The Sheffield DocFest will open its 2024 edition with the world premiere of Kevin Macdonald’s Klitschko: More Than a Fight on June 12 at Sheffield City Hall. The annual documentary festival in England also unveiled Roger Ross Williams, the first African American director to win an Academy Award for his 2010 doc short Music by Prudence, as the guest of honor.
The Sky original Klitschko: More Than a Fight promises to offer audiences “unprecedented access to former heavyweight boxing world champion Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir, who together
dominated the sport for more than a decade,” according to a description of the doc. “Now the longest-serving mayor of Kyiv, this feature-length documentary charts Vitali’s journey from the ring to political office, leading the defense of the capital when it was attacked by Russian forces in February 2022 to the present day. While Wladimir uses his celebrity status and popularity to help...
The Sky original Klitschko: More Than a Fight promises to offer audiences “unprecedented access to former heavyweight boxing world champion Vitali Klitschko and his brother Wladimir, who together
dominated the sport for more than a decade,” according to a description of the doc. “Now the longest-serving mayor of Kyiv, this feature-length documentary charts Vitali’s journey from the ring to political office, leading the defense of the capital when it was attacked by Russian forces in February 2022 to the present day. While Wladimir uses his celebrity status and popularity to help...
- 4/30/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kevin Macdonald's High & Low – John Galliano is now showing exclusively on Mubi in many countries.High & Low – John Galliano.What are the limits of forgiveness? Is making a documentary about a disgraced public figure, in which that remorseful person is allowed to try to explain their actions, inherently an act of damage-control propaganda? Or can it be a way of letting them tighten their own noose? Since its premiere at Telluride last September, Kevin Macdonald’s High & Low – John Galliano (2023) has fueled such heated conversations. Leaving many of its inquiries open-ended, this documentary is about neither complete condemnation nor exoneration. Instead, Macdonald tries to make sense of the enigma at his film’s center: a man who does not deny committing a hate crime over a decade ago, but who still claims to have no memory of the events or how he got there.Widely admired for his audacious style and designs,...
- 4/26/2024
- MUBI
Projects from Oscar-winning Scottish director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), Philippine filmmaker Erik Matti (On the Job) and Austrian auteur Barbara Albert (Nordrand) have been picked as the most promising new TV pitches at this year’s Series Mania festival.
Macdonald’s George Blake, a real-life spy thriller about the famed double agent, and Matti’s The Squatter, an East-meets-West crime story about a secretive Filipino maid and a tenacious Ukrainian detective who team up, won this year’s Beta Development Awards and will receive $54,000 (€ 50,000) each in development cash from European production and sales company Beta Group.
In addition to his feature work, which includes The Mauritanian with Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster, and State of Play starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe, Macdonald has helmed several acclaimed documentaries, including the Oscar-winning One Day in September (2000), 2004’s Touching The Void and 2013’s Marley.
Matti’s crime thriller On the Job 2: The Missing 8...
Macdonald’s George Blake, a real-life spy thriller about the famed double agent, and Matti’s The Squatter, an East-meets-West crime story about a secretive Filipino maid and a tenacious Ukrainian detective who team up, won this year’s Beta Development Awards and will receive $54,000 (€ 50,000) each in development cash from European production and sales company Beta Group.
In addition to his feature work, which includes The Mauritanian with Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster, and State of Play starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe, Macdonald has helmed several acclaimed documentaries, including the Oscar-winning One Day in September (2000), 2004’s Touching The Void and 2013’s Marley.
Matti’s crime thriller On the Job 2: The Missing 8...
- 3/20/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Seriesmakers, a joint initiative of Series Mania, Europe’s biggest TV festival, and European film-tv powerhouse Beta Group, has revealed the 10 top-notch project lineup of the second edition of its novel and high-powered mentoring program for filmmakers making their TV creator debut.
This year’s Seriesmakers features in development drama series from Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (“George Blake”), behind “The Last King Of Scotland,” and from Finnish director Mikko Myllylahti, who burst onto the scene co-writing with Juho Kuosmanen the latter’s “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Makki,” a 2016 Cannes Un Certain Regard winner.
Also in the mix is the highly courted Kaouther Ben Hania, a double Oscar nominee for the “compelling, ambitious hybrid” “Four Daughters,” said Variety, in the doc category and the “The Man Who Sold His Skin” (2020), Tunisia’s entry in international feature.
In all, however, nine of the ten directors winning berths this...
This year’s Seriesmakers features in development drama series from Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald (“George Blake”), behind “The Last King Of Scotland,” and from Finnish director Mikko Myllylahti, who burst onto the scene co-writing with Juho Kuosmanen the latter’s “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Makki,” a 2016 Cannes Un Certain Regard winner.
Also in the mix is the highly courted Kaouther Ben Hania, a double Oscar nominee for the “compelling, ambitious hybrid” “Four Daughters,” said Variety, in the doc category and the “The Man Who Sold His Skin” (2020), Tunisia’s entry in international feature.
In all, however, nine of the ten directors winning berths this...
- 3/4/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
John Galliano, 63, the creative director of Maison Martin Margiela, had the tough task of closing the Paris haute couture season (which has seen stunning shows from such houses as Valentino and Schiaparelli), a challenge he met with an extremely fascinating show. It was an extraordinary portrayal of Paris’ famous historical figures that seemed to have stepped out of an Émile Zola novel.
Galliano presented Margiela’s new Spring Summer 2024 artisanal collection inside an abandoned, vaulted-ceiling venue along the Seine, transformed into a decadent bistro where a range of French archetypes took center stage, from the shapely and brazen courtesans of the past — such as Madame Pompadour or Jeanne du Barry — to the sensual and devilish Moulin Rouge dancers, as well as nocturnal gamblers and cat burglars.
French performer and drag queen “Lucky Love,” a Freddie Mercury impersonator, gave the opening wearing a man’s overcoat, then stripped it off to...
Galliano presented Margiela’s new Spring Summer 2024 artisanal collection inside an abandoned, vaulted-ceiling venue along the Seine, transformed into a decadent bistro where a range of French archetypes took center stage, from the shapely and brazen courtesans of the past — such as Madame Pompadour or Jeanne du Barry — to the sensual and devilish Moulin Rouge dancers, as well as nocturnal gamblers and cat burglars.
French performer and drag queen “Lucky Love,” a Freddie Mercury impersonator, gave the opening wearing a man’s overcoat, then stripped it off to...
- 1/30/2024
- by Pino Gagliardi
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When it comes to predicting the Oscars, there are no categories that can be more difficult than the three short film categories. That goes double for trying to predict the nominees in those categories. But don’t worry Derbyites. With the recent release of the Academy’s shortlists, we’ve got descriptions of each of the pieces that made the runoff for Best Documentary Short, we got you covered on this! Below we have descriptions of each of the 15 short films that made this year’s list. We even included information and links on where you can currently view them.
Among the topics that are tackled in this year’s crop are book bans in Florida, a barber who runs a community bank, how abortion was legalized in New York in the 1970s, a group of people who fix musical instruments, and the healthcare crisis that’s affecting rural America.
Among the topics that are tackled in this year’s crop are book bans in Florida, a barber who runs a community bank, how abortion was legalized in New York in the 1970s, a group of people who fix musical instruments, and the healthcare crisis that’s affecting rural America.
- 12/25/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: Plan B Entertainment has set a joint venture with Oscar-winning documentarian and filmmaker Kevin Macdonald, known for movies including Touching The Void, One Day In September, Whitney, The Last King Of Scotland and State Of Play.
Per the Jv, the two parties will co-develop and co-produce unscripted films and series with both established and emerging directors.
Among Plan B’s current unscripted work is the ongoing Lego Masters series for Fox and the recent Wayne Shorter documentary Zero Gravity for Amazon. French media company Mediawan took a majority stake in the company late last year.
Macdonald’s previous work in documentary also includes Life In A Day, Marley and High & Low — John Galliano. He won a Best Documentary Oscar for One Day in September about the 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the Summer Olympics In Munich, Germany. His most recent narrative feature was The Mauritanian, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Jodie Foster,...
Per the Jv, the two parties will co-develop and co-produce unscripted films and series with both established and emerging directors.
Among Plan B’s current unscripted work is the ongoing Lego Masters series for Fox and the recent Wayne Shorter documentary Zero Gravity for Amazon. French media company Mediawan took a majority stake in the company late last year.
Macdonald’s previous work in documentary also includes Life In A Day, Marley and High & Low — John Galliano. He won a Best Documentary Oscar for One Day in September about the 1972 murder of 11 Israeli athletes at the Summer Olympics In Munich, Germany. His most recent narrative feature was The Mauritanian, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Jodie Foster,...
- 10/25/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Universal Pictures Content Group has boarded “The Beat of a Nation: Kerouac’s Road,” a feature documentary directed by Ebs Burnough (“The Capote Tapes”) about Jack Kerouac’s seminal novel “On the Road.”
Produced by London-based banner Ventureland, the documentary starts filming this week and sees Burnough using the prism of “On the Road” to depict the turmoils of today’s political and cultural landscape in the U.S.
Burnough is the former White House deputy social secretary and senior advisor to First Lady Michelle Obama. He made his directorial debut with the documentary “The Capote Tapes,” which world premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and explores the impact of Truman Capote’s explosive unfinished novel “Answered Prayers.”
“The Beat of a Nation: Kerouac’s Road” is produced by John Battsek and Eliza Hindmarch of Ventureland, in collaboration with the Kerouac Estate, for which Jim Sampas will executive produce.
The...
Produced by London-based banner Ventureland, the documentary starts filming this week and sees Burnough using the prism of “On the Road” to depict the turmoils of today’s political and cultural landscape in the U.S.
Burnough is the former White House deputy social secretary and senior advisor to First Lady Michelle Obama. He made his directorial debut with the documentary “The Capote Tapes,” which world premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and explores the impact of Truman Capote’s explosive unfinished novel “Answered Prayers.”
“The Beat of a Nation: Kerouac’s Road” is produced by John Battsek and Eliza Hindmarch of Ventureland, in collaboration with the Kerouac Estate, for which Jim Sampas will executive produce.
The...
- 10/9/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has debuted the trailer for the sporting documentary on the iconic English Footballer, ‘Beckham.’
The four-part documentary series, tells the inside story of a global football star and cultural icon. David Beckham is one of the most known names on the planet, yet few people know who he really is. From his humble working-class beginnings in east London, his drive and determination to win, and the battle to find balance between ambition, love and family, David’s story is one of immense ups and downs. The series takes you on that rollercoaster and builds a surprising, personal and definitive story of one of the most recognisable and scrutinised athletes of all time.
Academy Award-winner Fisher Stevens along with Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producer John Battsek are granted unprecedented access to David, his wife Victoria, his family, his friends and his team-mates. The result is an intimate portrait of...
The four-part documentary series, tells the inside story of a global football star and cultural icon. David Beckham is one of the most known names on the planet, yet few people know who he really is. From his humble working-class beginnings in east London, his drive and determination to win, and the battle to find balance between ambition, love and family, David’s story is one of immense ups and downs. The series takes you on that rollercoaster and builds a surprising, personal and definitive story of one of the most recognisable and scrutinised athletes of all time.
Academy Award-winner Fisher Stevens along with Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producer John Battsek are granted unprecedented access to David, his wife Victoria, his family, his friends and his team-mates. The result is an intimate portrait of...
- 9/20/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Award-winning production company Ventureland has entered a first-look partnership with independent studio A24 for documentary projects.
John Battsek, producer of Oscar-winning documentaries “One Day in September” and “Searching for Sugar Man,” who also serves as Ventureland’s managing director, will be both producing and executive producing as part of the deal, alongside Ventureland CEO Kerstin Emhoff, president Ali Brown, and co-founder Paul Hunter.
The two companies recently collaborated on freediving Netflix documentary “The Deepest Breath,” which premiered earlier this year at Sundance.
Battsek and Emhoff said: “With our shared culture and ambition to broaden perspectives, we are thrilled to partner with A24. This partnership will allow us to continue to push creative boundaries in making award-winning documentary features and series.”
Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Ventureland’s credits include PGA and BAFTA-nominated “The Rescue”; double Emmy-winning “Rising Phoenix”; Critics Choice nominee “The Real Charlie Chaplin”; Werner Herzog’s “Theater...
John Battsek, producer of Oscar-winning documentaries “One Day in September” and “Searching for Sugar Man,” who also serves as Ventureland’s managing director, will be both producing and executive producing as part of the deal, alongside Ventureland CEO Kerstin Emhoff, president Ali Brown, and co-founder Paul Hunter.
The two companies recently collaborated on freediving Netflix documentary “The Deepest Breath,” which premiered earlier this year at Sundance.
Battsek and Emhoff said: “With our shared culture and ambition to broaden perspectives, we are thrilled to partner with A24. This partnership will allow us to continue to push creative boundaries in making award-winning documentary features and series.”
Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Ventureland’s credits include PGA and BAFTA-nominated “The Rescue”; double Emmy-winning “Rising Phoenix”; Critics Choice nominee “The Real Charlie Chaplin”; Werner Herzog’s “Theater...
- 9/19/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Apple TV+ has released the official trailer for “Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker,” the new two-part documentary event from Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and Oscar-winning producer John Battsek will premiere globally on April 7, 2023. The docuseries explores every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning The Wimbledon Championships at the age of just 17, going on to win 49 career titles, including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal, as well as his high-profile, sometimes tumultuous personal life. The filmmakers had special access to Becker for more than three years, until late April 2022, when he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for hiding assets and loans to avoid paying his debts. “Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker” features a series of personal interviews with Becker, including an exclusive conversation with the champion the week of his sentencing, alongside members of his immediate family and tennis stars,...
- 3/23/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
The match fixing scandal that shook the world of cricket in the late 1990s is the subject of Supriya Sobti Gupta’s Netflix documentary “Caught Out: Crime. Corruption. Cricket.”
The film is produced by Passion Pictures, which has credits including Oscar winners “One Day in September,” “Searching for Sugar Man” and “The Lost Thing,” and Gupta’s Mow Productions.
Gupta, a broadcast journalist by training, has worked for the BBC, Al Jazeera and Channel News Asia. She is no stranger to hard-hitting Indian subjects, having worked on “Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld” and “Bad Boy Billionaires: India.” “Caught Out” is her directorial debut.
“This story marked a turnaround point in our history because this was a time when, while growing up, either cricketers or Bollywood stars, were your role models, your heroes, there was none other than these guys. And just the coming out of this scandal, which is...
The film is produced by Passion Pictures, which has credits including Oscar winners “One Day in September,” “Searching for Sugar Man” and “The Lost Thing,” and Gupta’s Mow Productions.
Gupta, a broadcast journalist by training, has worked for the BBC, Al Jazeera and Channel News Asia. She is no stranger to hard-hitting Indian subjects, having worked on “Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld” and “Bad Boy Billionaires: India.” “Caught Out” is her directorial debut.
“This story marked a turnaround point in our history because this was a time when, while growing up, either cricketers or Bollywood stars, were your role models, your heroes, there was none other than these guys. And just the coming out of this scandal, which is...
- 3/16/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Kevin MacDonald Strikes Factual Deal With Workerbee
Oscar-winning director and producer Kevin Macdonald has struck a multi-project creative partnership with the Workerbee Group. Macdonald, whose credits include “One Day in September,” “Touching the Void” and “Marley,” is executive producing a major feature documentary for a streaming platform as the first element of his two-year Workerbee deal. Details are yet to be announced of the film or the other premium factual projects which are expected to include those he directs and executive produces.
Manchester-based Workerbee recent credits including “Janet” for Lifetime and A&e, “Bruno Vs Tyson” (Sky), “The Bridge” for Channel 4 and HBO Max, “Peter Crouch: Save Our Beautiful Game” for Discovery and “Idris Elba’s Fight School” for BBC Two.
The company has recently been revamped into a clear films and formats divisional structure. The Macdonald deal is the first creative partnership to be announced by the newly formed Workerbee Group,...
Oscar-winning director and producer Kevin Macdonald has struck a multi-project creative partnership with the Workerbee Group. Macdonald, whose credits include “One Day in September,” “Touching the Void” and “Marley,” is executive producing a major feature documentary for a streaming platform as the first element of his two-year Workerbee deal. Details are yet to be announced of the film or the other premium factual projects which are expected to include those he directs and executive produces.
Manchester-based Workerbee recent credits including “Janet” for Lifetime and A&e, “Bruno Vs Tyson” (Sky), “The Bridge” for Channel 4 and HBO Max, “Peter Crouch: Save Our Beautiful Game” for Discovery and “Idris Elba’s Fight School” for BBC Two.
The company has recently been revamped into a clear films and formats divisional structure. The Macdonald deal is the first creative partnership to be announced by the newly formed Workerbee Group,...
- 2/8/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Whitney director Kevin Macdonald has struck a multi-project deal with rebranded Banijay label Workerbee Group.
Macdonald, whose past credits include the celebrated Houston doc, Oscar winner One Day in September and Marley, will work closely with Workerbee’s new Films division to jointly identify premium unscripted projects to collaborate on.
The pair have previously collaborated on hit A+E Janet Jackson doc series Janet and the new partnership has already spawned a major feature doc for a streamer, which will be announced shortly.
“On a personal level I’m huge fan of Kevin’s approach to storytelling and his partnerships with our lead Director Ben Hirsh have produced our most exciting documentary projects to date,” said Workerbee CEO Rick Murray. “Knowing we are going to forge more high-profile films together is a great way to kick start our Workerbee Films division.”
Macdonald added: “I’ve had a rewarding time working...
Macdonald, whose past credits include the celebrated Houston doc, Oscar winner One Day in September and Marley, will work closely with Workerbee’s new Films division to jointly identify premium unscripted projects to collaborate on.
The pair have previously collaborated on hit A+E Janet Jackson doc series Janet and the new partnership has already spawned a major feature doc for a streamer, which will be announced shortly.
“On a personal level I’m huge fan of Kevin’s approach to storytelling and his partnerships with our lead Director Ben Hirsh have produced our most exciting documentary projects to date,” said Workerbee CEO Rick Murray. “Knowing we are going to forge more high-profile films together is a great way to kick start our Workerbee Films division.”
Macdonald added: “I’ve had a rewarding time working...
- 2/8/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
When Mary McCartney was approached by producer John Battsek to make a film about the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, she didn’t immediately leap at the chance, the way almost any other photographer interested in making the leap into documentary filmmaking might have. It’s not difficult to guess at the reason she might have balked at, and then succumbed to, the idea of making “If These Walls Could Sing,” which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival over the weekend and has been picked up for airing on Disney+.
“I think because of my surname, I get a little bit oversensitive,” says the daughter of Paul McCartney, sitting at a sidewalk-adjacent table in Telluride. “I used to sort of shy away from anything to do with my family, wanting with my photography to be making a name for myself in my own area. I mean, I’ve always...
“I think because of my surname, I get a little bit oversensitive,” says the daughter of Paul McCartney, sitting at a sidewalk-adjacent table in Telluride. “I used to sort of shy away from anything to do with my family, wanting with my photography to be making a name for myself in my own area. I mean, I’ve always...
- 9/6/2022
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
A new documentary on tennis superstar Boris Becker is nearing completion and is set to be sold at the upcoming Cannes Film Market.
Alex Gibney, Oscar-winning director of “Taxi to the Dark Side” and John Battsek, producer of the Oscar-winning “One Day in September,” have had exclusive access to Becker since 2019 and have been documenting him from then until late April, when he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for hiding assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.
The as-yet-untitled documentary aims to explore every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning the Wimbledon Championship at the age of just 17 and went on to win 49 career titles including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal. Off court, Becker has had a tumultuous personal life. The film will also speak to major figures in his life, from family members to tennis greats John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.
Alex Gibney, Oscar-winning director of “Taxi to the Dark Side” and John Battsek, producer of the Oscar-winning “One Day in September,” have had exclusive access to Becker since 2019 and have been documenting him from then until late April, when he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for hiding assets and loans to avoid paying his debts.
The as-yet-untitled documentary aims to explore every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning the Wimbledon Championship at the age of just 17 and went on to win 49 career titles including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal. Off court, Becker has had a tumultuous personal life. The film will also speak to major figures in his life, from family members to tennis greats John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg.
- 5/10/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
The Newen Connect – TF1 Studios sales team will launch the title in Cannes.
Kevni Macdonald has started shooting his untitled John Galliano documentary and will be in Cannes with the Newen Connect – TF1 Studios sales team to introduce the feature to international buyers on the Croisette later this month.
The feature about the controversial UK fashion designer is produced by France’s TF1 Studio, the film production and distriibution strand of Newen Studios, and Macdonald. It is fully financed by TF1 Studio with Anton Capital. Condé Nast Entertainment also serves as producer.
TF1 Studio is under the umbrella of distribution...
Kevni Macdonald has started shooting his untitled John Galliano documentary and will be in Cannes with the Newen Connect – TF1 Studios sales team to introduce the feature to international buyers on the Croisette later this month.
The feature about the controversial UK fashion designer is produced by France’s TF1 Studio, the film production and distriibution strand of Newen Studios, and Macdonald. It is fully financed by TF1 Studio with Anton Capital. Condé Nast Entertainment also serves as producer.
TF1 Studio is under the umbrella of distribution...
- 5/3/2022
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Newen Studios’ upcoming John Galliano feature doc from Oscar-winning One Day in September and Whitney director Kevin Macdonald will be launched to buyers at Cannes’ Marché du Film later this month.
The project is one of the first to come as a result of financier Anton’s increased €50M (56.6M) investment in the producer-distributor, which merged with TF1 in 2020 and is expanding into new genres. The project is fully financed by TF1 Studio with with the support of Anton Capital and Condé Nast Entertainment is also producing.
Since the Anton injection, Newen is currently in production with Vrt/Arte’s Lost Luggage and is distributing the likes of DNA and The Promise via distribution arm Newen Connect.
Targeting 2023 release, the Galliano film will be launched during Cannes, with Macdonald presenting to buyers, and Newen said it is “perfectly in line with the strategy and ambition of the Newen Studios group and its subsidiaries.
The project is one of the first to come as a result of financier Anton’s increased €50M (56.6M) investment in the producer-distributor, which merged with TF1 in 2020 and is expanding into new genres. The project is fully financed by TF1 Studio with with the support of Anton Capital and Condé Nast Entertainment is also producing.
Since the Anton injection, Newen is currently in production with Vrt/Arte’s Lost Luggage and is distributing the likes of DNA and The Promise via distribution arm Newen Connect.
Targeting 2023 release, the Galliano film will be launched during Cannes, with Macdonald presenting to buyers, and Newen said it is “perfectly in line with the strategy and ambition of the Newen Studios group and its subsidiaries.
- 5/3/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Kevin Macdonald, the Oscar-winning director behind films such as “The Mauritanian” and “The Last King of Scotland,” is attached to direct a biopic about extreme athlete Wim Hof that will star “The Handmaid’s Tale’s” Joseph Fiennes.
Macdonald will direct the film from a screenplay by Jeff Pope that will tell the story of an activist and athlete who goes by the name The Iceman for his ability to withstand freezing cold temperatures, be it grueling ice cold, barefoot hikes through the Netherlands or swims in frigid lakes. Hof in addition to his work has also served as an activist with his Wim Hof method to change how people think about health and healing.
Cornerstone is also coming aboard to handle worldwide sales on the film at the European Film Market. Shooting will begin in November 2022.
“The Iceman” will explore how, as a widower who worked as a postman and...
Macdonald will direct the film from a screenplay by Jeff Pope that will tell the story of an activist and athlete who goes by the name The Iceman for his ability to withstand freezing cold temperatures, be it grueling ice cold, barefoot hikes through the Netherlands or swims in frigid lakes. Hof in addition to his work has also served as an activist with his Wim Hof method to change how people think about health and healing.
Cornerstone is also coming aboard to handle worldwide sales on the film at the European Film Market. Shooting will begin in November 2022.
“The Iceman” will explore how, as a widower who worked as a postman and...
- 1/27/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Copenhagen documentary film festival Cph:dox sees the world premiere of “Children of the Enemy,” which captures the journey of a Swedish-Chilean man to a Syrian prison camp to rescue his grandchildren, after their parents – members of the Islamic State terrorist group – are killed. Director Gorki Glaser-Müller spoke to Variety about the film, and his next projects, a Chilean thriller centering on questionable adoptions, and an interactive virtual reality experience with the American dancer and choreographer Bobbi Jene Smith.
Amanda, the daughter of bohemian musician Patricio Galvez, married a Swedish Muslim convert, and the two of them travelled with their children in 2014 to join Isis in Syria to fight for the Caliphate. Both parents were killed in 2019, and their seven children were transferred to the Kurdish-run al-Hol prison camp in north-east Syria. There are up to 22,000 foreign children of at least 60 nationalities in Syrian camps, according to Unicef, but Sweden, like many European countries,...
Amanda, the daughter of bohemian musician Patricio Galvez, married a Swedish Muslim convert, and the two of them travelled with their children in 2014 to join Isis in Syria to fight for the Caliphate. Both parents were killed in 2019, and their seven children were transferred to the Kurdish-run al-Hol prison camp in north-east Syria. There are up to 22,000 foreign children of at least 60 nationalities in Syrian camps, according to Unicef, but Sweden, like many European countries,...
- 4/25/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The Oscar-winning director on his new real-life tale about a Guantánamo Bay detainee, his fears for the future of cinema, and turning the spotlight on Oprah
Kevin Macdonald, a 53-year-old Scot, is a rare director equally at home in factual and feature films. His documentaries have included 2018’s Whitney, the climbing epic Touching the Void and One Day in September, an account of the terrorist attack on the Israeli team at the 1972 Olympics, which won an Oscar in 2000. On the dramatic side, he has made 2006’s The Last King of Scotland and now The Mauritanian, which tells the story of Mohamedou Ould Salahi, an electrical engineer, played in the film by Tahar Rahim, who spent 14 years in Guantánamo Bay detention camp from 2002 to 2016 without ever being charged.
When you were approached about making The Mauritanian, you weren’t sure it was right for you. What changed?
Very simply, I spoke to Mohamedou.
Kevin Macdonald, a 53-year-old Scot, is a rare director equally at home in factual and feature films. His documentaries have included 2018’s Whitney, the climbing epic Touching the Void and One Day in September, an account of the terrorist attack on the Israeli team at the 1972 Olympics, which won an Oscar in 2000. On the dramatic side, he has made 2006’s The Last King of Scotland and now The Mauritanian, which tells the story of Mohamedou Ould Salahi, an electrical engineer, played in the film by Tahar Rahim, who spent 14 years in Guantánamo Bay detention camp from 2002 to 2016 without ever being charged.
When you were approached about making The Mauritanian, you weren’t sure it was right for you. What changed?
Very simply, I spoke to Mohamedou.
- 3/14/2021
- by Tim Lewis
- The Guardian - Film News
“I expected, quite honestly, somebody who was really embittered and really traumatized,” says the Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September and The Last King of Scotland) about Mohamedou Ould Salahi, a man who was wrongly imprisoned for 14 years at Guanatanamo Bay. “Instead, what I got on the phone was this smiling face, this witty person whose frame of reference is broader than anyone’s you’ve ever met.”
Macdonald had been approached by Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company, which owned the rights to Salahi’s prison memoir, about directing its big-screen adaptation. He hesitated because he ...
Macdonald had been approached by Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company, which owned the rights to Salahi’s prison memoir, about directing its big-screen adaptation. He hesitated because he ...
“I expected, quite honestly, somebody who was really embittered and really traumatized,” says the Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (One Day in September and The Last King of Scotland) about Mohamedou Ould Salahi, a man who was wrongly imprisoned for 14 years at Guanatanamo Bay. “Instead, what I got on the phone was this smiling face, this witty person whose frame of reference is broader than anyone’s you’ve ever met.”
Macdonald had been approached by Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company, which owned the rights to Salahi’s prison memoir, about directing its big-screen adaptation. He hesitated because he ...
Macdonald had been approached by Benedict Cumberbatch’s production company, which owned the rights to Salahi’s prison memoir, about directing its big-screen adaptation. He hesitated because he ...
Exclusive: Amazon and Universal have boarded UK rights to soccer documentary Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In about the iconic former Manchester United manager.
The anticipated film heralds from blue chip UK firms DNA Films, known for Oscar-winning movies The Last King of Scotland and Ex Machina, and Passion Pictures, known for Oscar-winning documentaries such as One Day in September and Searching for Sugarman. Today we can reveal a first look image from the film.
Amazon will launch the doc on its Prime service in the UK and Ireland from May 29. Universal Pictures International is lining up a theatrical run in UK-Ire from May 27 and the studio has world rights apart from North America.
The film, directed by Ferguson’s son Jason, sees Ferguson recount the most important stories of his life, both in and out of football. He made the film while recovering from the life-threatening brain hemorrhage he...
The anticipated film heralds from blue chip UK firms DNA Films, known for Oscar-winning movies The Last King of Scotland and Ex Machina, and Passion Pictures, known for Oscar-winning documentaries such as One Day in September and Searching for Sugarman. Today we can reveal a first look image from the film.
Amazon will launch the doc on its Prime service in the UK and Ireland from May 29. Universal Pictures International is lining up a theatrical run in UK-Ire from May 27 and the studio has world rights apart from North America.
The film, directed by Ferguson’s son Jason, sees Ferguson recount the most important stories of his life, both in and out of football. He made the film while recovering from the life-threatening brain hemorrhage he...
- 2/17/2021
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
“Free Solo” directors E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin have taken over for “One Day in September” filmmaker Kevin Macdonald as the directors of National Geographic’s documentary feature about the 2018 rescue of a boys soccer team trapped deep inside a flooded cave in Thailand, the cable channel said Tuesday during its day at the virtual Television Critics Association press tour.
With the “Thai Cave Rescue” documentary feature — which an individual with knowledge tells TheWrap Macdonald exited over “timing” issues, as it was originally set up at Nat Geo in March 2019 — “Vasarhelyi and Chin will bring their signature filmmaking and nuanced character portraits to the against-all-odds story of the dramatic 2018 rescue of a boys soccer team trapped deep inside a flooded cave in Thailand,” per Nat Geo. “With exclusive access and never-before-seen footage from the rescue, the film tells the story of the cave divers who challenged the limits of...
With the “Thai Cave Rescue” documentary feature — which an individual with knowledge tells TheWrap Macdonald exited over “timing” issues, as it was originally set up at Nat Geo in March 2019 — “Vasarhelyi and Chin will bring their signature filmmaking and nuanced character portraits to the against-all-odds story of the dramatic 2018 rescue of a boys soccer team trapped deep inside a flooded cave in Thailand,” per Nat Geo. “With exclusive access and never-before-seen footage from the rescue, the film tells the story of the cave divers who challenged the limits of...
- 2/9/2021
- by Jennifer Maas
- The Wrap
“Afv” (f.k.a. “Afhv”) is going to the dogs. And to the cats, and probably to the elephants, the monkeys, etc. Nat Geo Wild is spinning off the long-running ABC series with “America’s Funniest Home Videos: Animal Edition,” TheWrap has learned.
The fur-focused version of the Alfonso Ribeiro-hosted broadcast staple will premiere on Sunday, June 20 at 8/7c on cable channel Nat Geo Wild.
“‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ has been a household staple since its inception, providing hilarious entertainment from some of the most happy coincidences and epic fails in television history,” Nat Geo Wild said on Tuesday as part of its new-series order. “But there’s no question that animal videos featuring furry friends and scaly celebrities are the most entertaining yet. A spinoff of the ABC hit, ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos: Animal Edition’ presents knee-slapping, tear-jerking animal humor to Nat Geo Wild!”
The original “America’s Funniest Home Videos,...
The fur-focused version of the Alfonso Ribeiro-hosted broadcast staple will premiere on Sunday, June 20 at 8/7c on cable channel Nat Geo Wild.
“‘America’s Funniest Home Videos’ has been a household staple since its inception, providing hilarious entertainment from some of the most happy coincidences and epic fails in television history,” Nat Geo Wild said on Tuesday as part of its new-series order. “But there’s no question that animal videos featuring furry friends and scaly celebrities are the most entertaining yet. A spinoff of the ABC hit, ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos: Animal Edition’ presents knee-slapping, tear-jerking animal humor to Nat Geo Wild!”
The original “America’s Funniest Home Videos,...
- 2/9/2021
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
than the crowdsourced YouTube doc “Life in a Day 2020.” The internet video behemoth foretold a new era of DIY filmmaking when it launched in 2005, and just five years later it tried give an artistic patina to the amateur works that defined the site with “Life in a Day,” an assortment of uploaded clips given some coherence by veteran documentarian Kevin Macdonald. The result was meant to be profound, a glimpse at the beauty of the ordinary. But it was just ordinary.
A decade later, YouTube and Macdonald have doubled down with “Life in a Day 2020,” which leans into the gravitas — and what better year to get “deep” than 2020? Over 320,000 amateur videographers from 192 countries uploaded videos shot on July 25, 2020, and the footage could be anything. Some are performance works: a Black guy sings the Schubert Lied “The Elf King” in crisp, precise German; one teenage Italian girl poses coquettishly...
A decade later, YouTube and Macdonald have doubled down with “Life in a Day 2020,” which leans into the gravitas — and what better year to get “deep” than 2020? Over 320,000 amateur videographers from 192 countries uploaded videos shot on July 25, 2020, and the footage could be anything. Some are performance works: a Black guy sings the Schubert Lied “The Elf King” in crisp, precise German; one teenage Italian girl poses coquettishly...
- 2/2/2021
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Mohamedou Ould Slahi is a Muslim Mauritanian who was arrested in November 2001 under the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorist act which was implemented a week after 9/11. U.S. government authorities alleged he was involved with al Qaeda and may have even recruited the hijackers who flew the planes into the World Trade Center. Slahi was sent to Guantanamo Bay detention center in 2002 where he remained without being charged until 2016.
He did confess after extreme torture, including sleep deprivation, beatings and even sexual humiliation. One time he was blindfolded, tossed into a boat and taken out to sea where he was led to believe he was going to be executed. But because the torture led to his confession, it was considered inadmissible under U.S and international law. During his incarceration, he wrote the 2015 best-selling memoir “Guantanamo Diary,” which was smuggled out of Gitmo. Ironically, he wasn’t allowed...
He did confess after extreme torture, including sleep deprivation, beatings and even sexual humiliation. One time he was blindfolded, tossed into a boat and taken out to sea where he was led to believe he was going to be executed. But because the torture led to his confession, it was considered inadmissible under U.S and international law. During his incarceration, he wrote the 2015 best-selling memoir “Guantanamo Diary,” which was smuggled out of Gitmo. Ironically, he wasn’t allowed...
- 1/31/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
When Kevin Macdonald set out to make “The Mauritanian,” the director must have found himself identifying to some degree with defense attorney Nancy Hollander. The lawyer, played here by Jodie Foster, braved insult and scorn when she took up the case of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who was arrested in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At the time (and likely to this day), many in the U.S. military believed Slahi to be involved in aiding and perhaps even recruiting the hijackers who flew the planes into the World Trade Center. He had confessed as much under torture — but then, who wouldn’t?
For Hollander, taking Slahi’s side was an extremely unpopular position, and one that Macdonald — a Scottish filmmaker who has been repeatedly drawn to hot-button political topics and controversial characters — embraces with a righteous fervor. No one can accuse Macdonald, who is not American, of being unpatriotic,...
For Hollander, taking Slahi’s side was an extremely unpopular position, and one that Macdonald — a Scottish filmmaker who has been repeatedly drawn to hot-button political topics and controversial characters — embraces with a righteous fervor. No one can accuse Macdonald, who is not American, of being unpatriotic,...
- 1/12/2021
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
John Battsek’s Ventureland is producing in a new development deal with Mercury Studios.
The world-famous Abbey Road Studios is to be the subject of a feature documentary directed by Mary McCartney and produced by John Battsek.
If These Walls Could Sing will mark the first feature about the London recording studios where The Beatles recorded almost all their albums and will be the centrepiece of Abbey Road’s 90th anniversary celebrations, which being in November.
Universal Music Group-backed Mercury Studios will produce the documentary with Battsek’s new outfit, Ventureland, and marks the first in a multi-project deal...
The world-famous Abbey Road Studios is to be the subject of a feature documentary directed by Mary McCartney and produced by John Battsek.
If These Walls Could Sing will mark the first feature about the London recording studios where The Beatles recorded almost all their albums and will be the centrepiece of Abbey Road’s 90th anniversary celebrations, which being in November.
Universal Music Group-backed Mercury Studios will produce the documentary with Battsek’s new outfit, Ventureland, and marks the first in a multi-project deal...
- 1/12/2021
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
A version of this story first appeared in the Documentaries issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
The Oscars competition in the Best Documentary Feature category has more than 200 eligible films this year for this first time ever, due largely to rule changes that made it easier for nonfiction films to qualify in the year of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The rules, which will likely end when theaters reopen, include routes to qualify by being booked at film festivals or by premiering online but paying to be in the online Academy Screening Room for members. They’re resulted in 215 films qualifying by late December, with an additional small group of films expected to be added to the list in early January. The previous record for entries, set in 2017, was 170.
But rule changes have long been standard in the Oscars documentary category, particularly in the last two or three decades. Often, they involve...
The Oscars competition in the Best Documentary Feature category has more than 200 eligible films this year for this first time ever, due largely to rule changes that made it easier for nonfiction films to qualify in the year of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The rules, which will likely end when theaters reopen, include routes to qualify by being booked at film festivals or by premiering online but paying to be in the online Academy Screening Room for members. They’re resulted in 215 films qualifying by late December, with an additional small group of films expected to be added to the list in early January. The previous record for entries, set in 2017, was 170.
But rule changes have long been standard in the Oscars documentary category, particularly in the last two or three decades. Often, they involve...
- 1/4/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Kevin Macdonald is setting his sights on the American justice system via “The Mauritanian,” the director’s upcoming legal drama that centers on a Guantánamo Bay detainee. Distributor STXfilms unveiled the trailer for the upcoming film on Tuesday.
Per STXfilms, the synopsis reads: Captured by the U.S. Government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Together they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy.
The film is slated to premiere in the United States on February 19, 2021. “The Mauritanian” is based on Mohamedou Ould Salahi 2015 “Guantánamo Diary” memoir, which centered on the author’s detainment in the...
Per STXfilms, the synopsis reads: Captured by the U.S. Government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Tahar Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley). Together they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy.
The film is slated to premiere in the United States on February 19, 2021. “The Mauritanian” is based on Mohamedou Ould Salahi 2015 “Guantánamo Diary” memoir, which centered on the author’s detainment in the...
- 12/2/2020
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
STXfilms has decided to enter this unconventional awards season with a mighty and timely drama, “The Mauritanian,” formerly called “Prisoner 760,” from Scottish director Kevin Macdonald. The film will be released on Feb. 19, 2021, and could echo the same late-breaking awards success that past movies like “Million Dollar Baby” were able to execute. With an impressive cast that includes Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch and Shailene Woodley, the inspiring true story could resonate with AMPAS voters, especially its large international membership.
“The Mauritanian” tells the true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Rahim), who was held captive and tortured by the U.S. government in Guantanamo Bay detention camp for 10 years without a charge or trial. Losing faith, he finds hope in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Woodley), who face countless legal obstacles in their pursuit of justice.
I was able to view an unfinished version of the film,...
“The Mauritanian” tells the true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Rahim), who was held captive and tortured by the U.S. government in Guantanamo Bay detention camp for 10 years without a charge or trial. Losing faith, he finds hope in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Woodley), who face countless legal obstacles in their pursuit of justice.
I was able to view an unfinished version of the film,...
- 11/23/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
ITV has commissioned Covid-19 documentary “The Year That Changed Britain” with Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald directing, Variety has learned exclusively.
The film will attempt to tell the story of the pandemic’s impact on Britain through the intimate personal and professional experiences of those who lived through it. Producers have secured “unprecedented” access to intensive care units across the country — from the Whittington Hospital in London to the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire. The film begins before the pandemic became a worldwide medical emergency and stretches through full lockdown, into the peak of the crisis and beyond.
“The Year That Changed Britain,” which is a working title, is a co-production between Lawrence Elman and former BBC Storyville commissioner Nick Fraser’s Docsville Studios, Altitude Factual and Expanded Media. The film will be released in U.K. and Irish cinemas by Altitude Film Distribution in 2021.
Macdonald’s film credits include “One Day in September,...
The film will attempt to tell the story of the pandemic’s impact on Britain through the intimate personal and professional experiences of those who lived through it. Producers have secured “unprecedented” access to intensive care units across the country — from the Whittington Hospital in London to the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire. The film begins before the pandemic became a worldwide medical emergency and stretches through full lockdown, into the peak of the crisis and beyond.
“The Year That Changed Britain,” which is a working title, is a co-production between Lawrence Elman and former BBC Storyville commissioner Nick Fraser’s Docsville Studios, Altitude Factual and Expanded Media. The film will be released in U.K. and Irish cinemas by Altitude Film Distribution in 2021.
Macdonald’s film credits include “One Day in September,...
- 11/6/2020
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Here’s a daunting editing assignment: Take more than 300,000 videos and boil them down into one 90-minute documentary film.
For YouTube’s forthcoming “Life In A Day 2020,” the video platform says it received more than 300,000 submissions from 191 countries in more than 65 languages, representing thousands of hours of footage, all recorded on the same day: July 25, 2020.
The film project, “Life in a Day 2020,” comes 10 years after the original YouTube-commissioned documentary, which garnered 80,000 submissions back in 2010 from the same day. Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald is returning as director, reteaming with executive producer Ridley Scott. Rsa Films managing director Kai-Lu Hsiung also is an executive producer on the film.
The final film will be composed entirely of selected contributions from participants, winnowed down by a team of editors before Macdonald makes the final picks. “Life In A Day 2020” will premiere as part of the Sundance Film Festival next January and on YouTube in...
For YouTube’s forthcoming “Life In A Day 2020,” the video platform says it received more than 300,000 submissions from 191 countries in more than 65 languages, representing thousands of hours of footage, all recorded on the same day: July 25, 2020.
The film project, “Life in a Day 2020,” comes 10 years after the original YouTube-commissioned documentary, which garnered 80,000 submissions back in 2010 from the same day. Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Macdonald is returning as director, reteaming with executive producer Ridley Scott. Rsa Films managing director Kai-Lu Hsiung also is an executive producer on the film.
The final film will be composed entirely of selected contributions from participants, winnowed down by a team of editors before Macdonald makes the final picks. “Life In A Day 2020” will premiere as part of the Sundance Film Festival next January and on YouTube in...
- 8/6/2020
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
EntertainmentThe feature film, which will have entries from around the world, will be directed by Kevin Macdonald and produced by Ridley Scott.Tnm StaffHow would you like a video that you made of your life to be added to a feature film which will be directed by Kevin Macdonald and produced by Ridley Scott? Sounds like a dream? What if we told you that the film will premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival? Life In A Day was initiated as part of YouTube Originals and made into a feature length documentary in 2010 with crowdsourced footage, and is set to unfold once again this year. An open call has been placed for participants to film their day on July 25 and upload it on YouTube. Submissions from across the world will be stitched together and made into a feature documentary. In 2010, 80,000 clips were submitted from 189 countries. A 90-minute feature film was made...
- 7/10/2020
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
Ten years after the original film, YouTube has ordered a sequel to “Life in a Day,” reuniting executive producer Ridley Scott and director Kevin Macdonald for a new documentary that will stitch together hundreds of user-submitted videos from across the globe on a single date.
“Life in a Day 2020” is slated to premiere at next year’s Sundance Film Festival and on YouTube in 2021. The project marks one of the first titles to be confirmed for Sundance, which doesn’t normally reveal selections until early December.
The film will be compiled from video clips submitted by people on the same day — Saturday, July 25, 2020 — to tell the story of a single day on Earth, following the conceit of the original.
“Making the first ‘Life in a Day’ was one of the most joyful and eye-opening experiences of my life,” Macdonald said in a statement. “I am thrilled, 10 years later, that we...
“Life in a Day 2020” is slated to premiere at next year’s Sundance Film Festival and on YouTube in 2021. The project marks one of the first titles to be confirmed for Sundance, which doesn’t normally reveal selections until early December.
The film will be compiled from video clips submitted by people on the same day — Saturday, July 25, 2020 — to tell the story of a single day on Earth, following the conceit of the original.
“Making the first ‘Life in a Day’ was one of the most joyful and eye-opening experiences of my life,” Macdonald said in a statement. “I am thrilled, 10 years later, that we...
- 7/8/2020
- by Todd Spangler and Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Acclaimed documentary producer John Battsek, whose credits include Oscar-winner One Day In September and Emmy-winner Manhunt: The Inside Story Of The Hunt for Bin Laden, is making his first foray into podcasts with Audible series Deepcut.
The investigative six part non-fiction series will see Battsek and his new production company Ventureland tackle the complex and controversial cases of four deaths at the Deepcut army barracks in the UK.
The series will examine the deaths of the four young soldiers, found shot dead at the Princes Royal Barracks (Aka Deepcut) in Surrey, England between 1995 and 2002. As their families searched for answers, allegations of bullying, sexual abuse and violence begin to surface and suspicions mounted that evidence had been withheld or destroyed. The incidents led to lengthy legal contests.
Battsek’s team for the series includes investigative journalist Jane MacSorley and former detective chief inspector Colin Sutton who join forces to...
The investigative six part non-fiction series will see Battsek and his new production company Ventureland tackle the complex and controversial cases of four deaths at the Deepcut army barracks in the UK.
The series will examine the deaths of the four young soldiers, found shot dead at the Princes Royal Barracks (Aka Deepcut) in Surrey, England between 1995 and 2002. As their families searched for answers, allegations of bullying, sexual abuse and violence begin to surface and suspicions mounted that evidence had been withheld or destroyed. The incidents led to lengthy legal contests.
Battsek’s team for the series includes investigative journalist Jane MacSorley and former detective chief inspector Colin Sutton who join forces to...
- 5/20/2020
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The absence of live sports during the novel coronavirus pandemic doesn’t mean a dearth of interesting sports narratives. There’s a whole ecosystem of documentaries telling tales from in and around the world of athletics that many sports fans have yet to discover.
The Last Dance, ESPN’s 10-part saga chronicling the final season of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls championship dynasty, already has its hooks into hungry hoop heads. Den of Geek also recently offered choice selections from the meaty back catalog of docs available on ESPN+.
The 30 for 30 collection from ESPN is great and all, but the Worldwide Leader hasn’t cornered the market on brilliant non-fiction sports storytelling. Consider these 10 must-watch sports documentaries, all of which can be found either for free or included in streaming subscriptions, if you’re looking for more fascinating sports stories until the live action resumes.
Hoop Dreams
Streaming on HBO Now...
The Last Dance, ESPN’s 10-part saga chronicling the final season of Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls championship dynasty, already has its hooks into hungry hoop heads. Den of Geek also recently offered choice selections from the meaty back catalog of docs available on ESPN+.
The 30 for 30 collection from ESPN is great and all, but the Worldwide Leader hasn’t cornered the market on brilliant non-fiction sports storytelling. Consider these 10 must-watch sports documentaries, all of which can be found either for free or included in streaming subscriptions, if you’re looking for more fascinating sports stories until the live action resumes.
Hoop Dreams
Streaming on HBO Now...
- 4/30/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Producer Arthur Cohn was first mentioned in Variety on Feb. 20, 1962, when the documentary he produced, “Sky Above, Mud Beneath,” was nominated for an Oscar. The doc, “Le Ciel et la boue,” directed by Pierre-Dominique Gaisseau, underwent a few title changes over the years, and ended up winning the prize for 1961. Cohn has continued to flourish, winning Oscars for two more documentaries — “One Day in September” and “American Dream” — and producing numerous other films, including “The Etruscan Smile,” released this year in the U.S. by Lightyear Entertainment. Cohn also produced three films that won the foreign-language Academy Award: “The Garden of the Finzi-Continis,” “Black and White in Color” and “Dangerous Moves.” The Swiss-born Cohn worked as a journalist, saying that career taught him how to spot original and special stories unfolding in everyday life. He says his films were inspired by current events and his Jewish heritage.
What attracted you...
What attracted you...
- 1/4/2020
- by Lorraine Wheat
- Variety Film + TV
33rd Israel Film Festival in Los Angeles, November 12th — 26th: Sold-Out Opening Night Gala
Six-time Academy Award winning producer Arthur Cohn and producer Sharon Harel-Cohen receive festival honors.
Incitement has its U.S. premiere
It looked like every Jew in entertainment attended the Opening Night Gala. It was the first time Opening Night was completely sold out a week in advance to a capacity crowd of over 900 guests at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
The packed audience greeted the evening’s host, Israel FilmFestival Founder/Executive Director Meir Fenigstein, with a standing ovation in recognition of his outstanding leadership of the Festival for over three decades.
Standing ovations continued as six-time Academy Award-winning producer Arthur Cohn received the 2019 Iff Lifetime Achievement Award from actress Rosanna Arquette and when WestEnd Film Chair and producer Sharon Harel-Cohen was presented with the 2019 Iff Achievement in Film Award by Avi Lerner, Chairman/CEO,...
Six-time Academy Award winning producer Arthur Cohn and producer Sharon Harel-Cohen receive festival honors.
Incitement has its U.S. premiere
It looked like every Jew in entertainment attended the Opening Night Gala. It was the first time Opening Night was completely sold out a week in advance to a capacity crowd of over 900 guests at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
The packed audience greeted the evening’s host, Israel FilmFestival Founder/Executive Director Meir Fenigstein, with a standing ovation in recognition of his outstanding leadership of the Festival for over three decades.
Standing ovations continued as six-time Academy Award-winning producer Arthur Cohn received the 2019 Iff Lifetime Achievement Award from actress Rosanna Arquette and when WestEnd Film Chair and producer Sharon Harel-Cohen was presented with the 2019 Iff Achievement in Film Award by Avi Lerner, Chairman/CEO,...
- 11/21/2019
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Jodie Foster, Shailene Woodley and Tahar Rahim are set to join Benedict Cumberbatch in “Prisoner 760,” directed by Kevin Macdonald. STXinternational will be introducing the film to buyers at the American Film Market.
The movie tells the true story of a fight for survival against all odds. Captured by the U.S. government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Woodley). Together, they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor Lt. Stuart Couch (Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy.
The film is based on Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s New York Times best-selling memoir “Guantánamo Diary.” Principal photography is set to commence in South Africa on Dec. 2. Macdonald is directing from a screenplay by Michael Bronner,...
The movie tells the true story of a fight for survival against all odds. Captured by the U.S. government, Mohamedou Ould Slahi (Rahim) languishes in prison for years without charge or trial. Losing all hope, Slahi finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Woodley). Together, they face countless obstacles in a desperate pursuit for justice. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by formidable military prosecutor Lt. Stuart Couch (Cumberbatch), eventually reveals a shocking and far reaching conspiracy.
The film is based on Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s New York Times best-selling memoir “Guantánamo Diary.” Principal photography is set to commence in South Africa on Dec. 2. Macdonald is directing from a screenplay by Michael Bronner,...
- 11/1/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Alexander Rodnyansky’s Ar Content – in partnership with Kevin Macdonald, an Oscar winner with “One Day in September,” and Rosanne Korenberg – has tapped Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning director Rory Kennedy, best known for “Last Days in Vietnam,” to direct its untitled documentary centering on a little-known refugee crisis immediately preceding World War II.
The film will center on the voyage of the transatlantic liner St. Louis in 1939, which was carrying Jews fleeing Nazi but was turned away by Cuba and the U.S. and forced to return to Europe. Later, 254 of its passengers died in the Holocaust. The film will compare that episode with today’s global refugee crisis.
Alongside Rodnyansky – who was Oscar-nominated for “Leviathan” and “Loveless” – Macdonald and Korenberg, Kennedy and the documentary’s writer Mark Bailey, a WGA nominee for “Last Days in Vietnam” and a three-time Emmy nominee, will produce the film under their production banner Moxie Films.
The film will center on the voyage of the transatlantic liner St. Louis in 1939, which was carrying Jews fleeing Nazi but was turned away by Cuba and the U.S. and forced to return to Europe. Later, 254 of its passengers died in the Holocaust. The film will compare that episode with today’s global refugee crisis.
Alongside Rodnyansky – who was Oscar-nominated for “Leviathan” and “Loveless” – Macdonald and Korenberg, Kennedy and the documentary’s writer Mark Bailey, a WGA nominee for “Last Days in Vietnam” and a three-time Emmy nominee, will produce the film under their production banner Moxie Films.
- 10/22/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-winning British production company Passion Pictures is teaming up with James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and filmmaker Richard Curtis on a new feature documentary about the Paralympic Games. The project, currently titled “Harder Than You Think,” brings together Passion’s John Battsek with producer Greg Nugent of Htyt Films, with Broccoli and Curtis both serving as executive producers.
Directed by the BAFTA-nominated filmmakers behind “McQueen,” Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, “Harder Than You Think” sets out to tell the extraordinary story of the Paralympic Games from its post-war inception to becoming the world’s third-largest sporting event. U.S. Paralympian Tatyana McFadden and former International Paralympic Committee CEO Xavier Gonzalez will also serve as executive producers alongside Broccoli and Curtis.
The film will blend never-before-seen archive footage with the extraordinary stories of modern-day athletes, leaders and visionaries. Bonhôte and Ettedgui said the film intends to take audiences on “a visceral...
Directed by the BAFTA-nominated filmmakers behind “McQueen,” Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, “Harder Than You Think” sets out to tell the extraordinary story of the Paralympic Games from its post-war inception to becoming the world’s third-largest sporting event. U.S. Paralympian Tatyana McFadden and former International Paralympic Committee CEO Xavier Gonzalez will also serve as executive producers alongside Broccoli and Curtis.
The film will blend never-before-seen archive footage with the extraordinary stories of modern-day athletes, leaders and visionaries. Bonhôte and Ettedgui said the film intends to take audiences on “a visceral...
- 8/22/2019
- by Robert Mitchell
- Variety Film + TV
Jackie Collins' life will be getting the documentary treatment from John Battsek, the Oscar-winning producer behind Searching For Sugar Man and One Day In September, and Lizzie Gillett.
Laura Fairrie will direct Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story that will chronicle the life of the best-selling novelist — a life that oftentimes rivaled the plots of her novels. Collins, who also held court as a screenwriter, producer and general Hollywood fixture, passed away in 2015.
Stuart Ford's Agc Studios will handle global distribution rights on behalf of Battsek and Gillett's Passion Pictures.
CNN Films, with recent doc work ...
Laura Fairrie will direct Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story that will chronicle the life of the best-selling novelist — a life that oftentimes rivaled the plots of her novels. Collins, who also held court as a screenwriter, producer and general Hollywood fixture, passed away in 2015.
Stuart Ford's Agc Studios will handle global distribution rights on behalf of Battsek and Gillett's Passion Pictures.
CNN Films, with recent doc work ...
Jackie Collins' life will be getting the documentary treatment from John Battsek, the Oscar-winning producer behind Searching For Sugar Man and One Day In September, and Lizzie Gillett.
Laura Fairrie will direct Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story that will chronicle the life of the best-selling novelist — a life that oftentimes rivaled the plots of her novels. Collins, who also held court as a screenwriter, producer and general Hollywood fixture, passed away in 2015.
Stuart Ford's Agc Studios will handle global distribution rights on behalf of Battsek and Gillett's Passion Pictures.
CNN Films, with recent doc work ...
Laura Fairrie will direct Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story that will chronicle the life of the best-selling novelist — a life that oftentimes rivaled the plots of her novels. Collins, who also held court as a screenwriter, producer and general Hollywood fixture, passed away in 2015.
Stuart Ford's Agc Studios will handle global distribution rights on behalf of Battsek and Gillett's Passion Pictures.
CNN Films, with recent doc work ...
Agc Studios, CNN Films, and BBC Arts are co-financing documentary Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story about the eponymous English romance novelist.
Laura Fairrie is directing the doc biopic which is being produced by John Battsek and Lizzie Gillet of Searching For Sugar Man and One Day In September outfit Passion Pictures. The movie will chart the journey of one of the world’s best-selling novelists whose turbulent life sometimes rivaled the spicy plots she dreamed up for her books. Hollywood Wives scribe Collins (née Jacqueline but known as Jackie), also also an actress, screenwriter and producer, passed away in 2015 after spending the latter decades of her life in La.
Agc International will handle global distribution rights on behalf of Passion Pictures and will introduce the film to U.S. domestic and international buyers in the fall upon the film’s completion. CNN Films (Three Identical Strangers) will retain broadcast TV rights in North America.
Laura Fairrie is directing the doc biopic which is being produced by John Battsek and Lizzie Gillet of Searching For Sugar Man and One Day In September outfit Passion Pictures. The movie will chart the journey of one of the world’s best-selling novelists whose turbulent life sometimes rivaled the spicy plots she dreamed up for her books. Hollywood Wives scribe Collins (née Jacqueline but known as Jackie), also also an actress, screenwriter and producer, passed away in 2015 after spending the latter decades of her life in La.
Agc International will handle global distribution rights on behalf of Passion Pictures and will introduce the film to U.S. domestic and international buyers in the fall upon the film’s completion. CNN Films (Three Identical Strangers) will retain broadcast TV rights in North America.
- 8/9/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
National Geographic has added Feras Fayyad’s “The Cave,” the latest non-fiction effort from the director of the Oscar-nominated “Last Men in Aleppo,” to its 2019 feature documentary slate. The new film will be released in theaters this fall and compete in an increasingly crowded documentary feature field for the Oscar.
“The Cave” unveils the harrowing true story of an underground Syrian hospital and the team of civilians and medical professionals led by women who risk their lives to provide medical care to the besieged local population.
The film follows 30-year-old Dr. Amani, an aspiring pediatrician forced to end her studies and medical training due to the war in Syria, as she becomes the appointed leader of a team of 130 medical practitioners in the secret hospital serving the 400,000 civilians of the besieged city of Al Ghouta from 2012 to 2018. Due to the nonstop onslaught of conventional and chemical warfare, brutalized and displaced...
“The Cave” unveils the harrowing true story of an underground Syrian hospital and the team of civilians and medical professionals led by women who risk their lives to provide medical care to the besieged local population.
The film follows 30-year-old Dr. Amani, an aspiring pediatrician forced to end her studies and medical training due to the war in Syria, as she becomes the appointed leader of a team of 130 medical practitioners in the secret hospital serving the 400,000 civilians of the besieged city of Al Ghouta from 2012 to 2018. Due to the nonstop onslaught of conventional and chemical warfare, brutalized and displaced...
- 6/24/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
National Geographic has added Feras Fayyad’s “The Cave,” the latest non-fiction effort from the director of the Oscar-nominated “Last Men in Aleppo,” to its 2019 feature documentary slate. The new film will be released in theaters this fall and compete in an increasingly crowded documentary feature field for the Oscar.
“The Cave” unveils the harrowing true story of an underground Syrian hospital and the team of civilians and medical professionals led by women who risk their lives to provide medical care to the besieged local population.
The film follows 30-year-old Dr. Amani, an aspiring pediatrician forced to end her studies and medical training due to the war in Syria, as she becomes the appointed leader of a team of 130 medical practitioners in the secret hospital serving the 400,000 civilians of the besieged city of Al Ghouta from 2012 to 2018. Due to the nonstop onslaught of conventional and chemical warfare, brutalized and displaced...
“The Cave” unveils the harrowing true story of an underground Syrian hospital and the team of civilians and medical professionals led by women who risk their lives to provide medical care to the besieged local population.
The film follows 30-year-old Dr. Amani, an aspiring pediatrician forced to end her studies and medical training due to the war in Syria, as she becomes the appointed leader of a team of 130 medical practitioners in the secret hospital serving the 400,000 civilians of the besieged city of Al Ghouta from 2012 to 2018. Due to the nonstop onslaught of conventional and chemical warfare, brutalized and displaced...
- 6/24/2019
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
In today’s film news roundup, National Geographic is making a Thai cave rescue movie, AMC has a big weekend at the box office, Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s “Fast Color” gets a release date, and AFI Fest sets its dates.
Movie Development
Yet another movie is in the works about last year’s cave rescue in Thailand.
National Geographic Documentary Films has greenlit a feature about the 2018 rescue of a Thai soccer team trapped deep inside a flooded cave.
Kevin Macdonald (“One Day in September”), John Battsek, P.J. van Sandwijk, and Michael Lesslie are working on the pic about the Wild Boars youth soccer team of 12 boys and their assistant coach being trapped for two weeks before being rescued.
The film, tentatively titled “Thai Cave Rescue,” will chronicle the perilous world of cave diving, with exclusive access to British cave divers Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, Chris Jewell, Jason Mallinson, Connor Roe,...
Movie Development
Yet another movie is in the works about last year’s cave rescue in Thailand.
National Geographic Documentary Films has greenlit a feature about the 2018 rescue of a Thai soccer team trapped deep inside a flooded cave.
Kevin Macdonald (“One Day in September”), John Battsek, P.J. van Sandwijk, and Michael Lesslie are working on the pic about the Wild Boars youth soccer team of 12 boys and their assistant coach being trapped for two weeks before being rescued.
The film, tentatively titled “Thai Cave Rescue,” will chronicle the perilous world of cave diving, with exclusive access to British cave divers Richard Stanton, John Volanthen, Chris Jewell, Jason Mallinson, Connor Roe,...
- 3/5/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
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