James Carville talks about the documentary “Winning is Everything, Stupid.”

Thirty-one years after he took center stage in DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus’ “The War Room,” smart, no-nonsense Democratic political strategist James Carville is the star of another documentary, Matt Tyrnauer’s “Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid.”

The film, which was acquired by CNN Films shortly before its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, will be released in theaters on October 11th via Greenwich Entertainment.

“Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid” chronicles an 18-month period in which the Ragin’ Cajun led the effort to convince President Joe Biden not to run for re-election in 2024. The documentary follows Carville, known for coining the phrase “Carville”: “It’s the economy, stupid” during Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign as he travels the country to talk politics. The documentary also delves into Carville’s personal life with his wife, Republican strategist Mary Matalin, who admits in the doc that the two did not speak for a while due to their differing opinions on the Iraq War. In addition to Carville and Matalin, the film features political figureheads such as Bill Clinton, George Stephanopoulos, Paul Begala and Rev. Al Sharpton.

diversity spoke with Carville and Tyrnauer in East Hampton before the screening of the documentary at Hamptons Intl. Film Festival on October 10th.

Matt, you prepared this document independently. Did you try to find a distributor to commission the film and failed, or did you want to make the film independently?

Tyrnauer: I felt like this was an independent film. It’s a real film about politics that I wanted to make exactly how I wanted to make it. I wanted this film to be idiosyncratic, and James is very idiosyncratic. I just felt like it would be a good private equity film and we managed to raise the money. I love this way of working and haven’t done it for a while.

These days it’s quite risky to make a topical, politically oriented document as major distributors don’t want anything to do with them. Were you worried it wouldn’t sell??

Tyrnauer: My first film, Valentino: The Last Emperor, was about fashion. While I was making this film, I kept hearing, “Nobody wants fashion documentaries.” Fashion documentaries don’t work.” You know what? It was (one of) the biggest documentaries of the year. So at this point I learned a lesson: If you think you have a good idea, the headwinds are just things you weather as best you can. I hope that the sales of this film might break the trend of political documentaries not selling.

Who is this document intended for?

Carville: The profession of politics and not just the people who work in campaigns, but also the people who run for office, the people who work for NGOs, volunteers, etc. have such a bad reputation because everyone hates politics. That’s what we hear. I hope people see this and say, “You know, these people look like they had a pretty good time.” They had fun. Maybe I’ll run for the Sewerage and Water Board or the Airport Commission.” Whatever.

Do you think Trump voters will look at this document?

Tyrnauer: I hope so. It is a non-partisan film. One character in the film is a Democrat and the other is a Republican. Both James and Mary are not so-called coastal elites. There is something for everyone in this film. I would love for everyone to see this film.

They open in cinemas in New York and Los Angeles. Are you trying to show the film in swing states?

Tyrnauer: We will literally go anywhere to show this film. James and I are running a campaign to promote the film in the month leading up to this election.

Carville: We are in a campaign. I say, “Okay. We’re stuck with this bastard. Let’s win.”

The film’s main plot concerns Carville’s years-long effort to convince President Joe Biden not to run for re-election in 2024. It took until June 27, 2024, the night of the Trump-Biden debate, for the Democratic Party to get behind his efforts. This debate took place two months before the film’s premiere at Telluride. How much has the film changed in these two months?

Tyrnauer: I actually finished the film the morning of the Trump-Biden debate. I did a test screening at my house that evening with 10 people that was a counter-program to the Trump-Biden debate. The debate starts and we start the movie and after ten minutes I get a text from James, who was watching the debate, saying, “I just took two gummy bears and I’m listening to country music.” That’s when I knew I had to change the entire ending of the film.

James, do you think Kamala Harris – a woman – has a chance of winning the election?

Carville: Hillary won the popular vote by more than a narrow margin.

Yes, but the popular vote at the end of the day doesn’t matter.

Carville: But it’s a fact. Maybe no one noticed, and maybe it didn’t matter, but she did. I think what I’ve found more than anything is that there’s more nervousness among Democratic women about a Democratic candidate than anywhere else. I think this is more of a reaction from wealthy Democratic women.

What do you think will happen on November 5th?

Carville: I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know. And I don’t really think about it because I was told very early in my career that the more time you spend thinking about who’s going to win, the more you don’t think about how you’re going to win.