Rachel Maddow’s next project will take her to Russia — in a sense.
The journalist’s Surprise Inside production company will team up with Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries to work on the Rakontur documentary project “From Russia With Lev.” All three production entities are clients of WME.
The feature boasts exclusive interviews with Lev Parnas, the Ukranian-born operative whose association with former President Donald Trump and one of his attorneys, Rudolph Giuliani, took him on a strange journey that ended in a stealth campaign to produce dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden and a role in Trump’s first impeachment.
Maddow and McKay will serve as executive producers on the political farce, which is directed by Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman, The duo have more than 30 hours of interview footage with Parnas and exclusive access to his personal archive that includes hundreds of gigabytes of photos, videos, documents,...
The journalist’s Surprise Inside production company will team up with Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries to work on the Rakontur documentary project “From Russia With Lev.” All three production entities are clients of WME.
The feature boasts exclusive interviews with Lev Parnas, the Ukranian-born operative whose association with former President Donald Trump and one of his attorneys, Rudolph Giuliani, took him on a strange journey that ended in a stealth campaign to produce dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden and a role in Trump’s first impeachment.
Maddow and McKay will serve as executive producers on the political farce, which is directed by Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman, The duo have more than 30 hours of interview footage with Parnas and exclusive access to his personal archive that includes hundreds of gigabytes of photos, videos, documents,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Clair Titley’s true story follows bizarre story of aspiring Japanese comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu.
Hulu has acquired MRC and Misfits Entertainment’s TIFF world premiere and Doc NYC opening night selection The Contestant and will debut the acclaimed documentary on its platform in 2024.
Clair Titley’s film follows aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu, nicknamed Nasubi, who found fame in 1998 when he starred in extreme reality competition series Denpa Shonen: A Life In Prizes.
The show’s premise left Nasubi naked in a room for more than a year and tasked him with filling out magazine sweepstakes to earn food. He had...
Hulu has acquired MRC and Misfits Entertainment’s TIFF world premiere and Doc NYC opening night selection The Contestant and will debut the acclaimed documentary on its platform in 2024.
Clair Titley’s film follows aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu, nicknamed Nasubi, who found fame in 1998 when he starred in extreme reality competition series Denpa Shonen: A Life In Prizes.
The show’s premise left Nasubi naked in a room for more than a year and tasked him with filling out magazine sweepstakes to earn food. He had...
- 11/28/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Hulu has acquired rights to “The Contestant,” a documentary about an aspiring comedian who unknowingly becomes the most famous TV star in Japan.
Clair Titley directed the movie, which premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews. “The Contestant” will launch on Hulu in 2024.
The documentary tells the stranger-than-fiction story of Tomoaki Hamatsu, nicknamed Nasubi, who auditioned for a TV show in 1998. The premise of “Denpa Shonen: A Life in Prizes,” the series that eventually made him a household name in Japan, left Nasubi naked in an empty room for more than a year and tasked him with filling out magazine sweepstakes to earn food, clothes and other necessities. But he had no idea he was becoming wildly famous in Japan as the series was broadcast to more than 15 million people.
“The Contestant” explores one of the first extreme reality shows that pushed boundaries and paved way for others like it.
Clair Titley directed the movie, which premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews. “The Contestant” will launch on Hulu in 2024.
The documentary tells the stranger-than-fiction story of Tomoaki Hamatsu, nicknamed Nasubi, who auditioned for a TV show in 1998. The premise of “Denpa Shonen: A Life in Prizes,” the series that eventually made him a household name in Japan, left Nasubi naked in an empty room for more than a year and tasked him with filling out magazine sweepstakes to earn food, clothes and other necessities. But he had no idea he was becoming wildly famous in Japan as the series was broadcast to more than 15 million people.
“The Contestant” explores one of the first extreme reality shows that pushed boundaries and paved way for others like it.
- 11/28/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Lamb of God’s inaugural Headbangers Boat cruise festival looks to have been a blast so far.
The cruise left port aboard the Norwegian Pearl on Halloween (October 31st) from Miami. We’ve already reported on Randy Blythe (dressed as Elvis) officiating a Halloween wedding aboard the ship, and elsewhere, footage from the boat has been nothing but good vibes.
For instance, a circle pit broke out in the hot tub during Hatebreed’s set. As captured by Heavy Consequence photographer Kevin Wilson, the hot tubbers set down their margaritas and shimmied to a particularly hooky breakdown.
To be honest, this is probably the chillest mosh in Hatebreed history — Jamey Jasta and company’s brand of beatdown hardcore is specifically geared to incite violent mosh pits. Nonetheless, the boat’s crew still put a stop to the hot tub circle pit after a song or two. Safety first!
In addition to Hatebreed,...
The cruise left port aboard the Norwegian Pearl on Halloween (October 31st) from Miami. We’ve already reported on Randy Blythe (dressed as Elvis) officiating a Halloween wedding aboard the ship, and elsewhere, footage from the boat has been nothing but good vibes.
For instance, a circle pit broke out in the hot tub during Hatebreed’s set. As captured by Heavy Consequence photographer Kevin Wilson, the hot tubbers set down their margaritas and shimmied to a particularly hooky breakdown.
To be honest, this is probably the chillest mosh in Hatebreed history — Jamey Jasta and company’s brand of beatdown hardcore is specifically geared to incite violent mosh pits. Nonetheless, the boat’s crew still put a stop to the hot tub circle pit after a song or two. Safety first!
In addition to Hatebreed,...
- 11/2/2023
- by Jon Hadusek
- Consequence - Music
Hulu has given a greenlight to “It’s All Country,” a docuseries hosted by country superstar Luke Bryan, who executive produces alongside Peyton Manning.
Pet the logline, the six-episode series “explores the hottest people, topics and moments in country music by examining the iconic songs and artists that changed the face of country music forever. Marking 100 years since the first country music record was made, the series highlights the cultural impact and memorable performers and performances that make country music an American and growing global sensation.”
“It’s All Country” is produced by Manning’s Omaha Productions banner as well as NFL Films and Walt Disney Television Alternative. The project reunites Bryan and Manning, who first paired to host the Country Music Association Awards in 2022 and are set to do so again later this year.
Bryan, whose studio albums include “I’ll Stay Me,” “Crash My Party” and “Born Here Live Here Die Here,...
Pet the logline, the six-episode series “explores the hottest people, topics and moments in country music by examining the iconic songs and artists that changed the face of country music forever. Marking 100 years since the first country music record was made, the series highlights the cultural impact and memorable performers and performances that make country music an American and growing global sensation.”
“It’s All Country” is produced by Manning’s Omaha Productions banner as well as NFL Films and Walt Disney Television Alternative. The project reunites Bryan and Manning, who first paired to host the Country Music Association Awards in 2022 and are set to do so again later this year.
Bryan, whose studio albums include “I’ll Stay Me,” “Crash My Party” and “Born Here Live Here Die Here,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning are teaming up for a new country music-focused docuseries in the works at Hulu.
“It’s all Country,” which will be hosted by Bryan, will spotlight impactful artists and memorable performances that have push the genre to new heights since its genesis. Bryan and Manning will executive produce the six-part docuseries, with a premiere date for the series forthcoming.
The official logline is as follows: “A premium, pop-culture-forward docuseries, ‘It’s All Country’ explores the hottest people, topics and moments in country music by examining the iconic songs and artists that changed the face of country music forever. Marking 100 years since the first country music record was made, the series highlights the cultural impact and memorable performers and performances that make country music an American and growing global sensation.”
“It’s all Country” is produced by Omaha Productions, NFL Films and Walt Disney Television Alternative.
“It’s all Country,” which will be hosted by Bryan, will spotlight impactful artists and memorable performances that have push the genre to new heights since its genesis. Bryan and Manning will executive produce the six-part docuseries, with a premiere date for the series forthcoming.
The official logline is as follows: “A premium, pop-culture-forward docuseries, ‘It’s All Country’ explores the hottest people, topics and moments in country music by examining the iconic songs and artists that changed the face of country music forever. Marking 100 years since the first country music record was made, the series highlights the cultural impact and memorable performers and performances that make country music an American and growing global sensation.”
“It’s all Country” is produced by Omaha Productions, NFL Films and Walt Disney Television Alternative.
- 9/12/2023
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction (Series) “Harry & Meghan” was directed by Liz Garbus.
Weekly Commentary: A tight race ensues for acclaimed documentaries. Ken Burns’ powerful “The U.S. and the Holocaust” which premiered at Telluride 2022 before hitting television screens, is a favorite in the category.
Read: Variety’s...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction (Series) “Harry & Meghan” was directed by Liz Garbus.
Weekly Commentary: A tight race ensues for acclaimed documentaries. Ken Burns’ powerful “The U.S. and the Holocaust” which premiered at Telluride 2022 before hitting television screens, is a favorite in the category.
Read: Variety’s...
- 8/28/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Prime Video’s new docuseries Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets takes a critical look at the family that starred in TLC’s hit reality series 19 Kids and Counting. Over four episodes, the show explores the disturbing truth about what was going on behind the scenes in the Duggar home. It also looks at how the family used their TV show to promote an ultra-conservative ideology linked to controversial Christian leader Bill Gothard and his Institute in Basic Life Principles.
‘Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets’ | Amazon Studios
Were you fascinated by Shiny Happy People’s look at the dark underbelly of conservative Christianity? Then stream these seven documentaries that explore the relationship between faith, abuse, and political power.
‘The Secrets of Hillsong’
In the mid-2010s, Hillsong took the world by storm. The Australian megachurch blended pop music with worship and welcomed celebrities like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez at its services.
‘Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets’ | Amazon Studios
Were you fascinated by Shiny Happy People’s look at the dark underbelly of conservative Christianity? Then stream these seven documentaries that explore the relationship between faith, abuse, and political power.
‘The Secrets of Hillsong’
In the mid-2010s, Hillsong took the world by storm. The Australian megachurch blended pop music with worship and welcomed celebrities like Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez at its services.
- 6/3/2023
- by Megan Elliott
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Hulu’s “God Forbid” and Netflix’s “Cocaine Cowboys” producers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman have set their sights on their next subject: one of the members of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani’s former inner circle, Florida businessman Lev Parnas.
Corben and Spellman’s Miami-based production company Rakontur is currently in production on “From Russia With Lev,” following Parnas (interviewed for the first time in this project) who, per Rakontur, “shares his story about how he and Rudy Guiliani worked behind the scenes to damage the Biden presidential campaign, conspired with Russian officials to sabotage efforts in the Ukraine and many more alleged crimes.”
A frequent collaborator of Adam McKay’s Hyper Object, Rakontur does not yet have a platform attached to the Parnas doc, but is taking it out to market soon.
“Our genre is Florida fuckery, so we have a rolling Google Docs spreadsheet of extraordinary Miami characters,...
Corben and Spellman’s Miami-based production company Rakontur is currently in production on “From Russia With Lev,” following Parnas (interviewed for the first time in this project) who, per Rakontur, “shares his story about how he and Rudy Guiliani worked behind the scenes to damage the Biden presidential campaign, conspired with Russian officials to sabotage efforts in the Ukraine and many more alleged crimes.”
A frequent collaborator of Adam McKay’s Hyper Object, Rakontur does not yet have a platform attached to the Parnas doc, but is taking it out to market soon.
“Our genre is Florida fuckery, so we have a rolling Google Docs spreadsheet of extraordinary Miami characters,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Liberty University has asked the court to dismiss Jerry Falwell Jr.‘s lawsuit.
The former university president filed a federal lawsuit over retirement money that was not given to him after his departure from his position in 2020. Falwell Jr. says the school owes him $8.5 million.
Falwell Jr.’s lawsuit also states the ways he helped the school, which was founded by his father, Rev. Jerry L. Falwell Sr., increase its profits.
50 Best Celebrity Bikinis Slideshow!
Falwell Jr. left the university in August 2020 after Giancarlo Granda, a pool attendant who became the Falwell family’s business partner, said he had a prolonged sexual relationship with Falwell Jr.’s wife, Becki Falwell, while Falwell Jr. looked on. After the story broke, Falwell resigned as president.
Liberty University sued Falwell Jr. in 2021, alleging that he negotiated his contract without revealing the sex scandal that ended up ruining the evangelical Christian college’s reputation.
The former university president filed a federal lawsuit over retirement money that was not given to him after his departure from his position in 2020. Falwell Jr. says the school owes him $8.5 million.
Falwell Jr.’s lawsuit also states the ways he helped the school, which was founded by his father, Rev. Jerry L. Falwell Sr., increase its profits.
50 Best Celebrity Bikinis Slideshow!
Falwell Jr. left the university in August 2020 after Giancarlo Granda, a pool attendant who became the Falwell family’s business partner, said he had a prolonged sexual relationship with Falwell Jr.’s wife, Becki Falwell, while Falwell Jr. looked on. After the story broke, Falwell resigned as president.
Liberty University sued Falwell Jr. in 2021, alleging that he negotiated his contract without revealing the sex scandal that ended up ruining the evangelical Christian college’s reputation.
- 5/1/2023
- by Alex Nguyen
- Uinterview
Diane von Furstenberg, the influential fashion designer who popularized the women’s wrap dress, will be the subject of a new documentary at Hulu.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the Oscar-winning filmmaker of the shorts “Saving Face” and “A Girl in the River,” is directing the film with Trish Dalton. A release date and title for the feature-length documentary will be announced at a later date.
Through archival footage and intimate interviews, the film takes a deep dive into the life and career of von Furstenberg, who forged a path for herself in a male-dominated industry and built a multi-million-dollar fashion empire. She was born in Belgium to Holocaust survivors and began designing women’s clothing around 1970, about a year after marrying Prince Egon von Fürstenberg. They divorced in 1983 and she later moved to New York, where her company’s flagship boutique is still located. Von Furstenberg’s designs have been worn by...
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the Oscar-winning filmmaker of the shorts “Saving Face” and “A Girl in the River,” is directing the film with Trish Dalton. A release date and title for the feature-length documentary will be announced at a later date.
Through archival footage and intimate interviews, the film takes a deep dive into the life and career of von Furstenberg, who forged a path for herself in a male-dominated industry and built a multi-million-dollar fashion empire. She was born in Belgium to Holocaust survivors and began designing women’s clothing around 1970, about a year after marrying Prince Egon von Fürstenberg. They divorced in 1983 and she later moved to New York, where her company’s flagship boutique is still located. Von Furstenberg’s designs have been worn by...
- 4/20/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu is adding three new titles to its growing lineup of original docs: “Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told,” “Queenmaker: The Making of An It Girl,” and “The Jewel Thief.”
“Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told” “recounts the rise and fall of a small Atlanta Hbcu picnic that exploded into an influential street party and spotlighted Atl as a major cultural stage,” per Hulu’s description. “Can the magic of Freaknik be brought back 40 years later?
Executive producers include showrunner Geraldine L. Porras and director P Frank Williams, as well as Jermaine Dupri, Luther Campbell, Peter Bittenbender and Melissa Cooper for Mass Appeal, Eric Tomosunas for Swirl Films, Terry Ross and Alex Avant. Nikki Byles and Jay Allen are producers.
From MRC, “Queenmaker: The Making of an It Girl” reveals the story behind the now-defunct “Park Avenue Peerage” blog. “In the height of heiress-era NYC, an anonymous blogger infiltrated Manhattan’s elite,...
“Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told” “recounts the rise and fall of a small Atlanta Hbcu picnic that exploded into an influential street party and spotlighted Atl as a major cultural stage,” per Hulu’s description. “Can the magic of Freaknik be brought back 40 years later?
Executive producers include showrunner Geraldine L. Porras and director P Frank Williams, as well as Jermaine Dupri, Luther Campbell, Peter Bittenbender and Melissa Cooper for Mass Appeal, Eric Tomosunas for Swirl Films, Terry Ross and Alex Avant. Nikki Byles and Jay Allen are producers.
From MRC, “Queenmaker: The Making of an It Girl” reveals the story behind the now-defunct “Park Avenue Peerage” blog. “In the height of heiress-era NYC, an anonymous blogger infiltrated Manhattan’s elite,...
- 4/6/2023
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Gravitas Ventures has secured North American rights to Julian Rubinstein’s “The Holly,” a documentary about the high-profile shooting case of anti-gang activist Terrance Roberts. The film, which debuted at Telluride’s Mountainfilm Festival in May, is executive produced by Adam McKay and Todd Schulman’s Hyperobject Industries. Gravitas will release the docu in three theaters and on-demand on Feb. 3.
Filmed over an eight-year period in Denver’s historic Holly neighborhood, the docu centers around activist, former gang member, and current Denver mayoral candidate Terrance Roberts. When the doc starts, Roberts — whose anti-gang efforts received federal funding — is facing life in prison for shooting someone at his own peace rally. The shooting happened in the Holly neighborhood, which was once the center of Denver’s Civil Rights movement. The neighborhood eventually became the home of Denver’s first Bloods street gang and a target of undercover police operations. In the doc,...
Filmed over an eight-year period in Denver’s historic Holly neighborhood, the docu centers around activist, former gang member, and current Denver mayoral candidate Terrance Roberts. When the doc starts, Roberts — whose anti-gang efforts received federal funding — is facing life in prison for shooting someone at his own peace rally. The shooting happened in the Holly neighborhood, which was once the center of Denver’s Civil Rights movement. The neighborhood eventually became the home of Denver’s first Bloods street gang and a target of undercover police operations. In the doc,...
- 12/2/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu has set its next big true-crime doc project, a series following the notorious Sarah Lawrence College sex cult, just as its latest addition to the genre, Adam McKay’s “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty,” has achieved the title of Hulu’s most-watched documentary film to date.
The Disney-owned streamer, which does not release specific viewership figures for its content, confirmed to Variety that the new record set by “God Forbid,” and previously held by 2019’s “Fyre Fest,” counts all original and non-original docs and is based on hours streamed within the first three weeks.
Produced by Alfred Spellman’s Rakontur and McKay’s Hyperobject and directed by Billy Corben, “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty” centers on Giancarlo Granda, former pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Hotel, as he recounts the alleged events of his relationship with Becki Falwell and her husband,...
The Disney-owned streamer, which does not release specific viewership figures for its content, confirmed to Variety that the new record set by “God Forbid,” and previously held by 2019’s “Fyre Fest,” counts all original and non-original docs and is based on hours streamed within the first three weeks.
Produced by Alfred Spellman’s Rakontur and McKay’s Hyperobject and directed by Billy Corben, “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty” centers on Giancarlo Granda, former pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Hotel, as he recounts the alleged events of his relationship with Becki Falwell and her husband,...
- 11/28/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Miami’s legion of film fans get an extra treat this week via the expanded ninth edition of the Miami Film Festival Gems. The carefully curated, week-long festival (under the aegis of Miami Dade College) unspools Nov. 3-10 at Miami’s historic Tower Theater, showcasing some of the most lauded fall festival entrants along with five international Oscar submissions.
On the docket are awards contenders, from opener “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” to closing night’s “The Fabelmans,” from Steven Spielberg. Sarah Polley’s buzzed about “Women Talking” is a centerpiece presentation; Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” is the other.
Narrowing down programming choices is never easy, says interim executive director Nicolas Calzada, but the festival’s aim is clear- cut and provides “an advance taste of the best films of the year that have strong chances at awards consideration.” Formerly a weekend, Miami Gems is now a week,...
On the docket are awards contenders, from opener “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” to closing night’s “The Fabelmans,” from Steven Spielberg. Sarah Polley’s buzzed about “Women Talking” is a centerpiece presentation; Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” is the other.
Narrowing down programming choices is never easy, says interim executive director Nicolas Calzada, but the festival’s aim is clear- cut and provides “an advance taste of the best films of the year that have strong chances at awards consideration.” Formerly a weekend, Miami Gems is now a week,...
- 11/1/2022
- by Kathy A. McDonald
- Variety Film + TV
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