexting scandal and fall from grace, and then his eventual, unlikely return to run for mayor of New York. The film was put together from more than 400 hours of behind-the-scenes access into Weiner’s campaign, and also focuses on his relationship with his wife and top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
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The film won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance earlier this year. According to the Hollywood Reporter‘s review of the film at the time, it includes footage of Hillary Clinton staffers pressuring Abedin to step back from Weiner’s campaign, which ultimately ended in another sexting scandal.
“The punchline is true about me: I did the dumb thing,” a repentant Weiner says in the trailer. “But I did a lot of good things too.”
Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg direct.
The film is due out in theaters May 20 via Sundance Selects. Showtime will air the film across all of its channels beginning in October.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum