Vincit qui se vincit - He who conquers himself conquers all
So reads the business card of Stephen K. Bannon, CEO of Victory Film Group and the brilliance behind the new documentary film chronicling the life of America's most talked about governor, Sarah Palin.
Mr. Bannon is a man with a remarkable background. After serving in the United States Navy, a stint that included 4 years of sea duty, Bannon served at the Pentagon as Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations. He also holds degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, a Master's Degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University, and an MBA from Harvard Business School. As CEO of Victory Film Group, Bannon has played the role of writer, director and producer of award-winning projects like Still Point in a Turning World, Generation Zero, Battle for America and In The Face of Evil.
Bannon's latest big screen endeavor, entitled The Undefeated, was shown in a private screening at the RightOnline conference held in Minneapolis last weekend. More than 200 writers, activists, bloggers and media types took advantage of the unique opportunity to view the film prior to its release in theaters next month.
Bannon says he didn't make this for "Palinistas" or those who already love Governor Sarah Palin, but rather for the middle and center right audience that doesn't yet know the real story behind the rise of Palin from small town mayor to one of the most dynamic voices in today's politics.
The opening scenes of the film are enough to make any rational person's hair stand on end reliving the vile and vulgar comments, parodies and attacks that Palin faced when thrust on the political stage as John McCain's Vice Presidential pick. The film is not yet rated, but the language and visual content may be enough for an "X" rating.
"I made this film because all I heard from the Washington know-it-alls was that these women are stupid," Bannon says referring to conservative women, "but pound for pound, these women are incredibly intelligent. And Sarah Palin is in the top 3 of accomplished governors of the 20th century... How can the elite, particularly the Republican elite... have such contempt for her?"
Bannon passionately explains that his goal is to take the viewer deep into pop culture. "There's no one in pop culture that has taken a beating like this... The first step is to get over the denigration of her."
More like a visual resume, the film doesn't play out like a strategic defense of Sarah Palin. It documents clearly the accomplishments of Palin's political career and outlines her success in defeating the Republican establishment, crony-capitalists and the giant oil companies that had been suffocating Alaskans' livelihoods for decades. With interesting twists, thoughtful commentary from famous conservative voices and witty humor injected throughout, the film highlights both the struggles that Palin has had to overcome and the incredible victories that have led her to be one of the most powerful conservative women of our time. She may not currently hold public office, but she holds the attention of the people of America, which has the power to influence elections and policy decisions throughout the nation.
The film is being released by ARC Entertainment and will be shown in AMC theaters. To vote for the release in your area, go to the Victory Film Group website.
Perhaps it can be said that this film is an opportunity for Sarah Palin to conquer herself in the hopes of conquering all.
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