A documentary about comedic portrayals of U.S. presidents has earned the Tribeca Festival’s vote.
The 25th annual Tribeca Festival has announced that on Saturday, June 6, it will host the world premiere of Playing POTUS, a feature documentary directed by BAFTA nominee Josh Greenbaum (Will & Harper).
First announced back in October 2024, the 92-minute doc takes a look at various impressions of presidents (and presidential hopefuls) that comedians have done across media, with an eye on the effect said portrayals had on public perceptions of candidates.
As such, the film promises to be heavy on the political impressions that have been a Saturday Night Live staple since the iconic sketch comedy series’ 1975 launch.
“From Chevy Chase‘s Gerald Ford to Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris, Playing POTUS explores how comedians don’t just parody leaders, they help define them,” the documentary’s logline reads. “Featuring comedy legends and late-night insiders, this sharp, entertaining documentary reveals how presidential impressions became one of America’s most influential, and surprisingly powerful, forms of political storytelling.”
Among those interviewed for the doc are SNL alums Rudolph, Dana Carvey, Alec Baldwin, Will Ferrell, Jay Pharoah, Darrell Hammond, and Tina Fey.
Participants from outside the SNL sphere include Keegan-Michael Key (who on Key & Peele played President Obama/”anger translator” Luther), late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel (who doesn’t do impressions of presidential candidates, but is famously locked in an ongoing battle with two-time POTUS Donald Trump); and Democratic political strategist James Carville.
Director Greenbaum is no stranger to docs about late night. In 2017, he directed Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of The Dana Carvey Show. His also helmed Will & Harper, the 2024 Netflix doc following Will Ferrell and former SNL head writer Harper Steele. For the latter, Greenbaum earned multiple Emmy noms and a BAFTA Award nod.
Greenbaum also directed Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar and the upcoming Spaceballs: The New One sequel, which per Mel Brooks just got handed an April 23, 2027 release date.
The 25th annual Tribeca Festival runs June 3–14; get ticket information.
