SCHENECTADY — As the political fighting intensifies with less than a month before the presidential election, a filmmaker who graduated from Union College hopes for more civil debate.

Union College alumnus Peter Hutchinson a writer and producer, director Kelly Nyks and producer Jeff Beard partnered to produce the documentary “SPLIT: A Divided America.” The film follows Nyks as he traveled across the country interviewing everyday Americans and media pundits like Jesse Jackson Jr. and Tucker Carlson about the political and cultural divide. It will be shown at 5 p.m. today at Union College’s Reamer Auditorium and a question-and-answer session will follow.

Hutchinson, a Class of 1986 graduate, has been in the New York City film industry for about nine years. He said Nyks approached him about doing this film because Hutchinson had done other documentaries including “What Would Jesus Buy?”, which was about an anti-consumer performance artist and hosted by “Supersize Me” veteran Morgan Spurlock.

Hutchinson said politics was a fascinating subject that needed to be explored. Work on the film started shortly after the 2004 presidential election and took about 31⁄2 years. The filmmakers strived to be nonpartisan and objective and interviewed Americans from all walks of life and across the political spectrum.

Hutchinson said he was surprised by the response the crew got, especially being from a city as “blue” — meaning leaning Democrat — as New York.

“Even in some of the most divisive parts of America, it seemed very evident that people wanted to sit down and talk about it,” he said.

Hutchinson said most people want to go beyond the “wedge issues” of gay marriage and morality and find common ground on key issues.

“There are issues that affect all of us — environment, health care, the economy. No matter where you go, people are very interested in talking about it. Once you get past the sort of initial hot-button topics, I think people sort of quickly understand that we share far more in common,” he said.

He said he hopes this film encourages dialogue between people. “We share so many of the same struggles,” he said.

Nyks said he agreed that politics has become divisive.

“It seems like there’s been no room for people to meet and have the discourse that we now so painfully need,” he said. “Unfortunately, those dialogues devolve into partisan rhetoric and the type of smear campaigns and attack ads environment we’re used to seeing.”

Nyks said the media has played a role. With the rise of the Internet, people can go to the sources that completely confirm their world view. “It’s almost impossible to have a dialogue about the issues,” he said.

The film had its world premiere at the American Film Institute in Dallas and then hit the festival circuit. It won best documentary at the Connecticut Film Festival, Riverside International Film Festival in Riverside, Calif., and the First Take Film Festival in Augusta, Ga. It has also aired on the Independent Film Channel.

The documentary is also being used as an education tool in classrooms across the country and Rock the Vote is also using the film throughout its national mobile road show.