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Behind the Camera: The Unlikely Film Career of Steve Bannon

Steve Bannon’s inception into the film industry was derived from his career as a financier and investment banker. His introduction to key players in the film and television world began during his tenure at Goldman Sachs. During this period in the late 1980s, he served as Vice President, presiding over major investments into the world of show business. In 1990, Bannon & Co. was launched as a diversified financial firm specializing in Media financing and acquisitions. During this period, Bannon facilitated a deal with Westinghouse and Media mogul Ted Turner involving a position in Castle Rock Entertainment. Bannon & Co. opted to take a small stake in the show's syndication rights rather than a traditional fee. This decision proved incredibly lucrative as Seinfeld became one of the most successful sitcoms in television history. This generated massive long-term profits and gave Bannon a financial boost that helped fund his later media and film production ventures.

The film career of Steve Bannon started with the 1991 film The Indian Runner, a film based on a crime drama where Bannon was an executive producer along with Sean Penn as writer and director. The Indian runner starred Charles Bronson and Patricia Arquette as featured actors, with David Morse and Viggo Mortensen as the main characters. One of Bannon's breakthrough films was In the Face of Evil: Reagan’s War in Word and Deed (2004), a tribute to Ronald Reagan and an exploration of the Cold War. Steve Bannon was instrumental in the production of the film, playing his part in writing the film's script and serving as the official director. The film gained attention among conservative circles and marked Bannon’s emergence as a right-wing media figure.

One of Bannon's Biggest Film Productions

Steve Bannon, who is today known primarily for his political influence in the conservative movement, has applied his knowledge from filmmaking into the modern political landscape. He went on to direct or produce several politically charged films, including Generation Zero (2010), which linked the 2008 financial crisis to the perceived cultural decline in America. Over the last two decades, Steve Bannon has been a pioneer in modern-day conservatism, who has shaped a new era and shift in spirit among the conservative populous.

Bannon’s films often blend historical narratives that portray edgy depictions of global plots against the free world that place focus on nationalism, capitalism, and Western values.

The former strategist to President Donald Trump in 2017 has continued his foray in filmmaking with the release of 'Trump @War' in 2018. This documentary was made to highlight the work of Donald Trump's America First Agenda and to garner additional support moving forward. Though not widely known in mainstream cinema and Hollywood, Bannon’s work in filmography laid the foundation for new conservative filmmakers such as Dinesh D'Souza. Bannon has been involved in over 19 films with roles ranging from director, writer, or producer throughout his career, which have seen his unique ability to infuse media and politics together as the central theme.