The doors are closed. There are no more screenings of this film.

Loading the player...
Return to Main Page

Synopsis: The summer of 2020 finds Emily Siegrist in an unenviable position: running a
grassroots campaign for Wisconsin State Assembly, taking on a better-funded
incumbent in a race that will almost certainly come down to the wire, all in the
midst of a global pandemic. A nurse, veteran, and mother of two young kids, Emily
has put the district into political play with a campaign focused on healthcare,
education, and the environment. Yet as the campaign intensifies, so does a new
development: Emily, married twice before to men, is falling in love—this time, with
a woman who brings her new understanding of her identity. As Emily throws
herself into the limelight of a competitive political campaign, a newfound love
hovers beneath the surface, waiting to offer a path forward.

Language

English

Run Time

19 minutes

Directed by

John Haley

Director's Statement

When I first set to work filming “Last Race,” I sought to create a short documentary which, through the eyes of one individual, would touch on the various forces shaping 2020 electoral politics in America. I wanted this project to reflect the election’s focus on the Upper Midwest, the realities of voter disenfranchisement and gerrymandering, the rise of a fierce progressive backlash to the presidency of Donald Trump, and the nature of campaigning in the midst of a global pandemic. Emily Siegrist’s down-ballot race for Wisconsin State Assembly in the 24th District—just north of Milwaukee—ties these various threads together: Emily is a nurse, veteran, and mother of two, running as a progressive in a conservative-leaning, gerrymandered district against the backdrop of the COVID-19 crisis.

Yet in the midst of filming Emily’s story, a new thread emerged; I found the focus shifting from the political to the personal. Last Race centers not only on the overarching political context but also the delicate navigation of newfound love and the beautiful moments of affirmation and truth that come through that process. Last Race ultimately captures snippets of this process of discovery, stitching them together into portrait of a woman discovering herself while seeking to bring her district the
representation it deserves.

Director's Bio

John Haley is a documentary filmmaker and media professional whose character-driven stories center on the intersection of personal identity and societal structures. Guided by a minimalist approach to filmmaking, John aims to emphasize the reality of his characters’ experiences through handheld cinematography and carefully structured landscapes while working to situate stories within a broader social and political context. Thematically, his films grapple with contentious issues such as the death penalty and electoral politics through the lens of specific characters, contextualizing these social structures through distinct perspectives in pursuit of nuance and a more truthful, holistic understanding of reality. His award-winning films have screened at Wisconsin Film Festival, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival, Tallgrass, Reeling, Sidewalk, CUFF.Docs, Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Nevada City, and EarthxFilm, among others.

Production Year

2021

Official Website

Please don't close or refresh the page while we are processing your submission
Please be patient, this could take a few minutes.

Choose the plan that’s right for you!

Change or cancel anytime

Single Channel
Click to subscribe
Multiple Channels
Click to subscribe
All Access
Click to subscribe
Subscription Price From: $4.99 / month $9.99 / month $14.99 / month
Free Trial Period
Automatic with subscription
Yes Yes Yes
Watch on your laptop, TV, phone, or tablet Yes Yes Yes
Single Festival Access Yes Yes Yes
Multiple Festival Access No Yes Yes
Unlimited Films On Demand
VOD Library
No No Yes

Request A Screening

Oops! We could not locate your form.

Search

Create an Account

You will create your account during the first purchase on Film Festival Flix. To create an account now, select the Channel that's right for you? Subscribe or select the ticketing page. If you're not ready to purchase at this time, you can create your account at any time in the future.
close