- Masood hits first ton for four years to power Pakistan to 233-1
- Fritz wins delayed match to reach Shanghai Masters third round
- Naomi Osaka pulls out of Japan Open with back injury
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Artist Marina Abramovic hopes first China show offers tech respite
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- Pakistan 122-1 at lunch in first England Test
- Kazakhs approve plan for first nuclear power plant
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
- Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack
- Darvish tames Ohtani as Padres thrash Dodgers
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Family affair as LeBron, Bronny James make Lakers bow
- Cancer, cardiovascular drugs tipped for Nobel as prize week opens
- As Great Salt Lake dries, Utah Republicans pardon Trump climate skepticism
- Amazon activist warns of 'critical situation' ahead of UN forum
- Mourners pay tribute to latest victims of deadly Channel crossing
- Tunisia incumbent Saied set to win presidential vote: exit polls
- Phillies win thriller to level Mets series
- Yu bags first PGA Tour win with playoff win
- PSG held by Nice to leave Monaco clear at top of Ligue 1
- AC Milan fall at Fiorentina after De Gea's penalty heroics
- Lewandowski treble for leaders Barca as Atletico held
- Fresh Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Sucic stunner earns Real Sociedad draw against Atletico
- PSG draw with Nice, fail to reclaim top spot in Ligue 1
- Gudmundsson downs AC Milan after De Gea's penalty heroics for Fiorentina
- 'Yes' vote prevails in Kazakhstan nuclear plant vote: TV
- 'Difficult day': Oct 7 commemorations begin with festival memorial
- Commemorations begin for anniversary of attack on Israel
- Lewandowski hat-trick powers Liga leaders Barca to Alaves victory
- 'Nothing gets in way of team,' says Celtics' MVP hopeful Tatum
- India maintain Pakistan stranglehold as Windies cruise at Women's T20 World Cup
- 'We will win!': Mozambique's ruling party confident at final vote rally
- Tunisia voting ends as Saied eyes re-election with critics behind bars
- Florida braces for Milton, FEMA head slams 'dangerous' Helene misinformation
- Postecoglou slams 'unacceptable' Spurs after 'terrible' loss at Brighton
- Marmoush double denies Bayern outright Bundesliga top spot
- Rallies worldwide call for Gaza, Lebanon ceasefire
- Maresca hails Chelsea's 'fighting' spirit after draw with 10-man Forest
- New 'Joker' film, a dark musical, tops N.America box office
- Man Utd stalemate keeps Ten Hag in danger, Spurs rocked by Brighton
- Drowned by hurricane, remote N.Carolina towns now struggle for water
- Vikings hold off Jets in London to stay unbeaten
'The Last Republican': film about anti-Trump Kinzinger debuts at TIFF
What do you do when the political party you've idolized since childhood crosses a red line and you cannot follow?
Former US congressman Adam Kinzinger explains his choice in "The Last Republican," a new documentary that traces the Illinois lawmaker's journey from war hero and party darling to Never Trumper and Capitol Hill pariah.
The movie, which premiered at the Toronto film festival, is directed by Steve Pink, the man behind "Hot Tub Time Machine," which happens to be Kinzinger's favorite movie. He is also an avowed left-winger.
"Here was a guy from my home state whose political views I deeply opposed, but who sacrificed his career, friends, and even family members over his decision to call out Donald Trump," Pink told AFP in an interview by email.
"I wanted to tell a story about a fairly normal guy amidst extraordinary circumstances."
For Kinzinger, the red line came on January 6, 2021 -- the day Trump supporters stormed the seat of Congress in a deadly show of defiance over what they saw as an election stolen from their candidate by Joe Biden.
After key Republican figures condemned Trump's actions in the immediate aftermath, the tide shifted.
Kinzinger says he could not fathom how his colleagues fell in line so quickly.
"In that moment, I felt very isolated," he says in the film.
He voted to impeach Trump -- one of only 10 Republicans to do so -- and sat on the Democratic-run special committee into the events of January 6, along with fellow Republican Liz Cheney.
On the first day of the film shoot, Kinzinger learned the boundaries of his congressional district had been redrawn -- and he would likely lose in his next party primary.
So the six-term congressman opted not to run for reelection.
Pink follows Kinzinger into committee hearings, and plays audio of the vile death threats he received at his office. He shows Kinzinger and his wife welcoming their first child, and members of the congressman's family publicly disavowing him.
Kinzinger, who is now 46, offers a stark assessment of a political party he once revered.
"I haven't been the one that's changed. The Republican Party has changed," Kinzinger says. "I really don't believe that what I did was courageous. I think it's just I'm surrounded by cowards."
Long after filming ended, at last month's Democratic National Convention, Kinzinger endorsed Kamala Harris over Trump ahead of the November 5 presidential election.
"Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party," he said to cheers in Chicago.
"His fundamental weakness has coursed through my party like an illness, sapping our strength, softening our spine, whipping us into a fever that has untethered us from our values."
Pink says he hopes his film will help continue "the conversation about the importance of maintaining relationships with those who hold fundamentally different views than yourself."
The Toronto International Film Festival runs through Sunday.
L.Davis--AMWN