Film Forum

Steve Pink began his career by writing and co-producing the films GROSSE POINTE BLANK and HIGH FIDELITY. He went on to direct HOT TUB TIME MACHINE, ABOUT LAST NIGHT, and ACCEPTED. Steve has also directed multiple television series including Santa Clarita Diet, Cobra Kai on Netflix, and Wayne on Amazon Prime. Most recently, he directed the critically acclaimed film THE WHEEL, his first independent feature that enjoyed its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in 2021.

Congressman Adam Kinzinger served six terms in the United States House of Representatives where he proudly represented Illinois’ Sixteenth Congressional District, which stretched across 14 counties in Northern Illinois. While in Congress, Kinzinger served as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he served as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment in the 116th Congress. His top priorities included strengthening U.S. energy policy and making our nation less reliant on foreign resources as well as bolstering the strength of our national security — both at home and abroad. He also served on the non-partisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. Shortly after the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol in 2021, Congressman Kinzinger started the Country First movement which has grown rapidly to over 300,000 members today and counting. Since leaving Congress, Congressman Kinzinger has become a Senior Political Commentator, a New York Times Best Selling Author of “Renegade,” while simultaneously leading the Country First Movement. Prior to being elected to Congress, Kinzinger served in the Air Force in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Kinzinger continued to serve his country throughout his time in Congress as a pilot in the Air National Guard, and retired in 2023 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

John Berman is an Emmy-award winning CNN anchor and currently co-anchors CNN News Central weekdays from 7 – 10am ET. He previously served as co-anchor of New Day and a number of other CNN broadcasts. Since joining CNN in 2012, Berman has been at the forefront of the most pressing news events, including elections, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (for which CNN’s coverage was acknowledged with a DuPont-Columbia Award.) Before CNN, he worked at ABC News for nearly 17 years, and appeared on television there since 2001. He was a regular contributor to all of ABC’s broadcasts, including World News with Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America, Nightline, and 20/20. In 1999 and 2000, Berman worked as an off-air reporter for ABC News covering George W. Bush’s presidential campaign. He logged more hours with then-candidate Bush than nearly any other reporter, following Bush to 45 states. In his career, he has interviewed everyone from Barack Obama to Mike Pence to Mitt Romney to MC Hammer. He was embedded with the Marines for the U.S. Invasion of Iraq in 2003, and has covered countless hurricanes and natural disasters. From 1997 to 1999, Berman was the head writer for World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. He has also been part of teams winning the Edward R. Murrow Award for best broadcast, and was awarded a James Beard Award in 2010. Berman started at ABC News as a desk assistant working the overnight shift in 1995. A native of Carlisle, Mass., he graduated from Harvard University, where he was president of Hasty Pudding Theatricals. He likes the Red Sox. Have a problem with that?

Supported by a Humanities New York Action Grant

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