North American Premiere of Documentary about Maine Senator George J. Mitchell, The Negotiator, to Screen at 28th Maine International Film Festival
Waterville, Maine — The Maine Film Center will present a screening of The Negotiator during the 28th annual Maine International Film Festival (MIFF), which will be held July 11–20, 2025, in Waterville. The documentary surveys the life and work of Senator George J. Mitchell, who was born in Waterville and served as the United States special envoy to Northern Ireland during the 1990s.
In 1995, President Bill Clinton appointed Senator Mitchell as his economic envoy to Northern Ireland. Mitchell later chaired the multi-party peace talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The film follows his involvement in the peace process, including travel between Northern Ireland, Washington, D.C., and Maine, and focuses on the efforts required to reach a political settlement.
Directed by journalist Trevor Birney, The Negotiator uses interviews, archival material, and contemporary footage—including on location in Waterville—to explore Mitchell’s role in the negotiations and the broader context of U.S. foreign engagement. Birney previously produced KNEECAP, which closed last year’s MIFF. The screening of The Negotiator is sponsored by the Unity Foundation, and will be introduced by the film’s producer Stephen Douds.
The film will be shown at the Waterville Opera House on July 16 at 7PM. Festival passes and tickets are available now at MIFF.org.
About the Maine Film Center
Maine Film Center (MFC) educates, entertains, and builds community through film. Through its legacy as Maine’s first independent art house, Railroad Square Cinema, and the annual Maine International Film Festival, MFC showcases the best of American independent, international, and repertory film, and offers the best popcorn in the known universe. For more information, visit MaineFilmCenter.org.
About MIFF
Founded in 1998, the Maine International Film Festival (MIFF) is a project of the Maine Film Center. Over 10 days, the Festival showcases 100 films, representing the best of American independent and international cinema, and spotlights Maine and the world’s most exciting and innovative filmmakers.