When Heroes Fly is leaving Netflix – Picture: Netflix
A New Year is just around the corner. Once again, we can make a feature from all the Netflix Originals currently set to depart the service globally or in select regions throughout January 2024.
If you’re wondering why some Netflix Originals are leaving Netflix – you wouldn’t be alone. In recent years, we’ve seen a slew of Netflix Originals depart the service and this mostly comes down to how Netflix licenses titles (particularly a lot of its earlier Originals). In some cases, Netflix simply picked up the international rights for certain series and movies for a fixed period. In these cases, calling them Netflix Exclusives is probably more appropriate, but it is what it is.
All of these movies, series and specials will soon be listed on our master list of every Netflix Original that has departed the service.
Did you...
A New Year is just around the corner. Once again, we can make a feature from all the Netflix Originals currently set to depart the service globally or in select regions throughout January 2024.
If you’re wondering why some Netflix Originals are leaving Netflix – you wouldn’t be alone. In recent years, we’ve seen a slew of Netflix Originals depart the service and this mostly comes down to how Netflix licenses titles (particularly a lot of its earlier Originals). In some cases, Netflix simply picked up the international rights for certain series and movies for a fixed period. In these cases, calling them Netflix Exclusives is probably more appropriate, but it is what it is.
All of these movies, series and specials will soon be listed on our master list of every Netflix Original that has departed the service.
Did you...
- 12/30/2023
- by Kasey Moore
- Whats-on-Netflix
South Korean director Hong Sang-soo was awarded the El Gouna Gold Star for best narrative film for his meditation on art and relationships, “In Our Day,” as the delayed edition of the El Gouna Film Festival held its closing ceremony on Thursday. The Italian animated film “A Greyhound of a Girl,” directed by Enzo D’Alò, and the Brazilian director Guto Parente’s “A Strange Path” picked up the Silver and Bronze Stars respectively.
The jury comprised of Indian director Anup Singh, Jordanian actress Saba Mubarak, Palestinian actress Yasmine Al-Massri, French Lebanese actress Manal Issa and Egyptian filmmaker Omar El Zohairy.
In the non-fiction category, Ibrahim Nash’at’s acclaimed documentary “Hollywoodgate” took the top prize, with “Seven Winters in Tehran” and Mila Turajlić’s Serbian film “Non-Aligned: Scenes from the Labudović Reels” sharing the Silver Star, and “On the Adamant,” directed by French director Nicolas Philibert, taking the Bronze Star. The...
The jury comprised of Indian director Anup Singh, Jordanian actress Saba Mubarak, Palestinian actress Yasmine Al-Massri, French Lebanese actress Manal Issa and Egyptian filmmaker Omar El Zohairy.
In the non-fiction category, Ibrahim Nash’at’s acclaimed documentary “Hollywoodgate” took the top prize, with “Seven Winters in Tehran” and Mila Turajlić’s Serbian film “Non-Aligned: Scenes from the Labudović Reels” sharing the Silver Star, and “On the Adamant,” directed by French director Nicolas Philibert, taking the Bronze Star. The...
- 12/22/2023
- by John Bleasdale
- Variety Film + TV
Picture: Netflix
First released in 2013, The Square was an early awards contender for Netflix and is still considered to be one of Netflix’s best documentaries in its history. Sadly, however, the documentary is currently set to depart the streaming service in January 2024.
Covering the 2011 Egyptian protest that looked to overthrow the military leader, the doc still holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ty Burr for the Boston Globe said when it released:
“What does a revolution feel like from the inside? I’m not sure we’ll ever get closer than “The Square,” an electrifying, at times heartbreaking documentary from the Egypt-born, Harvard-educated documentarian Jehane Noujaim.”
The Square isn’t on every Netflix region, but it’s worth noting. The doc was notably only picked up exclusively in a handful of regions, with Netflix serving only as an international distributor and not quite a full Netflix Original (quite...
First released in 2013, The Square was an early awards contender for Netflix and is still considered to be one of Netflix’s best documentaries in its history. Sadly, however, the documentary is currently set to depart the streaming service in January 2024.
Covering the 2011 Egyptian protest that looked to overthrow the military leader, the doc still holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ty Burr for the Boston Globe said when it released:
“What does a revolution feel like from the inside? I’m not sure we’ll ever get closer than “The Square,” an electrifying, at times heartbreaking documentary from the Egypt-born, Harvard-educated documentarian Jehane Noujaim.”
The Square isn’t on every Netflix region, but it’s worth noting. The doc was notably only picked up exclusively in a handful of regions, with Netflix serving only as an international distributor and not quite a full Netflix Original (quite...
- 12/19/2023
- by Kasey Moore
- Whats-on-Netflix
The International Documentary Association (IDA), Cinema Eye Honors and Gotham Awards have delivered their verdicts on the top feature docs of the year. And, for the streamers, it’s a grim result.
Absent from the Gothams’ doc feature selections, the Cinema Eye’s top feature and director noms and the IDA’s 17-title shortlist are titles from Netflix, Prime Video and Apple TV+.
The lists read, in the words of one leading awards publicist, “like a giant fuck-you to Netflix.” And with Oscar campaigning in high gear, they pose the question: Is a streamer backlash brewing?
The Gotham noms are mostly non-u.S. productions, including Kino Lorber’s Four Daughters, PBS’ 20 Days in Mariupol and Cinema Guild’s Our Body. Likewise, the IDA’s shortlisted titles included Morocco’s The Mother of All Lies, Colombia’s Anhell69, South African artist portrait Milisuthando, the CBC-backed Twice Colonized and the BBC-backed,...
Absent from the Gothams’ doc feature selections, the Cinema Eye’s top feature and director noms and the IDA’s 17-title shortlist are titles from Netflix, Prime Video and Apple TV+.
The lists read, in the words of one leading awards publicist, “like a giant fuck-you to Netflix.” And with Oscar campaigning in high gear, they pose the question: Is a streamer backlash brewing?
The Gotham noms are mostly non-u.S. productions, including Kino Lorber’s Four Daughters, PBS’ 20 Days in Mariupol and Cinema Guild’s Our Body. Likewise, the IDA’s shortlisted titles included Morocco’s The Mother of All Lies, Colombia’s Anhell69, South African artist portrait Milisuthando, the CBC-backed Twice Colonized and the BBC-backed,...
- 12/14/2023
- by Adam Benzine
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The streaming landscape can feel endless. It’s not and we’re here to help. Netflix has hundreds of documentaries in its streaming library, but they’re not all created equal, and we’ve narrowed down the options for you with 25 of our top picks for the best documentary movies currently available to watch on the streaming platform. If you’re looking for something light and visually stunning, you’ve come to the right place. If you’re looking for something gruesome yet fascinating, there are options for you below. If you only have half an hour or 40 minutes to kill, Netflix has something for you.
So peruse our list below, and get watching!
“Athlete A” Netflix
One of the best documentaries in recent years, “Athlete A” works on multiple fronts: First, it effectively chronicles the abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar, a former sports medicine physician who used his position...
So peruse our list below, and get watching!
“Athlete A” Netflix
One of the best documentaries in recent years, “Athlete A” works on multiple fronts: First, it effectively chronicles the abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar, a former sports medicine physician who used his position...
- 11/3/2023
- by Kayti Burt
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Burning Man made national headlines last weekend as shocking weather ravaged the desert campout arts festival and sent thousands searching for ways out of the playa.
From Chris Rock and Diplo hitching a ride out with a fan to a slew of Hollywood types and tech bros sludging through the mud after their private planes couldn’t reach them, it was a crazy year for the event, which has been running since 1986.
So, it’s apt that there’s a docuseries – The Man Will Burn – in the works about the event.
Double Agent, a joint venture between Black Bear and New Regency that is behind Asif Kapadia’s next feature film 2073, Noujaim Films, which was behind Egyptian revolution doc The Square, and The Othrs, the production company behind HBO’s The Vow, are behind the series.
But it’s not just about 2023’s wild Burning Man.
The series will...
From Chris Rock and Diplo hitching a ride out with a fan to a slew of Hollywood types and tech bros sludging through the mud after their private planes couldn’t reach them, it was a crazy year for the event, which has been running since 1986.
So, it’s apt that there’s a docuseries – The Man Will Burn – in the works about the event.
Double Agent, a joint venture between Black Bear and New Regency that is behind Asif Kapadia’s next feature film 2073, Noujaim Films, which was behind Egyptian revolution doc The Square, and The Othrs, the production company behind HBO’s The Vow, are behind the series.
But it’s not just about 2023’s wild Burning Man.
The series will...
- 9/8/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
With the 2023 Truth Seekers Summit presented by Showtime taking place a day after former President Donald Trump was indicted for a third time, this time in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow set the tone of the event after receiving the Variety and Rolling Stone Truth Seekers Award, “The crisis we have right now in this work that we do is not a crisis about the truth,” she said in a sitdown with Variety’s Co-Editor-In-Chief Ramin Setoodeh. “The truth is the truth; the truth just exists.
- 8/4/2023
- by Sean Malcolm
- Rollingstone.com
Search had published a letter revealing her brain tumour diagnosis last month.
Jess Search, co-founder and CEO of non-profit documentary organisation Doc Society, has died at the age of 54 from brain cancer.
Search’s death was announced in a statement on Tuesday, August 1 by Doc Society, which read:
Yesterday morning, our dear Jess Search died peacefully in London, England, from brain cancer. She was surrounded by the love of her life Beadie Finzi, their children Ella and Ben, and friends.
As a fierce supporter of independent artists and co-founder of Doc Society, Jess spent the weeks following her diagnosis focused...
Jess Search, co-founder and CEO of non-profit documentary organisation Doc Society, has died at the age of 54 from brain cancer.
Search’s death was announced in a statement on Tuesday, August 1 by Doc Society, which read:
Yesterday morning, our dear Jess Search died peacefully in London, England, from brain cancer. She was surrounded by the love of her life Beadie Finzi, their children Ella and Ben, and friends.
As a fierce supporter of independent artists and co-founder of Doc Society, Jess spent the weeks following her diagnosis focused...
- 8/1/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Documentary film editors are like crash test dummies, according to Alexis Johnson. You keep letting yourself crash, assuming the seatbelts will work, over and over again just to see what impact a scene is having on you.
“If I am going to harness a feeling, I have to feel it myself,” she said, recalling working on director Alex Gibney’s powerful 2021 documentary “The Forever Prisoner,” about the CIA’s interrogation treatment of prisoner Abu Zubaydah. In addition to the countless hours reworking scenes of waterboarding and other harsh treatments, Johnson edited a sequence that depicts the technique of playing high-decibel music to terrorize a prisoner. It was particularly grueling, as Johnson repeatedly subjected herself to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ cacophonous “Give It Away” for hours while shaping the depiction of Zubaydah being tortured by the same song.
By the end of working on “The Forever Prisoner,” Johnson said, she...
“If I am going to harness a feeling, I have to feel it myself,” she said, recalling working on director Alex Gibney’s powerful 2021 documentary “The Forever Prisoner,” about the CIA’s interrogation treatment of prisoner Abu Zubaydah. In addition to the countless hours reworking scenes of waterboarding and other harsh treatments, Johnson edited a sequence that depicts the technique of playing high-decibel music to terrorize a prisoner. It was particularly grueling, as Johnson repeatedly subjected herself to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ cacophonous “Give It Away” for hours while shaping the depiction of Zubaydah being tortured by the same song.
By the end of working on “The Forever Prisoner,” Johnson said, she...
- 6/12/2023
- by Tom Roston
- Indiewire
This year’s edition takes place in-person March 10-15 and online March 19-21.
The Doha Film Institute (Dfi) has revealed the 44 projects that will participate in the ninth edition of its annual talent incubator Qumra which takes place in-person March 10-15 and online March 19-21.
The selected projects come from 23 different countries and comprise 14 feature narratives, 12 feature documentaries, seven series and 11 shorts.
Two feature debuts from Oscar-nominated filmmakers are among the participants. Motherhood from Meryam Joobeur, whose Ikhwène was nominated for best live-action short in 2020, and The Station from Sara Ishaq, whose Karma Has No Walls was nominated for best...
The Doha Film Institute (Dfi) has revealed the 44 projects that will participate in the ninth edition of its annual talent incubator Qumra which takes place in-person March 10-15 and online March 19-21.
The selected projects come from 23 different countries and comprise 14 feature narratives, 12 feature documentaries, seven series and 11 shorts.
Two feature debuts from Oscar-nominated filmmakers are among the participants. Motherhood from Meryam Joobeur, whose Ikhwène was nominated for best live-action short in 2020, and The Station from Sara Ishaq, whose Karma Has No Walls was nominated for best...
- 3/1/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” has coasted through the season as the Oscar front-runner for Best Documentary Feature, so it makes sense that it’s also out front in our forecasts for the Directors Guild Award. But the guild doesn’t always agree with the Oscars when it comes to documentaries, and the Expert journalists we’ve surveyed from major media outlets are split between all five of the nominees.
SEEBrendan Fraser (‘The Whale’): ‘I needed only to look into Hong’s eyes’ to ‘reflect the authenticity’ [Complete Interview Transcript]
Laura Poitras is the director of “Bloodshed,” which explores the life and career of Nan Goldin, a photographer and activist who fought to hold Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family responsible for the opioid crisis across the United States. Poitras won the last time she was nominated at the DGA Awards, for “Citizenfour” (2014), and by winning again she would join a...
SEEBrendan Fraser (‘The Whale’): ‘I needed only to look into Hong’s eyes’ to ‘reflect the authenticity’ [Complete Interview Transcript]
Laura Poitras is the director of “Bloodshed,” which explores the life and career of Nan Goldin, a photographer and activist who fought to hold Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family responsible for the opioid crisis across the United States. Poitras won the last time she was nominated at the DGA Awards, for “Citizenfour” (2014), and by winning again she would join a...
- 2/17/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Just one year after Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”) became the second woman to win the Directors Guild of America’s First-Time Film Director award, Charlotte Wells (“Aftersun”) is set to follow her as the category’s third female champ. The 35-year-old Scottish filmmaker, who helmed three narrative shorts between 2015 and 2017, has already been heavily feted for her feature directing (and writing) debut with accolades such as the Cannes French Touch Prize and the Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Director. Now, the fact that a whopping 96 of Gold Derby’s 2023 DGA Awards predictions odds-makers have her as their top choice in the rookie race should translate to a decisive win.
This category’s current lineup is the only one in its eight-year history to include just one male nominee. Last year’s unprecedented field of six consisted of two men and four women, including Gyllenhaal. Our odds show Wells far outpacing female contenders Alice Diop,...
This category’s current lineup is the only one in its eight-year history to include just one male nominee. Last year’s unprecedented field of six consisted of two men and four women, including Gyllenhaal. Our odds show Wells far outpacing female contenders Alice Diop,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Finding common cause and rhythm across language and culture is at the heart of “Far From the Nile,” from director Sherief Elkatsha, which opened the Horizons of Arab Cinema competition at the Cairo Intl. Film Festival.
Elkatsha’s latest follows 12 African musicians from seven countries along the Nile River who comprise the Nile Project, a group that seeks to highlight the conflict over increasingly scarce water resources in the region. As they leave their home countries for a 100-day tour of the American heartland, they grapple with cultural differences, musical disputes and competing egos in an effort to stay united behind their common cause.
It’s a timely film from the U.S. born, Cairo-raised director, which highlights the often humorous attempts by the musicians to resolve their differences while being introduced to each other, and the U.S., and dealing with the demands of a four-month tour.
Elkatsha admitted it wasn’t easy.
Elkatsha’s latest follows 12 African musicians from seven countries along the Nile River who comprise the Nile Project, a group that seeks to highlight the conflict over increasingly scarce water resources in the region. As they leave their home countries for a 100-day tour of the American heartland, they grapple with cultural differences, musical disputes and competing egos in an effort to stay united behind their common cause.
It’s a timely film from the U.S. born, Cairo-raised director, which highlights the often humorous attempts by the musicians to resolve their differences while being introduced to each other, and the U.S., and dealing with the demands of a four-month tour.
Elkatsha admitted it wasn’t easy.
- 11/18/2022
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Jehane Noujaim started her filmmaking journey with HBO’s The Vow in 2009. The award-winning director attended an introductory class for Nxivm’s personal growth Executive Success Program (“Esp”), where she would go on to meet the self-help marketing corporation’s leader and founder Keith Raniere and his co-founder Nancy Salzman. The pair, now convicted felons, were eventually examined in The Vow and now, interviewed for The Vow, Part Two, which premiered Oct. 17, more than a decade after that initial class.
But, back in 2009, Noujaim says she didn’t get the kind of balanced access she was looking for, so she put the project aside. She went on to make other documentaries like Startup.com (2001), focusing on the dark side of the internet boom; Control Room (2004), about the Al-Jazeera network amid the U.S.-Iraq war; and The Square (2013), looking at the unrest in...
Jehane Noujaim started her filmmaking journey with HBO’s The Vow in 2009. The award-winning director attended an introductory class for Nxivm’s personal growth Executive Success Program (“Esp”), where she would go on to meet the self-help marketing corporation’s leader and founder Keith Raniere and his co-founder Nancy Salzman. The pair, now convicted felons, were eventually examined in The Vow and now, interviewed for The Vow, Part Two, which premiered Oct. 17, more than a decade after that initial class.
But, back in 2009, Noujaim says she didn’t get the kind of balanced access she was looking for, so she put the project aside. She went on to make other documentaries like Startup.com (2001), focusing on the dark side of the internet boom; Control Room (2004), about the Al-Jazeera network amid the U.S.-Iraq war; and The Square (2013), looking at the unrest in...
- 10/19/2022
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In late summer 2020, “The Vow” emerged as a creepily potent hit docuseries, which grew virally as it rolled out. Plunging deep within little-understood “self-help group”-turned-cult Nxivm to examine the hold leader Keith Raniere had over his acolytes, the documentary series excelled when depicted sympathetic people in situations the average viewer likely could not imagine. How had these women allowed things to get so out of control that they’d agreed to be branded, or to starve themselves, or to voluntarily hand over compromising materials for potential blackmail? “The Vow” had no hard answers, but it was exacting and thorough in posing the questions.
Almost too thorough, perhaps: Its new follow-up, “The Vow, Part Two,” is three episodes shorter, and has a tighter focus that benefits its storytelling. Having established Nxivm’s methods of exerting control over women in the first go-round, director Jehane Noujaim (without Karin Amer this time...
Almost too thorough, perhaps: Its new follow-up, “The Vow, Part Two,” is three episodes shorter, and has a tighter focus that benefits its storytelling. Having established Nxivm’s methods of exerting control over women in the first go-round, director Jehane Noujaim (without Karin Amer this time...
- 10/12/2022
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
The Vow is returning with a six-episode second season, promising a rare view into Nxivm founder Keith Raniere’s innermost circle, including co-founder Nancy Salzman.
“My whole company was destroyed and my whole life fell apart,” says Salzman, Nxivm’s president and co-founder with Raniere, in the trailer (below), which also features Raniere speaking from prison. “Going into this, I thought Keith was innocent. I was wrong,” Salzman tells the filmmakers.
The Vow, Part Two begins at the start of Raniere’s trial, with the finale capturing the verdict. The follow-up, directed by Jehane Noujaim, debuts Oct. 17, with weekly episodes on HBO and HBO Max.
Much has happened in the two years since The Vow first exposed Nxivm to a mainstream audience.
Nxivm, a company that masqueraded as a self-help group but was actually running a secret sex cult, and its leader Raniere...
The Vow is returning with a six-episode second season, promising a rare view into Nxivm founder Keith Raniere’s innermost circle, including co-founder Nancy Salzman.
“My whole company was destroyed and my whole life fell apart,” says Salzman, Nxivm’s president and co-founder with Raniere, in the trailer (below), which also features Raniere speaking from prison. “Going into this, I thought Keith was innocent. I was wrong,” Salzman tells the filmmakers.
The Vow, Part Two begins at the start of Raniere’s trial, with the finale capturing the verdict. The follow-up, directed by Jehane Noujaim, debuts Oct. 17, with weekly episodes on HBO and HBO Max.
Much has happened in the two years since The Vow first exposed Nxivm to a mainstream audience.
Nxivm, a company that masqueraded as a self-help group but was actually running a secret sex cult, and its leader Raniere...
- 9/22/2022
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The trial of Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere is captured by the HBO cameras.
Docuseries “The Vow” returns for a second half, helmed by Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Jehane Noujaim. “The Vow, Part Two” premieres October 17, with new episodes airing every Monday and available to stream on HBO Max.
“Part Two” centers on the inner workings of the organization and its co-founders Raniere and Nancy Salzman. The official synopsis reads: Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of the United States against Keith Raniere, “The Vow, Part Two” offers a rare view into Raniere’s innermost circle, including Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman. It follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters, and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light, while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys engage in a trial in the national spotlight.
Five years after Keith Raniere’s arrest in Mexico,...
Docuseries “The Vow” returns for a second half, helmed by Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Jehane Noujaim. “The Vow, Part Two” premieres October 17, with new episodes airing every Monday and available to stream on HBO Max.
“Part Two” centers on the inner workings of the organization and its co-founders Raniere and Nancy Salzman. The official synopsis reads: Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of the United States against Keith Raniere, “The Vow, Part Two” offers a rare view into Raniere’s innermost circle, including Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman. It follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters, and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light, while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys engage in a trial in the national spotlight.
Five years after Keith Raniere’s arrest in Mexico,...
- 9/22/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The HBO Original six-part documentary series The Vow Part Two, directed by Emmy(R)-winning and Academy Award(R) nominated Jehane Noujaim, debuts Monday, October 17 (9:00-10:00 p.m. Et/Pt) with new episodes on subsequent Mondays on HBO and will also be available to stream on HBO Max. Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of The United States against Keith Raniere, The Vow Part Two offers an exclusive view into Raniere’s innermost circle, including Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman. It follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light, while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys battle with opposing views of justice in a case caught in the national spotlight. In June 2019, Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere was convicted of crimes including racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, identity theft, and production and possession of child pornography.
- 8/29/2022
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
The HBO documentary series “The Vow,” from filmmakers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will return for its second installment on October 17. The network shared a teaser for “The Vow Part Two” — a six-part continuation of the series, which became a sensation — with new episodes airing on subsequent Mondays.
The series follows the story of the Nxivm organization, and the second installment will be set against the backdrop of the federal trial of against Keith Raniere. It will offer looks into Raniere’s innermost circle, including Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman, who wasn’t interviewed for “The Vow,” but has been for this second installment. According to its logline, “The docuseries will chronicle the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters and defectors, as new evidence comes to light in a case at the forefront of the national spotlight.”
Raniere was sentenced to 120 years of imprisonment in October 2020, having...
The series follows the story of the Nxivm organization, and the second installment will be set against the backdrop of the federal trial of against Keith Raniere. It will offer looks into Raniere’s innermost circle, including Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman, who wasn’t interviewed for “The Vow,” but has been for this second installment. According to its logline, “The docuseries will chronicle the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters and defectors, as new evidence comes to light in a case at the forefront of the national spotlight.”
Raniere was sentenced to 120 years of imprisonment in October 2020, having...
- 8/29/2022
- by EJ Panaligan
- Variety Film + TV
HBO’s The Vow docuseries is ready to dive even deeper into Nxivm founder Keith Raniere’s innermost circle, as seen in the first trailer for Part 2 (premiering Monday, Oct. 17 at 9/8c).
In June 2019, Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere was convicted of crimes including racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, identity theft, and production and possession of child pornography, and sentenced to 120 years in prison. Smallville alum Allison Mack, a high-ranking Nxivm member, in turn, was sentenced to three years in prison after she pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges.
More from TVLineHouse of the Dragon Audience Rises in...
In June 2019, Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere was convicted of crimes including racketeering, sex trafficking, forced labor conspiracy, identity theft, and production and possession of child pornography, and sentenced to 120 years in prison. Smallville alum Allison Mack, a high-ranking Nxivm member, in turn, was sentenced to three years in prison after she pleaded guilty to racketeering and racketeering conspiracy charges.
More from TVLineHouse of the Dragon Audience Rises in...
- 8/29/2022
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Bonnie Piesse has taken a long journey back to the Star Wars universe. The actor first appeared in "Attack of the Clones" in 2002 as teenage Beru, who will eventually become Luke Skywalker's Aunt Beru in "A New Hope." Now, the actress is reprising her role in Disney+'s "Obi-Wan Kenobi." But there's a good chance you saw her more recently in something else: Piesse was one of the major voices that spoke out against the Nxivm cult in HBO's "The Vow."
When she first got cast in "Attack of the Clones," Piesse wasn't exactly a Star Wars fanatic. She knew the movie was filming in Australia and wondered if she could get a role in it. "I kind of wished for it," she says. Then they called her agent for an audition. "I guess they'd seen my photo on a casting website or something and they thought I looked like the older Beru,...
When she first got cast in "Attack of the Clones," Piesse wasn't exactly a Star Wars fanatic. She knew the movie was filming in Australia and wondered if she could get a role in it. "I kind of wished for it," she says. Then they called her agent for an audition. "I guess they'd seen my photo on a casting website or something and they thought I looked like the older Beru,...
- 6/14/2022
- by Victoria Edel
- Popsugar.com
Exclusive: Emmy-winning Succession star Jeremy Strong is set to headline and executive produce a limited series about Boeing’s controversial 737 Max planes. The untitled project, which is now in early development at Amazon Studios, hails from Oscar-winning Argo screenwriter Chris Terrio and Plan B.
Written by Terrio, the fictional series, which is targeted for Prime Video, is described as an examination of the events surrounding the Boeing 737 Max. It will reflect various perspectives, focusing on a composite engineer character, to be played by Strong.
Terrio and Strong will executive produce with Plan B, Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim.
In an unprecedented move, the Boeing 737 Max was grounded worldwide in 2019 following jet crashes in Indonesia (Lion Air Flight 610) and Ethiopia (Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302), killing all 346 people on board.
Following the fatal incidents, investigations found a flaw in an automated flight control system called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (McAs). Boeing was...
Written by Terrio, the fictional series, which is targeted for Prime Video, is described as an examination of the events surrounding the Boeing 737 Max. It will reflect various perspectives, focusing on a composite engineer character, to be played by Strong.
Terrio and Strong will executive produce with Plan B, Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim.
In an unprecedented move, the Boeing 737 Max was grounded worldwide in 2019 following jet crashes in Indonesia (Lion Air Flight 610) and Ethiopia (Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302), killing all 346 people on board.
Following the fatal incidents, investigations found a flaw in an automated flight control system called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (McAs). Boeing was...
- 5/4/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Filmmaker Pedro Kos (Lead Me Home) has signed with CAA for representation.
Kos is an Emmy winner who most recent directed the Netflix pic Lead Me Home with Jon Shenk, watching it land an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short Subject. Shot over the course of three years in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, the short examines the epidemic of homelessness in America with a show-don’t-tell approach, featuring candid testimonials from those who rest their heads in shelters, tent cities, and anywhere a night’s sleep can be found.
Kos’ most recent documentary feature Rebel Hearts, which he wrote, directed and edited, premiered in U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The film looking at Los Angeles’ Sisters of the Immaculate Heart—nuns who challenged the patriarchal conventions of the Catholic Church 50 years ago and are still taking a stand today—was released worldwide by Discovery+.
Kos is an Emmy winner who most recent directed the Netflix pic Lead Me Home with Jon Shenk, watching it land an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short Subject. Shot over the course of three years in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, the short examines the epidemic of homelessness in America with a show-don’t-tell approach, featuring candid testimonials from those who rest their heads in shelters, tent cities, and anywhere a night’s sleep can be found.
Kos’ most recent documentary feature Rebel Hearts, which he wrote, directed and edited, premiered in U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The film looking at Los Angeles’ Sisters of the Immaculate Heart—nuns who challenged the patriarchal conventions of the Catholic Church 50 years ago and are still taking a stand today—was released worldwide by Discovery+.
- 4/21/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Story Syndicate, the production house founded by Oscar and Emmy-winning documentary powerhouse couple Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus, is bulking up its development and production team with a new hire, a promotion and a first-look deal with producer and investigative journalist Amy Herdy.
The New York-based production company, which launched in 2019, was behind several popular docs and docuseries in 2021, including Garbus’ “Becoming Cousteau” (National Geographic), Orlando von Einsiedel’s “Convergence: Courage in a Crisis” (Netflix) and John Hoffman and Janet Tobias’ “Fauci” (Nat Geo).
Jon Bardin, most recently Story Syndicate’s head of creative, has been named head of documentary and nonfiction. Bardin, who has been at the production company since its inception, has served as a producer or executive producer on Story Syndicate documentaries including Jesse Moss’ “Mayor Pete,” Erin Lee Carr’s “Britney Vs. Spears,” “Fauci” and Ry Russo-Young’s docuseries “Nuclear Family.” Currently Bardin is working on...
The New York-based production company, which launched in 2019, was behind several popular docs and docuseries in 2021, including Garbus’ “Becoming Cousteau” (National Geographic), Orlando von Einsiedel’s “Convergence: Courage in a Crisis” (Netflix) and John Hoffman and Janet Tobias’ “Fauci” (Nat Geo).
Jon Bardin, most recently Story Syndicate’s head of creative, has been named head of documentary and nonfiction. Bardin, who has been at the production company since its inception, has served as a producer or executive producer on Story Syndicate documentaries including Jesse Moss’ “Mayor Pete,” Erin Lee Carr’s “Britney Vs. Spears,” “Fauci” and Ry Russo-Young’s docuseries “Nuclear Family.” Currently Bardin is working on...
- 4/11/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
In June 2021, Oscar-nominee and Emmy-winner Riz Ahmed and Pillars Fund’s Kashif Shaikh and Arij Mikati outlined the urgent need for more Muslim representation in the entertainment industry, both in front of and behind the camera, during an extensive interview with Variety.
The trio announced plans to launch a first-of-its-kind initiative, dubbed the Pillars Artist Fellowship, with a mission to provide resources and mentorship to a group of talented Muslim artists to help them use their talents to change the game in the film and television industries. Today, Pillars Fund, Ahmed and his Left Handed Films banner unveil the inaugural cohort of fellows.
“We spent months getting to know many talented candidates,” stated Shaikh, Pillars Fund’s co-founder and president. “We are honored to work with these incredible artists and are excited to provide them resources to reach even greater heights in the coming year.”
Sponsored by Netflix and Amazon Studios,...
The trio announced plans to launch a first-of-its-kind initiative, dubbed the Pillars Artist Fellowship, with a mission to provide resources and mentorship to a group of talented Muslim artists to help them use their talents to change the game in the film and television industries. Today, Pillars Fund, Ahmed and his Left Handed Films banner unveil the inaugural cohort of fellows.
“We spent months getting to know many talented candidates,” stated Shaikh, Pillars Fund’s co-founder and president. “We are honored to work with these incredible artists and are excited to provide them resources to reach even greater heights in the coming year.”
Sponsored by Netflix and Amazon Studios,...
- 3/15/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Nearly three decades after making her film acting debut at age 14, Maggie Gyllenhaal has now added her first feature writing and directing credits to her resume. Since its Venice International Film Festival premiere last September, her “The Lost Daughter” has won her numerous accolades, from the festival’s Golden Osella to the Independent Spirit Awards for Best Feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay. Gyllenhaal is also nominated for the Directors Guild of America’s First-Time Film Director award. According to our DGA Awards odds, she is widely expected to prevail and thereby become only the second woman to receive the honor.
This particular glass ceiling was broken by Alma Har’el, who took the 2020 prize for helming “Honey Boy.” Since the category’s establishment in 2015, 11 women and 25 men have vied for the award, making for a 1:2.3 ratio. The first female contender was inaugural nominee Marielle Heller. Aside from her and Har’el,...
This particular glass ceiling was broken by Alma Har’el, who took the 2020 prize for helming “Honey Boy.” Since the category’s establishment in 2015, 11 women and 25 men have vied for the award, making for a 1:2.3 ratio. The first female contender was inaugural nominee Marielle Heller. Aside from her and Har’el,...
- 3/10/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Time Studios, the Emmy-winning TV and film production division of Time, which has generated more than $70M in revenue since its 2020 launch, today announced the expansion of its Documentary division, also introducing a new arm for Kids & Family programming.
Alexandra Johnes and Loren Hammonds have been tapped as Heads of Documentary, with Maria Perez-Brown coming aboard as Head of Kids & Family. Additional new hires and promotions include Rebecca Teitel as VP of Documentary, Rebecca Gitlitz as Director and Showrunner and Jeff Smith as Executive Producer and Showrunner. The Scripted division of Time Studios will be run by Kaveh Veyssi, VP of Film & TV, Time Studios, as part of a strategic alliance with Sugar23, as previously announced.
The new Kids & Family division will build on Time’s success in the space with the Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Kid of the Year television special, recognizing the contributions of extraordinary young leaders in a range of fields,...
Alexandra Johnes and Loren Hammonds have been tapped as Heads of Documentary, with Maria Perez-Brown coming aboard as Head of Kids & Family. Additional new hires and promotions include Rebecca Teitel as VP of Documentary, Rebecca Gitlitz as Director and Showrunner and Jeff Smith as Executive Producer and Showrunner. The Scripted division of Time Studios will be run by Kaveh Veyssi, VP of Film & TV, Time Studios, as part of a strategic alliance with Sugar23, as previously announced.
The new Kids & Family division will build on Time’s success in the space with the Daytime Emmy Award-nominated Kid of the Year television special, recognizing the contributions of extraordinary young leaders in a range of fields,...
- 11/18/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Nancy Salzman, the co-founder and former president of Nxivm, has been sentenced to 42 months in prison. Salzman, 66, who was close with cult leader Keith Raniere, pleaded guilty to racketeering charges in March 2019, and received her sentence in a Brooklyn courtroom on Wednesday.
In a sentencing memo, prosecutors has asked that Salzman be sentenced in the upper range of the recommended 33 to 41 months, and they got their wish: “The conduct underlying the defendant’s conviction warrants a substantial sentence,” wrote assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar in a pre-sentencing court filing.
Salzman was featured, though not interviewed, in the phenomenon that was the HBO docuseries “The Vow” last year. The second season of the show — directed and executive produced by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer — is currently in production.
Sarah Edmondson — the Nxivm whistleblower who was one of the stars of “The Vow,” if such a charaterization can be made about...
In a sentencing memo, prosecutors has asked that Salzman be sentenced in the upper range of the recommended 33 to 41 months, and they got their wish: “The conduct underlying the defendant’s conviction warrants a substantial sentence,” wrote assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Hajjar in a pre-sentencing court filing.
Salzman was featured, though not interviewed, in the phenomenon that was the HBO docuseries “The Vow” last year. The second season of the show — directed and executive produced by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer — is currently in production.
Sarah Edmondson — the Nxivm whistleblower who was one of the stars of “The Vow,” if such a charaterization can be made about...
- 9/8/2021
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
Lauren Salzman, 45, a former Nxivm collaborator of cult leader Keith Raniere, was sentenced on Wednesday to time served and five years of probation. Salzman, the daughter of Nxivm co-founder Nancy Salzman, had pleaded guilty in April 2019 to racketeering and conspiracy charges.
Salzman was featured in the HBO docuseries “The Vow” last year, which became a sensation. A second season of the show — directed and executive produced by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer — is currently in production.
Salzman is the fourth Nxivm member to be sentenced. In September, Clare Bronfman, was sentenced to 81 months; in October, Raniere himself was sentenced to 120 years in prison; and last month, former “Smallville” actor and top Nxivm recruiter Allison Mack was sentenced to three years. Nancy Salzman has also pleaded guilty, and according to the Albany Times-Union, her sentencing is set for next week.
At Raniere’s trial in spring 2019, Salzman testified against him for four days.
Salzman was featured in the HBO docuseries “The Vow” last year, which became a sensation. A second season of the show — directed and executive produced by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer — is currently in production.
Salzman is the fourth Nxivm member to be sentenced. In September, Clare Bronfman, was sentenced to 81 months; in October, Raniere himself was sentenced to 120 years in prison; and last month, former “Smallville” actor and top Nxivm recruiter Allison Mack was sentenced to three years. Nancy Salzman has also pleaded guilty, and according to the Albany Times-Union, her sentencing is set for next week.
At Raniere’s trial in spring 2019, Salzman testified against him for four days.
- 7/29/2021
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
Dina Amer’s debut feature takes in the relationship between two sisters.
Germany’s The Match Factory has boarded international sales on Dina Amer’s You Resemble Me, which was announced today in the selection for Venice sidebar Giornate degli Autori.
CAA is handling North American sales on the film, which is produced by US companies The Othrs and Vice Studios/Ryot Films, in association with Quiet and Level Forward. France’s Dartagnan and Egypt’s Hameda’s Stories are co-producers.
In the film, when a bond is broken between two sisters, one of them transforms into someone new in...
Germany’s The Match Factory has boarded international sales on Dina Amer’s You Resemble Me, which was announced today in the selection for Venice sidebar Giornate degli Autori.
CAA is handling North American sales on the film, which is produced by US companies The Othrs and Vice Studios/Ryot Films, in association with Quiet and Level Forward. France’s Dartagnan and Egypt’s Hameda’s Stories are co-producers.
In the film, when a bond is broken between two sisters, one of them transforms into someone new in...
- 7/28/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Newly-minted Oscar-nominee and Emmy-winner Riz Ahmed has become just as well known for his activism as for his performances in projects like “Sound of Metal” or “The Night Of.”
Now the actor, musician and producer is taking his fight one step further, by launching a multi-layered initiative for Muslim representation in media, in partnership with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the Ford Foundation and Pillars Fund. Powered by USC Annenberg’s new study on Muslim representation in media — which found that less than 10% of top grossing films from 2017-2019 had a Muslim character on screen, with less than 2% of those characters having speaking roles — the coalition has created the Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion, as well as the Pillars Artists Fellowship, offering selected grantees an unrestricted award of $25,000.
The grantees will also receive mentorship from the fellowship’s advisory board, made up of Muslim artists, including Ahmed, Mahershala Ali, Ramy Youssef,...
Now the actor, musician and producer is taking his fight one step further, by launching a multi-layered initiative for Muslim representation in media, in partnership with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, the Ford Foundation and Pillars Fund. Powered by USC Annenberg’s new study on Muslim representation in media — which found that less than 10% of top grossing films from 2017-2019 had a Muslim character on screen, with less than 2% of those characters having speaking roles — the coalition has created the Blueprint for Muslim Inclusion, as well as the Pillars Artists Fellowship, offering selected grantees an unrestricted award of $25,000.
The grantees will also receive mentorship from the fellowship’s advisory board, made up of Muslim artists, including Ahmed, Mahershala Ali, Ramy Youssef,...
- 6/10/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
In 1965, the world’s idea of a problematic nun was Maria von Trapp: a black sheep in a white wimple who was booted from her convent for taking the odd hillside hike, enjoying a bit of a sing-along and ultimately getting jiggy with a handsome navy captain. By 1968, life had got a bit more complicated for misfit sisters, while a conflicted Catholic church struggled to contend with a decade of seismic social unrest. As civil rights and gender politics evolved, many brides of Christ found themselves torn between the advances of the outside world and the rigid patriarchy of the their church. Tracing the story of one particularly independent-minded group of Los Angeles nuns, the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pedro Kos’ accessible, moist-eyed doc “Rebel Hearts” neatly threads a global feminist awakening through the very specific experience of a few defiant, no-longer-cloistered women.
Premiering in Sundance’s U.
Premiering in Sundance’s U.
- 1/31/2021
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
True-crime TV has found its new obsession: The twisted saga of the Nvixm cult, with famous followers like Smallville alum Allison Mack and salacious accusations of sex slavery, has inspired not one but two long-form TV documentaries, along with a number of one-off investigative specials. HBO’s The Vow, which premiered in August, was billed as the definitive look at the cult’s inner workings, told by the members themselves. But is it even good? And does another TV documentary actually do a better job at bringing Nxivm’s shocking deeds to light? Let’s take a closer look, shall we?...
- 11/11/2020
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Keith Raniere, the leader of the alleged sex cult Nxivm, has given an interview which aired on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt tonight and will also be featured on the network’s Dateline.
In the interview, Raniere denies his convictions for sex trafficking, racketeering and possession of child pornography. Raniere said he was the victim of unethical prosecution in the interview. He asked for a new trial, but was denied Friday by a judge. He will be sentenced on Tuesday and could face life in prison.
The activities of Nvxim was captured by the documentary series The Vow, which is coming back in 2021 for a second season on HBO. Directors and exec producers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, to continue to the story of the Nxivm cult and its top leadership.
Raniere admitted to NBC interviewer Frank Parlato and Dateline NBC that he was the leader of Nxivm, which...
In the interview, Raniere denies his convictions for sex trafficking, racketeering and possession of child pornography. Raniere said he was the victim of unethical prosecution in the interview. He asked for a new trial, but was denied Friday by a judge. He will be sentenced on Tuesday and could face life in prison.
The activities of Nvxim was captured by the documentary series The Vow, which is coming back in 2021 for a second season on HBO. Directors and exec producers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, to continue to the story of the Nxivm cult and its top leadership.
Raniere admitted to NBC interviewer Frank Parlato and Dateline NBC that he was the leader of Nxivm, which...
- 10/24/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO has released the first teaser for “The Vow: Part 2,” which sees Keith Raniere, leader of the Nxivm cult, head to court.
On Friday, HBO announced that the hit docuseries would be returning for a second installment with filmmakers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer after the success of the premiere season. The news also comes before Raniere’s sentencing on Oct. 27, where he faces a minimum of 15 years and a possible life sentence for charges of sex trafficking of children, conspiracy and conspiracy to commit forced labor.
The new episodes will follow Raniere into the courtroom after he was convicted on June 19, 2019, and share more stories from top members of the Nxivm cult and Dos, its secret master-slave group where women were allegedly subjected to sexual slavery. The teaser features voices of members who still support Raniere, hinting at several new interviews in the second season.
The first season ended on a cliffhanger,...
On Friday, HBO announced that the hit docuseries would be returning for a second installment with filmmakers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer after the success of the premiere season. The news also comes before Raniere’s sentencing on Oct. 27, where he faces a minimum of 15 years and a possible life sentence for charges of sex trafficking of children, conspiracy and conspiracy to commit forced labor.
The new episodes will follow Raniere into the courtroom after he was convicted on June 19, 2019, and share more stories from top members of the Nxivm cult and Dos, its secret master-slave group where women were allegedly subjected to sexual slavery. The teaser features voices of members who still support Raniere, hinting at several new interviews in the second season.
The first season ended on a cliffhanger,...
- 10/20/2020
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
“The Vow” finale hinted at several big interviews gearing up for the second installment on HBO. Any additional details on what we can expect for season two will have to wait until 2021 (when next set of episodes is scheduled to drop). Until then, here’s an update on all the major players in the docuseries that exposes the practices of the self improvement organization and cult known as Nxivm. What’s next for Nxivm founder Keith Raniere, Nancy Salzman and whistleblowers Mark Vicente, Bonnie Piesse and Sarah Edmondson?
Do not read if you haven’t watched the season one finale of “The Vow” — spoilers ahead.
What do we know about the future? In September, filmmakers Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim revealed their plans to interview all parties involved in Nxivm to Variety “We reached out to everybody involved — many people, on all sides of the story — and we are continuing to film.
Do not read if you haven’t watched the season one finale of “The Vow” — spoilers ahead.
What do we know about the future? In September, filmmakers Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim revealed their plans to interview all parties involved in Nxivm to Variety “We reached out to everybody involved — many people, on all sides of the story — and we are continuing to film.
- 10/19/2020
- by Meredith Woerner and Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
HBO’s buzzy Nxivm sex cult docuseries “The Vow” has been criticized for dragging at times over the course of its nine-episode run. But the closing moments of Sunday’s season finale left no doubt about where the storyline is headed in season two, which HBO formally ordered last week.
Warning, spoilers for the finale episode of “The Vow” ahead.
Here comes the counterspin from now-convicted felons Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman, co-founders of the self-help programs at the heart of the whole of shocking story that led to federal human trafficking, sex abuse and racketeering charges. “The Fall,” episode 9 of “The Vow,” ends with hints that the pair will go on camera, or at least on the record, with “Vow” directors/executive producers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer.
The closing sequence features what appears to be a glimpse of Salzman under house arrest, complete with a shot of her...
Warning, spoilers for the finale episode of “The Vow” ahead.
Here comes the counterspin from now-convicted felons Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman, co-founders of the self-help programs at the heart of the whole of shocking story that led to federal human trafficking, sex abuse and racketeering charges. “The Fall,” episode 9 of “The Vow,” ends with hints that the pair will go on camera, or at least on the record, with “Vow” directors/executive producers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer.
The closing sequence features what appears to be a glimpse of Salzman under house arrest, complete with a shot of her...
- 10/19/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
HBO isn't just home to our favorite fictional shows like Insecure and Euphoria; it's also known for its powerful documentaries. In 2020 alone, the network released a bevy of insightful projects - including Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, McMillions, and I'll Be Gone in the Dark - and its latest documentary, The Vow, has sure left us with plenty of questions.
The Vow pulls back the curtain on Nxivm (a sex cult and a pyramid scheme that operated under the guise of a self-help group) and its founder Keith Raniere. The secret organization attracted followers such as celebrities and other public figures with promises of connection, compassion, and love. However, in March 2018, Raniere was arrested on several charges including racketeering, sex trafficking, and forced labor conspiracy. A year later, he was convicted on all seven of the charges brought, and he faces a potential life sentence.
Related: The Vow: Nxivm...
The Vow pulls back the curtain on Nxivm (a sex cult and a pyramid scheme that operated under the guise of a self-help group) and its founder Keith Raniere. The secret organization attracted followers such as celebrities and other public figures with promises of connection, compassion, and love. However, in March 2018, Raniere was arrested on several charges including racketeering, sex trafficking, and forced labor conspiracy. A year later, he was convicted on all seven of the charges brought, and he faces a potential life sentence.
Related: The Vow: Nxivm...
- 10/16/2020
- by Monica Sisavat
- Popsugar.com
Sex cult documentary series The Vow is coming back for a second season on HBO.
The premium cable network has renewed the series, from directors and exec producers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, to continue to the story of the Nxivm cult. Season 2 will air in 2021.
It will be set against the backdrop of the federal trial of the United States against Keith Raniere and will offer a further view into Raniere’s innermost circle. It delves into the stories of Nxivm’s top leadership in the US and Mexico, and into powerful, intimate stories of Dos members. Season 2 follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys battle for opposing views of justice in a case caught in the national spotlight.
The series, which premiered in August, followed the members of “self-improvement” group Nxivm,...
The premium cable network has renewed the series, from directors and exec producers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer, to continue to the story of the Nxivm cult. Season 2 will air in 2021.
It will be set against the backdrop of the federal trial of the United States against Keith Raniere and will offer a further view into Raniere’s innermost circle. It delves into the stories of Nxivm’s top leadership in the US and Mexico, and into powerful, intimate stories of Dos members. Season 2 follows the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys battle for opposing views of justice in a case caught in the national spotlight.
The series, which premiered in August, followed the members of “self-improvement” group Nxivm,...
- 10/16/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO has picked up additional episodes of the Nxivm docuseries “The Vow,” the premium cable network announced Friday.
Filmmakers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will return to direct and executive produce the second installment, which will examine the federal trial of Nxivm leader Keith Raniere and delve into the cult leader’s “innermost circle.” The new episodes will air in 2021.
Per HBO, the new episodes follow “the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys battle for opposing views of justice in a case caught in the national spotlight.”
The first season of “The Vow” premiered back in August, following former members of the purported self-help group Nxivm as they worked to bring down the organization from the outside, cooperating with a bombshell New York Times investigation into the alleged sex cult and subsequent FBI investigation.
Filmmakers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will return to direct and executive produce the second installment, which will examine the federal trial of Nxivm leader Keith Raniere and delve into the cult leader’s “innermost circle.” The new episodes will air in 2021.
Per HBO, the new episodes follow “the legal and emotional journeys of the group’s founders, supporters and defectors as new evidence and stunning revelations come to light while federal prosecutors and defense attorneys battle for opposing views of justice in a case caught in the national spotlight.”
The first season of “The Vow” premiered back in August, following former members of the purported self-help group Nxivm as they worked to bring down the organization from the outside, cooperating with a bombshell New York Times investigation into the alleged sex cult and subsequent FBI investigation.
- 10/16/2020
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
With an organization as twisted as Nxivm, there are always more stories to tell.
Filmmakers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will deliver a second installment of their docuseries “The Vow,” coming to HBO in 2021, the premium cabler announced Friday.
Back in September, Noujaim teased this possibility with Variety, saying, “We reached out to everybody involved — many people, on all sides of the story — and we are continuing to film.”
The new installment, being called “The Vow Part Two, will be set against the backdrop of Nxivm head Keith Raniere’s federal trial. Raniere started Nxivm as a multi-level marketing company, selling courses on self-improvement and self-empowerment. As the years went on, subgroups within the larger organization began to pop up, including Jness, a women’s only group, and Dos, a master-slave subgroup that came with sexual abuse and physical branding of its female members or “slaves.”
Raniere was convicted of...
Filmmakers Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will deliver a second installment of their docuseries “The Vow,” coming to HBO in 2021, the premium cabler announced Friday.
Back in September, Noujaim teased this possibility with Variety, saying, “We reached out to everybody involved — many people, on all sides of the story — and we are continuing to film.”
The new installment, being called “The Vow Part Two, will be set against the backdrop of Nxivm head Keith Raniere’s federal trial. Raniere started Nxivm as a multi-level marketing company, selling courses on self-improvement and self-empowerment. As the years went on, subgroups within the larger organization began to pop up, including Jness, a women’s only group, and Dos, a master-slave subgroup that came with sexual abuse and physical branding of its female members or “slaves.”
Raniere was convicted of...
- 10/16/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
The Vow is getting a second season.
HBO has renewed the docuseries, which explores the Nxivm cult, ahead of its season one finale on Oct. 18. Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will continue to direct and produce the new episodes, which will debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2021.
Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of The United States against Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere, The Vow: Part Two will offer an exclusive view into Raniere’s innermost circle. It will delve into the stories of Nxivm’s top leadership in the U.S. and Mexico and into powerful, intimate stories ...
HBO has renewed the docuseries, which explores the Nxivm cult, ahead of its season one finale on Oct. 18. Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will continue to direct and produce the new episodes, which will debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2021.
Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of The United States against Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere, The Vow: Part Two will offer an exclusive view into Raniere’s innermost circle. It will delve into the stories of Nxivm’s top leadership in the U.S. and Mexico and into powerful, intimate stories ...
- 10/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The Vow is getting a second season.
HBO has renewed the docu-series, which explores the Nxivm cult, ahead of its season one finale on October 18. Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will continue to direct and producer the new episodes, which will debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2021.
Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of The United States against Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere, The Vow: Part Two will offer an exclusive view into Raniere’s innermost circle. It’ll delve into the stories of Nxivm’s top leadership in the US and Mexico, and into powerful, intimate stories of ...
HBO has renewed the docu-series, which explores the Nxivm cult, ahead of its season one finale on October 18. Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer will continue to direct and producer the new episodes, which will debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2021.
Set against the backdrop of the federal trial of The United States against Nxivm co-founder Keith Raniere, The Vow: Part Two will offer an exclusive view into Raniere’s innermost circle. It’ll delve into the stories of Nxivm’s top leadership in the US and Mexico, and into powerful, intimate stories of ...
- 10/16/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Actor, author and producer Catherine Oxenberg would stop at nothing to save her daughter India from the clutches of Keith Raniere, Allison Mack and their dangerous so-called self-empowerment group Nxivm, a subgroup of which subjected the younger Oxenberg to sexual assault and branding.
Her tireless work included deep-dives on the history of predatory behavior in cults, in addition to equally extensive research into Raniere and Nxivm themselves. She told her story to Frank Parlato of the “Frank Report” blog, as well as to Barry Meier of the New York Times, who ultimately broke the story about the branding practice. She wrote a book (“Captive: A Mother’s Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult”), and she allowed documentary filmmakers Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim to follow her in real-time as she did these things – all with the goal of bringing India home.
“If [India] had listened to me in...
Her tireless work included deep-dives on the history of predatory behavior in cults, in addition to equally extensive research into Raniere and Nxivm themselves. She told her story to Frank Parlato of the “Frank Report” blog, as well as to Barry Meier of the New York Times, who ultimately broke the story about the branding practice. She wrote a book (“Captive: A Mother’s Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult”), and she allowed documentary filmmakers Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim to follow her in real-time as she did these things – all with the goal of bringing India home.
“If [India] had listened to me in...
- 10/11/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Clare Bronfman — benefactor of Nxivm founder Keith Raniere and Seagram liquor heir — became the first defendant sentenced in connection with the marketing company’s human-trafficking and sexual abuse case.
Charged with identity theft and immigration fraud, she was sentenced to 81 months — six years and nine months — in prison for conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens for financial gain and fraudulent use of personal identification information. The judge also imposed a $500,000 fine and a restitution of $96,605 paid to victim “Jane Doe 12.”
According the the U.S. Attorney Eastern District of New York, nine people gave victim impact statements about Bronfman’s involvement in the cult headed by Raniere and how it harmed them.
The long-awaited hearing on Wednesday was the first opportunity for survivors and former Nxivm members to speak to the judge. It was also the first major sentencing inside Brooklyn’s federal courthouse since the coronavirus-forced lockdown.
In August,...
Charged with identity theft and immigration fraud, she was sentenced to 81 months — six years and nine months — in prison for conspiracy to conceal and harbor aliens for financial gain and fraudulent use of personal identification information. The judge also imposed a $500,000 fine and a restitution of $96,605 paid to victim “Jane Doe 12.”
According the the U.S. Attorney Eastern District of New York, nine people gave victim impact statements about Bronfman’s involvement in the cult headed by Raniere and how it harmed them.
The long-awaited hearing on Wednesday was the first opportunity for survivors and former Nxivm members to speak to the judge. It was also the first major sentencing inside Brooklyn’s federal courthouse since the coronavirus-forced lockdown.
In August,...
- 9/30/2020
- by Janet W. Lee
- Variety Film + TV
Tracing exactly when HBO's The Vow was filmed can be a little confusing. The narrative isn't exactly linear, bobbing between clips of participants taking Esp courses and Mark Vicente and Bonnie Piesse voicing their suspicions about Nxivm. The latter segments can tell us a great deal about the project's timeline, however. The truth is, production for The Vow officially began in 2017 as a means of self-protection for Vicente and other Nxivm defectors, who did not initially set out to create a docuseries.
HBO bills The Vow as a "documentary series following a number of people deeply involved in the self-improvement group Nxivm over the course of several years." The show is directed by the Oscar-nominated couple Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer. Noujaim has a link with Nxivm - she met Nxivm official Sara Bronfman in 2008 while attending a conference on Richard Branson's Necker Island. With encouragement from Bronfman and Vicente,...
HBO bills The Vow as a "documentary series following a number of people deeply involved in the self-improvement group Nxivm over the course of several years." The show is directed by the Oscar-nominated couple Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer. Noujaim has a link with Nxivm - she met Nxivm official Sara Bronfman in 2008 while attending a conference on Richard Branson's Necker Island. With encouragement from Bronfman and Vicente,...
- 9/14/2020
- by Stacey Nguyen
- Popsugar.com
Karim Amer and Jehane Noujaim, directors of “The Vow,” HBO’s limited series about Nxivm, never want to hear the organization referred to as only “a sex cult” again.
Although Nxivm made major news headlines three years ago, first with a New York Times story about Dos, a group-within-the-group that was collecting embarrassing material on its members (called “collateral”), as well as branding them and in some cases allegedly manipulating them into sexual situations, the group itself was founded in 1998 as a self-proclaimed “multi-level marketing company.” Co-founder Keith Raniere led thousands of workshops and classes on self-improvement and self-actualization, and the company opened centers around the world. To label it just a sex cult now, Amer tells Variety, is “deeply problematic.”
That is why he and his wife and documentary filmmaking partner Noujaim are “trying to tell a story with dignity.” He explains, “People put a lot of faith in the documentary.
Although Nxivm made major news headlines three years ago, first with a New York Times story about Dos, a group-within-the-group that was collecting embarrassing material on its members (called “collateral”), as well as branding them and in some cases allegedly manipulating them into sexual situations, the group itself was founded in 1998 as a self-proclaimed “multi-level marketing company.” Co-founder Keith Raniere led thousands of workshops and classes on self-improvement and self-actualization, and the company opened centers around the world. To label it just a sex cult now, Amer tells Variety, is “deeply problematic.”
That is why he and his wife and documentary filmmaking partner Noujaim are “trying to tell a story with dignity.” He explains, “People put a lot of faith in the documentary.
- 9/11/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
Throughout Emmy season, IndieWire will be evaluating the top contenders for TV’s most prestigious prize, and it all starts here. At the bottom of this page are IndieWire TV Critic and Deputy Editor Ben Travers’ predictions for Best Documentary or Nonfiction Special. This article will be updated throughout the coming months, along with all our predictions, to reflect an up-to-the-minute state of the race. Make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest coverage on the 2020 Emmys, including breaking news, analysis, interviews, podcasts, FYC event coverage, reviews of all the awards contenders, and more. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be given out the week of September 14. The 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will take place virtually on Sunday, September 20. (See our awards calendar for a more detailed breakdown of important dates.) ABC is broadcasting the ceremony.
Last Year’s Winner: “Leaving Neverland”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: In the last 10 years,...
Last Year’s Winner: “Leaving Neverland”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: In the last 10 years,...
- 9/11/2020
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
In the sixth episode of Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer’s docuseries “The Vow,” Sarah Edmondson, a whistleblower who was once in the inner-circle of Nxivm and also a part of its master-slave subgroup Dos, is asked outright if she is a victim. Although she answers quickly in the affirmative, she also makes it clear that she made choices during her time working with the organization. Some of these choices simply kept her involved, while others were direct recruitment of other young women. To some, this may paint her in the colors of someone more culpable than coerced.
But the truth is much more complicated. And what Noujaim and Amer endeavor to do with their nine-part HBO docuseries is peel back the layers of the psychology of not only the women who found themselves in this organization that purported to be one of self-improvement, but also of its founder and high-ranking officials,...
But the truth is much more complicated. And what Noujaim and Amer endeavor to do with their nine-part HBO docuseries is peel back the layers of the psychology of not only the women who found themselves in this organization that purported to be one of self-improvement, but also of its founder and high-ranking officials,...
- 8/27/2020
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
If you’re an “inside Hollywood” person, one who scours the blind item gossip community, then you probably heard about Nxivm before most people did. It wasn’t until the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the #MeToo movement that most people learned the name of Keith Rainere, the guru/sex trafficker and his band of followers, many of whom were prominent actresses during the early aughts. But Nxivm remains a shadowy organization and it’s unclear how HBO’s nine-part documentary series “The Vow” will elucidate things for everyone.
It’s easy to understand why Nxivm has sailed under the radar in the world of cult fascination. It’s not as well-connected as Scientology nor is it as outlandish in its philosophies (or as deadly) compared to Heaven’s Gate. Nxivm is like if Goop and Scientology had a baby. As “The Vow” lays out, it started out as more of a lifestyle and wellness organization,...
It’s easy to understand why Nxivm has sailed under the radar in the world of cult fascination. It’s not as well-connected as Scientology nor is it as outlandish in its philosophies (or as deadly) compared to Heaven’s Gate. Nxivm is like if Goop and Scientology had a baby. As “The Vow” lays out, it started out as more of a lifestyle and wellness organization,...
- 8/21/2020
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
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