In 1992, Cutler and his producing partner Wendy Ettinger approached filmmakers DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus with the idea to produce a film about the Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign. Filmed in classic cinema verite style, "The War Room" premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 1993 and went on to be screened at the New York Film Festival that same year and the Berlin Film Festival the following February. It was released theatrically by October Films on November 3, 1993. It received a 95% "Fresh" rating on rottentomatoes.com. "The War Room" was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1993. That same year, the film won the National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Film.