In Brazil, a country of overwhelming scale and opportunity, it’s fully fitting that its project pitching event at the industry heart of Rio2C is equally super-sized.
Over June 5-7, the Rio2C Market will host 30 film-tv pitches, presentations from 24 startups and 12 pocket music acts, plus both a dozen creator pitches and another dozen unveils of literary IPs looking for big or small screen adaptation.
The 30 Audiovisual Pitching Sessions also reflect powerful market forces at work in Brazil and beyond.
There are six Sessions in all. Half of their categories are new, however: True Crime, Impact Content and Sports.
“The demand for non-fiction audiovisual content “has never been higher,” said Diego Assis, Universo Online’s general manager of special features, when drilling down on the strategic partnership between Uol, the biggest Brazilian internet portal, and Lb Entertainment, behind “Sintonia,” Netflix’s biggest franchise in Brazil.
“People want to feel like they are still grounded,...
Over June 5-7, the Rio2C Market will host 30 film-tv pitches, presentations from 24 startups and 12 pocket music acts, plus both a dozen creator pitches and another dozen unveils of literary IPs looking for big or small screen adaptation.
The 30 Audiovisual Pitching Sessions also reflect powerful market forces at work in Brazil and beyond.
There are six Sessions in all. Half of their categories are new, however: True Crime, Impact Content and Sports.
“The demand for non-fiction audiovisual content “has never been higher,” said Diego Assis, Universo Online’s general manager of special features, when drilling down on the strategic partnership between Uol, the biggest Brazilian internet portal, and Lb Entertainment, behind “Sintonia,” Netflix’s biggest franchise in Brazil.
“People want to feel like they are still grounded,...
- 6/3/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Coming up in June, Amazon’s collective streaming services Prime Video and Freevee are delivering series, films, and documentaries about all sorts of heroes. From the evil, increasingly fascist superheroes of “The Boys” to the record-setting tennis icon Roger Federer to the journey back to the spotlight for one of the greatest performers of all time, Celine Dion, there are a multitude of inspiring and entertaining stories arriving on the platforms in June.
In addition to Season 3 of “The Boys” premiering with three episodes on June 13, Prime Video has a host of documentaries that shine a new light on some of our most beloved performers and athletes. On June 18, “Power of the Dream” debuts and highlights the struggles of WNBA team the Atlanta Dream who were fighting off-court battles on two fronts in 2020. Then, “Federer: Twelve Final Days” premieres on June 20 looking at the tennis legend as he ended his...
In addition to Season 3 of “The Boys” premiering with three episodes on June 13, Prime Video has a host of documentaries that shine a new light on some of our most beloved performers and athletes. On June 18, “Power of the Dream” debuts and highlights the struggles of WNBA team the Atlanta Dream who were fighting off-court battles on two fronts in 2020. Then, “Federer: Twelve Final Days” premieres on June 20 looking at the tennis legend as he ended his...
- 5/31/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
The 50th Annual Seattle International Film Festival (Siff) wrapped up on Sunday and announced the winners of the 2024 Golden Space Needle Audience and Juried Competition Awards.
The festival began on May 9 and screened 261 films representing 84 countries with “62% of the feature films were created by first or second-time filmmakers; 43% were created by women or nonbinary filmmakers; 35% of filmmakers identify as a Bipoc director; and nearly 60% are currently without U.S. distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States,” according to Siff.
Siff holds two categories of competition: juried and audience based. Juried competitions include five feature subcategories including the Official Competition, New American Cinema Competition, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition and Documentary Competition. Short film categories include live action, animation and documentary.
In addition, over 32,000 ballots were submitted for the Golden Space Needle Awards (Gsna). Films judged through the GSNAs are selected by audience members through post-screening ballots. The categories include best film,...
The festival began on May 9 and screened 261 films representing 84 countries with “62% of the feature films were created by first or second-time filmmakers; 43% were created by women or nonbinary filmmakers; 35% of filmmakers identify as a Bipoc director; and nearly 60% are currently without U.S. distribution and may not screen commercially in the United States,” according to Siff.
Siff holds two categories of competition: juried and audience based. Juried competitions include five feature subcategories including the Official Competition, New American Cinema Competition, New Directors Competition, Ibero-American Competition and Documentary Competition. Short film categories include live action, animation and documentary.
In addition, over 32,000 ballots were submitted for the Golden Space Needle Awards (Gsna). Films judged through the GSNAs are selected by audience members through post-screening ballots. The categories include best film,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nicole Newnham (“Crip Camp”) is at work on her next documentary — “Tunnel 29,” about a secret escape tunnel built under the Berlin Wall in 1962.
The film, co-produced by NBC News Studios and Story Force Entertainment, will chronicle the story of a group of students who risked their lives and defied the Iron Curtain by digging a tunnel under the Berlin Wall, enabling 29 East Germans to escape to the West.
“‘Tunnel 29’ will cinematically immerse the audience in the fraught and tense time when the world grappled with the trauma and consequences of the Wall and the Cold War — a time that bears an astonishing resemblance to today,” says Newnham.
In the early 1960s, German students began digging a tunnel more than the length of a football field from West to East Berlin. As danger and setbacks mounted, they sought funding to continue the dig and help ensure their safety. In...
The film, co-produced by NBC News Studios and Story Force Entertainment, will chronicle the story of a group of students who risked their lives and defied the Iron Curtain by digging a tunnel under the Berlin Wall, enabling 29 East Germans to escape to the West.
“‘Tunnel 29’ will cinematically immerse the audience in the fraught and tense time when the world grappled with the trauma and consequences of the Wall and the Cold War — a time that bears an astonishing resemblance to today,” says Newnham.
In the early 1960s, German students began digging a tunnel more than the length of a football field from West to East Berlin. As danger and setbacks mounted, they sought funding to continue the dig and help ensure their safety. In...
- 5/17/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
“Love is a gamble and I’m so glad that I’m winnin,” sings Luther Vandross in his 1981 classic “Never Too Much” song with a sentiment that has some extra significance today.
CNN Films and OWN have picked up Dawn Porter’s Sundance Film Festival-debuting Luther: Never Too Much documentary, it was announced today at the Warner Bros Discovery upfront in NYC. The 101-minute film, which counts Colin Firth among its EPs and had Sony Music Entertainment as its sales agent, is set to debut on CNN, OWN and streamer Max next year.
“I’m thrilled to partner again with CNN Films and OWN to bring this film to audiences,” said director Porter on Wednesday. “Luther’s music is timeless, his legacy is unsurpassed, and we can’t wait for all of his fans new and old to experience his brilliance.”
“CNN Films has a long history of bringing audiences...
CNN Films and OWN have picked up Dawn Porter’s Sundance Film Festival-debuting Luther: Never Too Much documentary, it was announced today at the Warner Bros Discovery upfront in NYC. The 101-minute film, which counts Colin Firth among its EPs and had Sony Music Entertainment as its sales agent, is set to debut on CNN, OWN and streamer Max next year.
“I’m thrilled to partner again with CNN Films and OWN to bring this film to audiences,” said director Porter on Wednesday. “Luther’s music is timeless, his legacy is unsurpassed, and we can’t wait for all of his fans new and old to experience his brilliance.”
“CNN Films has a long history of bringing audiences...
- 5/15/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Dawn Porter’s documentary about R&b icon Luther Vandross, “Luther: Never Too Much,” has been acquired by CNN Films in partnership with the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), IndieWire can reveal exclusively.
The documentary film, which first premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, will debut in 2025 first on television on CNN and OWN before it lands on Max.
The acquisition is encouraging news for CNN Films, which back in 2022 under former boss Chris Licht scaled back on its original documentary films. The brand moved away from acquisitions or commissioning projects and opted instead for newsy, quick turnaround docs produced in-house.
But CNN Films also partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios on this fall’s release of “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” so the two acquisitions, both from this year’s Sundance, is a positive step forward for the documentary brand.
“Luther: Never Too Much” chronicles the story of a vocal virtuoso,...
The documentary film, which first premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, will debut in 2025 first on television on CNN and OWN before it lands on Max.
The acquisition is encouraging news for CNN Films, which back in 2022 under former boss Chris Licht scaled back on its original documentary films. The brand moved away from acquisitions or commissioning projects and opted instead for newsy, quick turnaround docs produced in-house.
But CNN Films also partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios on this fall’s release of “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” so the two acquisitions, both from this year’s Sundance, is a positive step forward for the documentary brand.
“Luther: Never Too Much” chronicles the story of a vocal virtuoso,...
- 5/15/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
The 2024 Tribeca Festival has added even more films, including eight world premieres, to its lineup.
The annual New York event will now include the world premieres of two sports documentaries: Roger Federer’s Twelve Final Days, directed by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia, about the 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion’s decision to retire from the sport, and Dawn Porter’s Power of the Dream, about the WNBA’s fights for fair pay, better airtime and social justice. Both docs are set to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video.
And it’s adding the North American premiere of Nanette Burstein’s Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes as well as the world premiere of Sabrina Van Tassel’s Missing From Fire Trail Road, about the efforts to find out what happened to missing Native American woman Mary Ellen Johnson-Davis, who disappeared more than two years ago from the Tulalip Indian reservation near Seattle.
The annual New York event will now include the world premieres of two sports documentaries: Roger Federer’s Twelve Final Days, directed by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia, about the 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion’s decision to retire from the sport, and Dawn Porter’s Power of the Dream, about the WNBA’s fights for fair pay, better airtime and social justice. Both docs are set to stream on Amazon’s Prime Video.
And it’s adding the North American premiere of Nanette Burstein’s Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes as well as the world premiere of Sabrina Van Tassel’s Missing From Fire Trail Road, about the efforts to find out what happened to missing Native American woman Mary Ellen Johnson-Davis, who disappeared more than two years ago from the Tulalip Indian reservation near Seattle.
- 5/14/2024
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New York’s Tribeca Festival has added eight world premieres to its 2024 line-up, including Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia’s Federer: Twelve Final Days.
The behind-the-scenes sports documentary, which will screen in Tribeca’s Spotlight Documentary section, is about tennis champion Roger Federer and his decision to retire from the sport.
Also set for the festival, which runs June 5-16, is the world premiere, in the International Narrative Competition, of The Freshly Cut Grass, a dramedy directed by Celina Murga and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
Other world premieres joining the programme are: Power of the Dream, a documentary about women’s professional basketball,...
The behind-the-scenes sports documentary, which will screen in Tribeca’s Spotlight Documentary section, is about tennis champion Roger Federer and his decision to retire from the sport.
Also set for the festival, which runs June 5-16, is the world premiere, in the International Narrative Competition, of The Freshly Cut Grass, a dramedy directed by Celina Murga and executive produced by Martin Scorsese.
Other world premieres joining the programme are: Power of the Dream, a documentary about women’s professional basketball,...
- 5/14/2024
- ScreenDaily
The 2024 Tribeca Festival has added 11 new feature films to its lineup — including a Hannah Einbinder standup special from Max — and has also set a world premiere of Michael Sarnoski’s A Quiet Place: Day One on June 26 in partnership with Paramount Pictures and Imax just ahead of the film’s theatrical release. The red carpet event is for Tribeca members as part of the organization’s push into year-round programming. It’s after the festival, which runs June 5-16.
Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go, features the actress and comedian best known for her role as Ava Daniels in the HBO hit Hacks with Jean Smart.
Other new word premieres include sports documentaries Federer: Twelve Final Days, directed by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia — a behind-the-scenes film of the 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion Roger Federer and his emotional decision to retire from the sport — as well as Power of the Dream,...
Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go, features the actress and comedian best known for her role as Ava Daniels in the HBO hit Hacks with Jean Smart.
Other new word premieres include sports documentaries Federer: Twelve Final Days, directed by Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia — a behind-the-scenes film of the 20-time Grand Slam tennis champion Roger Federer and his emotional decision to retire from the sport — as well as Power of the Dream,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
The 2024 Tribeca Festival has just unveiled new additions to its already star-studded lineup.
IndieWire can confirm that the New York premiere of “A Quiet Place: Day One” will take place as part of the festival, which runs June 5 through 16. The film will have a special screening June 26 in partnership with Paramount Pictures in IMAX.
The festival, presented by Okx, announced the addition of 11 new feature films, including eight world premieres. Documentaries “Federer: Twelve Final Days” and “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes,” produced by J.J. Abrams, are among the highlights, plus Dawn Porter’s “Power of the Dream.”
Hannah Einbinder’s first-ever stand-up comedy special “Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go” will also have its world premiere at the festival.
“At our core, we are an activist festival, united by the belief that art can inspire change,” Tribeca Co-Founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal. “We’re excited to add 11 new films to our Festival lineup,...
IndieWire can confirm that the New York premiere of “A Quiet Place: Day One” will take place as part of the festival, which runs June 5 through 16. The film will have a special screening June 26 in partnership with Paramount Pictures in IMAX.
The festival, presented by Okx, announced the addition of 11 new feature films, including eight world premieres. Documentaries “Federer: Twelve Final Days” and “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes,” produced by J.J. Abrams, are among the highlights, plus Dawn Porter’s “Power of the Dream.”
Hannah Einbinder’s first-ever stand-up comedy special “Hannah Einbinder: Everything Must Go” will also have its world premiere at the festival.
“At our core, we are an activist festival, united by the belief that art can inspire change,” Tribeca Co-Founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal. “We’re excited to add 11 new films to our Festival lineup,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
This year’s 31st edition of Hot Docs (April 25-May 5) was chockfull of drama, both onscreen and off. And while there were no protests (such as at IDFA) nor riot police dispatched (see Thessaloniki) there was quite an upheaval in the run up to the event itself. Which then led to much speculation as to the health and future of North America’s largest nonfiction fest. Indeed, before the event even began 10 programmers abruptly resigned and the artistic director stepped down. (Not exactly the type of news you want upstaging your press conference to unveil Dawn Porter’s Vandross biopic Luther: Never […]
The post Euro Division: Hot Docs 2024 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Euro Division: Hot Docs 2024 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/9/2024
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
This year’s 31st edition of Hot Docs (April 25-May 5) was chockfull of drama, both onscreen and off. And while there were no protests (such as at IDFA) nor riot police dispatched (see Thessaloniki) there was quite an upheaval in the run up to the event itself. Which then led to much speculation as to the health and future of North America’s largest nonfiction fest. Indeed, before the event even began 10 programmers abruptly resigned and the artistic director stepped down. (Not exactly the type of news you want upstaging your press conference to unveil Dawn Porter’s Vandross biopic Luther: Never […]
The post Euro Division: Hot Docs 2024 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Euro Division: Hot Docs 2024 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/9/2024
- by Lauren Wissot
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Dozens of top Hollywood creatives and activists have signed an open letter in response to the shuttering of production company Participant — imploring the industry to continue to effect change through film and television as the defunct company once did.
George Clooney, Aflonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, Jane Fonda, Regina King, Viola Davis, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Color of Change president Rashad Robinson and more are signators, in addition to groups like GLAAD and Human Rights Watch. The letter was coordinated by the National Domestic Workers Alliance (Ndwa), which collaborated with Participant and director Cuarón on a visibility campaign for his 2018 Oscar winner “Roma.”
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever,” the letter states. “There is a whole ecosystem of people, connected by the work of the last 20 years of Participant, ready to work with you.
George Clooney, Aflonso Cuarón, Ava DuVernay, Jane Fonda, Regina King, Viola Davis, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke, civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson, Color of Change president Rashad Robinson and more are signators, in addition to groups like GLAAD and Human Rights Watch. The letter was coordinated by the National Domestic Workers Alliance (Ndwa), which collaborated with Participant and director Cuarón on a visibility campaign for his 2018 Oscar winner “Roma.”
“As we say goodbye to Participant, we must underscore that values-based storytelling is needed now more than ever,” the letter states. “There is a whole ecosystem of people, connected by the work of the last 20 years of Participant, ready to work with you.
- 5/7/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
As contractions and cost-cutting continue to hit the nonfiction space, a major producer is changing its documentary strategy: The New York Times.
The Times is restructuring its documentary unit, which is behind its The New York Times Presents series, which has produced nearly four dozen documentaries, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. It is changing the unit with the goal of further enmeshing non-fiction video filmmaking into the company’s existing sub brands and verticals.
Several sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the Times will be reducing its documentary output. Rumors have been swirling in the nonfiction community about the future of the Times‘ documentaries for some time. The media company released over 20 films in 2019 under their New York Times Presents banner while it released only four films in 2023.
“We just premiered a new film from The New York Times Presents last week, with two additional films presently in production, as...
The Times is restructuring its documentary unit, which is behind its The New York Times Presents series, which has produced nearly four dozen documentaries, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. It is changing the unit with the goal of further enmeshing non-fiction video filmmaking into the company’s existing sub brands and verticals.
Several sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the Times will be reducing its documentary output. Rumors have been swirling in the nonfiction community about the future of the Times‘ documentaries for some time. The media company released over 20 films in 2019 under their New York Times Presents banner while it released only four films in 2023.
“We just premiered a new film from The New York Times Presents last week, with two additional films presently in production, as...
- 5/3/2024
- by Mia Galuppo and Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
DC/Dox has unveiled the lineup for its second annual edition, which takes place in Washington, D.C., from June 13-16. The documentary festival will kick things off with “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story,” the Warner Bros. Discovery film that premiered at Sundance earlier this year.
The second edition of the fest includes 51 features and 47 shorts from 17 countries. That’s up from last year’s state of 31 features and 21 shorts from eight countries. This year’s lineup is made of 60% of filmmakers identifying as women or non-binary. Films will screen at venues including Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, the Burke Theatre at the U.S. Navy Memorial, and the National Archives.
“The films on the 2024 slate highlight the remarkable breadth and depth of documentary storytelling today,” says DC/Dox co-founder and festival director Sky Sitney. “From filmmakers around the world, these works recalibrate the past through archival footage, immerse themselves...
The second edition of the fest includes 51 features and 47 shorts from 17 countries. That’s up from last year’s state of 31 features and 21 shorts from eight countries. This year’s lineup is made of 60% of filmmakers identifying as women or non-binary. Films will screen at venues including Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, the Burke Theatre at the U.S. Navy Memorial, and the National Archives.
“The films on the 2024 slate highlight the remarkable breadth and depth of documentary storytelling today,” says DC/Dox co-founder and festival director Sky Sitney. “From filmmakers around the world, these works recalibrate the past through archival footage, immerse themselves...
- 5/1/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
In 2011, Dawn Porter arrived at Hot Docs Pitch Forum in the hopes of securing funding for her first documentary feature, “Gideon’s Army.” Thirteen years later, Porter is back in Toronto with her 10th feature doc “Luther: Never Too Much,” which opened the 31st edition of Hot Docs.
The 101-minute film about the life and career of the late R&b singer Luther Vandross made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and has since become an audience favorite on the festival circuit. In addition to serving as Hot Docs’ opening night film, the movie will also launch the Hot Doc’s Pop/ Life sidebar of films about music and musicians.
In the film, Porter chronicles Vandross’ rise from background singer to singing sensation via archival interviews with Vandross and new ones with his collaborators, including legendary recording artists Mariah Carey and Dionne Warwick. Rarely seen archives,...
The 101-minute film about the life and career of the late R&b singer Luther Vandross made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January and has since become an audience favorite on the festival circuit. In addition to serving as Hot Docs’ opening night film, the movie will also launch the Hot Doc’s Pop/ Life sidebar of films about music and musicians.
In the film, Porter chronicles Vandross’ rise from background singer to singing sensation via archival interviews with Vandross and new ones with his collaborators, including legendary recording artists Mariah Carey and Dionne Warwick. Rarely seen archives,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The American Black Film Festival (ABFF) has set its lineup of narrative and documentary features for its 28th edition, including Jussie Smollett’s return to acting in “The Lost Holliday,” filmmaker Christine Swanson’s latest drama “Albany Road” and the acclaimed Luther Vandross doc “Never Too Much.”
This year’s festival takes place June 12-16 in Miami Beach, Fla., followed by a virtual segment June 17-24 on ABFF Play. Winners of film festival competition will be announced on June 15, during the “Best of ABFF Awards” hosted by Emmy-nominee Dondré Whitfield.
The 2024 narrative lineup includes “Albany Road,” directed and written by Swanson, starring Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lynn Whitfield and J. Alphonse Nicholson; “The Lost Holliday” directed by, co-written and starring Smollett alongside Vivica A. Fox, produced by Mona Scott-Young; “The Waterboyz,” directed by Coke Daniels and produced by Ben Crump, starring Akil McDowell, Alani “La La” Anthony and Quavo; and “Black Heat,...
This year’s festival takes place June 12-16 in Miami Beach, Fla., followed by a virtual segment June 17-24 on ABFF Play. Winners of film festival competition will be announced on June 15, during the “Best of ABFF Awards” hosted by Emmy-nominee Dondré Whitfield.
The 2024 narrative lineup includes “Albany Road,” directed and written by Swanson, starring Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lynn Whitfield and J. Alphonse Nicholson; “The Lost Holliday” directed by, co-written and starring Smollett alongside Vivica A. Fox, produced by Mona Scott-Young; “The Waterboyz,” directed by Coke Daniels and produced by Ben Crump, starring Akil McDowell, Alani “La La” Anthony and Quavo; and “Black Heat,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
The Nantucket Film Festival has set the lineup for its 2024 edition and will honor Emmy-nominated writer-producer Kerry Ehrin, Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Roger Ross Williams and Girls5Eva showrunner Meredith Scardino.
The 29th edition of the festival will open with Josh Margolin’s June Squibb-starrer Thelma, close with Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s Christopher Reeve documentary Super/Man and Jeff Zimbalist’s documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, about a daredevil couple who secretly filmed themselves climbing the world’s last super skyscraper. The festival will also continue its tradition of screening a Disney or Pixar film on its opening day, with a festival screening of Inside Out 2.
The festival also announced several honorees: Ehrin will receive the Excellence in Television Writing Award; Williams will receive the Career Achievement in Filmmaking Award and his latest feature Stamped From the Beginning, based on the book of the same name by Ibram X. Kendi,...
The 29th edition of the festival will open with Josh Margolin’s June Squibb-starrer Thelma, close with Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui’s Christopher Reeve documentary Super/Man and Jeff Zimbalist’s documentary Skywalkers: A Love Story, about a daredevil couple who secretly filmed themselves climbing the world’s last super skyscraper. The festival will also continue its tradition of screening a Disney or Pixar film on its opening day, with a festival screening of Inside Out 2.
The festival also announced several honorees: Ehrin will receive the Excellence in Television Writing Award; Williams will receive the Career Achievement in Filmmaking Award and his latest feature Stamped From the Beginning, based on the book of the same name by Ibram X. Kendi,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The sudden end of Participant Media came as a shock to many in the entertainment industry, but it hit documentary filmmakers particularly hard, with some concerned that backers for serious-minded, issue-driven projects are becoming ever more scarce.
Since its founding in 2004, the company — which sought to bring stories that could spark change to a wide audience — has been a staunch supporter of documentaries focused on social and justice issues, funded by the largesse of a billionaire, ex-eBay president Jeff Skoll.
None of its other nonfiction titles quite achieved the heights of 2006’s An Inconvenient Truth, released just two years after the company was formed: The Davis Guggenheim-directed film about Al Gore’s climate change slideshow rocketed to become the third-highest-grossing doc ever at the time and focused mainstream attention on climate change, inspiring studies about its impact. “That’s why we exist,” Skoll told The Hollywood Reporter in 2006, as Truth became a sensation.
Since its founding in 2004, the company — which sought to bring stories that could spark change to a wide audience — has been a staunch supporter of documentaries focused on social and justice issues, funded by the largesse of a billionaire, ex-eBay president Jeff Skoll.
None of its other nonfiction titles quite achieved the heights of 2006’s An Inconvenient Truth, released just two years after the company was formed: The Davis Guggenheim-directed film about Al Gore’s climate change slideshow rocketed to become the third-highest-grossing doc ever at the time and focused mainstream attention on climate change, inspiring studies about its impact. “That’s why we exist,” Skoll told The Hollywood Reporter in 2006, as Truth became a sensation.
- 4/19/2024
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Tribeca Festival has announced the features lineup for its 2024 edition, which will open with the world premiere of Hulu documentary Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton.
Other highlights in this year’s features lineup include the world premieres of documentaries about Liza Minnelli (Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story), Harry Belafonte (Following Harry, exploring his life and legacy through the artists and activists carrying on his work, which will be followed by the presentation of the 2024 Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Satisfied), Ani Difranco (1-800-on-her-own), Linda Perry (Let It Die Here) and Avicii (I’m Tim) dream hampton (It Was All a Dream) and “the Brat Pack” (the Andrew McCarthy-directed Brats) and the New York premiere of Dawn Porter’s Luther Vandross documentary, Never Too Much.
Tribeca Festival will also feature screenings of Jazzy,...
Other highlights in this year’s features lineup include the world premieres of documentaries about Liza Minnelli (Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story), Harry Belafonte (Following Harry, exploring his life and legacy through the artists and activists carrying on his work, which will be followed by the presentation of the 2024 Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Satisfied), Ani Difranco (1-800-on-her-own), Linda Perry (Let It Die Here) and Avicii (I’m Tim) dream hampton (It Was All a Dream) and “the Brat Pack” (the Andrew McCarthy-directed Brats) and the New York premiere of Dawn Porter’s Luther Vandross documentary, Never Too Much.
Tribeca Festival will also feature screenings of Jazzy,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Following a gala closing night celebration featuring Steve Buscemi and his film “The Listener,” the 2024 Sarasota Film Festival has announced its awards — with several prominent indies taking the top prizes. This 26th edition of the Florida festival celebrating independent film gave the Narrative Feature Jury Prize to Josh Margolin’s Sundance breakout “Thelma,” starring June Squibb and the late Richard Roundtree. “Sugarcane” won the Documentary Feature Jury Prize.
Speaking for the narrative feature jury, filmmaker Alex Hedison, in awarding the prize to “Thelma,” said the group found the movie to celebrate “what Hollywood cinema so infrequently does: age. The extraordinary performances by June Squib and Richard Roundtree are at the center of ‘Thelma,’ surrounded by an excellent supporting cast who serve as a surrogate for the audience in reminding them of the significance of living their best lives with the kind of action and adventure life affords us if we...
Speaking for the narrative feature jury, filmmaker Alex Hedison, in awarding the prize to “Thelma,” said the group found the movie to celebrate “what Hollywood cinema so infrequently does: age. The extraordinary performances by June Squib and Richard Roundtree are at the center of ‘Thelma,’ surrounded by an excellent supporting cast who serve as a surrogate for the audience in reminding them of the significance of living their best lives with the kind of action and adventure life affords us if we...
- 4/15/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
“I bring you news from America, where commissions are plentiful and they all come within two weeks,” joked Dawn Porter, playing to the industry crowd at the international television market MIPTV on Sunday.
It got a big laugh. Everyone in the audience knows the reality: That the era of peak TV is past and that broadcasters and streamers are slashing their budgets for original programming. That decline is one of the reasons this will be the last MIPTV, with plans to move Mip to London next year and dramatically downsize the storied TV market. The mood on the Croisette this year is practically funereal.
But Porter came to Mip not to bury the TV business but to praise it.
“I’m sure that we’re all quite aware of the difficulties of commissioning and the challenges in our market,” she told the industry audience, “but I want to stress that...
It got a big laugh. Everyone in the audience knows the reality: That the era of peak TV is past and that broadcasters and streamers are slashing their budgets for original programming. That decline is one of the reasons this will be the last MIPTV, with plans to move Mip to London next year and dramatically downsize the storied TV market. The mood on the Croisette this year is practically funereal.
But Porter came to Mip not to bury the TV business but to praise it.
“I’m sure that we’re all quite aware of the difficulties of commissioning and the challenges in our market,” she told the industry audience, “but I want to stress that...
- 4/7/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Storied docs producer Dawn Porter has said private funding in the documentary space could help plug financial gaps that have opened up in today’s challenging market.
The Gotham Award-winner’s latest project, revealed by Deadline in February, is a documentary about Nelson and Willie Mandela that is part-funded by the Schultz Family Foundation.
Speaking at MIPTV today, Porter said her team at Trilogy Films is “reaching out for private funding” to finance big projects.
“We will need a broadcaster but are also reaching out [externally],” she added. “I’m looking at how we make films, how budget constraints are changing [the industry] and having honest conversations with partners about how we are going to do this together.”
Porter said she has spent time in recent months speaking with partners such as HBO, Netflix and CNN about “what is working for them and how their processes have changed” in the current climate. She...
The Gotham Award-winner’s latest project, revealed by Deadline in February, is a documentary about Nelson and Willie Mandela that is part-funded by the Schultz Family Foundation.
Speaking at MIPTV today, Porter said her team at Trilogy Films is “reaching out for private funding” to finance big projects.
“We will need a broadcaster but are also reaching out [externally],” she added. “I’m looking at how we make films, how budget constraints are changing [the industry] and having honest conversations with partners about how we are going to do this together.”
Porter said she has spent time in recent months speaking with partners such as HBO, Netflix and CNN about “what is working for them and how their processes have changed” in the current climate. She...
- 4/7/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
MipDoc keynote speaker Dawn Porter is coming to Cannes to discuss not only the challenging doc marketplace, but also how to work and prosper within it.
In the last few years the doc industry has favored a handful of big-name filmmakers, like Porter, who are commissioned to make one-off films or docuseries. Over the last 12 months two of Porter’s docus were released: “Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court” which was financed and distributed by Showtime and “The Lady Bird Diaries,” which was financed and distributed by Hulu/ABC News.
But budgets for commissioned projects, even those with well-known documentarians attached, have diminished significantly since the pandemic, due in part to corporate consolidation. The shrinking number of nonfiction distributors has hit directors of independently made docs especially hard. The major streaming services, who were spending millions to acquire indie fare five years ago, lost interest in garnering titles out of festivals.
In the last few years the doc industry has favored a handful of big-name filmmakers, like Porter, who are commissioned to make one-off films or docuseries. Over the last 12 months two of Porter’s docus were released: “Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court” which was financed and distributed by Showtime and “The Lady Bird Diaries,” which was financed and distributed by Hulu/ABC News.
But budgets for commissioned projects, even those with well-known documentarians attached, have diminished significantly since the pandemic, due in part to corporate consolidation. The shrinking number of nonfiction distributors has hit directors of independently made docs especially hard. The major streaming services, who were spending millions to acquire indie fare five years ago, lost interest in garnering titles out of festivals.
- 4/6/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
An acute sense of instability will inform much of the content bought and sold on the MipTV floor, though the symptoms might manifest themselves beyond doom and gloom. Somewhat unsurprisingly, given an unrelenting remit of climate anxieties and global unrest, this tendency has left no genre untouched.
“Obviously the world in which we live is quite dramatic at the moment, and that has created an appetite for stories that offer solutions,” explains international distribution expert Beatrice Rossmanith. As head of global business for consulting firm Glance Ltd (formerly known as Tape Consultancy), Rossmanith monitors content across hundreds of channels in 45 territories worldwide. And lately she has noticed a pervasive trend.
“There’s obviously a thirst for truth nowadays,” Rossmanith says. “[And a thirst] to tackle modern anxieties by asking what more can we do?”
In the lifestyle space, celebrity profiles are increasingly linked to some sort of activism and political engagement – – while sports...
“Obviously the world in which we live is quite dramatic at the moment, and that has created an appetite for stories that offer solutions,” explains international distribution expert Beatrice Rossmanith. As head of global business for consulting firm Glance Ltd (formerly known as Tape Consultancy), Rossmanith monitors content across hundreds of channels in 45 territories worldwide. And lately she has noticed a pervasive trend.
“There’s obviously a thirst for truth nowadays,” Rossmanith says. “[And a thirst] to tackle modern anxieties by asking what more can we do?”
In the lifestyle space, celebrity profiles are increasingly linked to some sort of activism and political engagement – – while sports...
- 4/5/2024
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival has been plunged into chaos a month before its 2024 edition.
The opening press conference in Toronto on Tuesday was overshadowed by news that the Hot Docs artistic director, Hussain Currimbhoy, and 10 programmers had left the festival organizing team ahead of the 2024 edition kicking off on April 25.
Hot Docs in a festival statement confirmed Currimbhoy’s departure as artistic director on March 20, “due to personal reasons.” “Regrettably, some members of the programming team have decided not to participate in this year’s festival. We thank them for their contributions,” the documentary festival added.
Their departure forced Hot Docs president Marie Nelson — the former ABC News and Disney exec who took the helm at the Canadian festival in June 2023 — onto the back foot when she stepped forward to unveil the lineup for the 2024 edition.
“We understand that our union is far from perfect, but I...
The opening press conference in Toronto on Tuesday was overshadowed by news that the Hot Docs artistic director, Hussain Currimbhoy, and 10 programmers had left the festival organizing team ahead of the 2024 edition kicking off on April 25.
Hot Docs in a festival statement confirmed Currimbhoy’s departure as artistic director on March 20, “due to personal reasons.” “Regrettably, some members of the programming team have decided not to participate in this year’s festival. We thank them for their contributions,” the documentary festival added.
Their departure forced Hot Docs president Marie Nelson — the former ABC News and Disney exec who took the helm at the Canadian festival in June 2023 — onto the back foot when she stepped forward to unveil the lineup for the 2024 edition.
“We understand that our union is far from perfect, but I...
- 3/26/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dawn Porter’s “Luther: Never Too Much” will open the 31st edition of Hot Docs, which on Tuesday announced its full slate of 168 films — including 120 features — from 64 countries, screening across an array of returning and new programming configurations from April 25 to May 5.
“Luther,” which also launches Hot Docs’ Pop / Life sidebar of films about music and musicians, is a bio-doc about singer Luther Vandross. Warmly received at its Sundance premiere this year, the film “exposes some uneasy truths about the music industry and the media we may now know,” according to Variety’s review.
Excitement around Hot Docs’ official lineup announcement was dampened by the hot revelation Sunday evening on the social media feed of Myrocia Watamaniuk that she and nine other festival programmers had decided as a group “to exit the 2024 Hot Docs Festival.” No specific reasons for the exit were given in the post nor were they forthcoming.
“Luther,” which also launches Hot Docs’ Pop / Life sidebar of films about music and musicians, is a bio-doc about singer Luther Vandross. Warmly received at its Sundance premiere this year, the film “exposes some uneasy truths about the music industry and the media we may now know,” according to Variety’s review.
Excitement around Hot Docs’ official lineup announcement was dampened by the hot revelation Sunday evening on the social media feed of Myrocia Watamaniuk that she and nine other festival programmers had decided as a group “to exit the 2024 Hot Docs Festival.” No specific reasons for the exit were given in the post nor were they forthcoming.
- 3/26/2024
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
Universal Pictures Content Group and Passion Pictures have wrapped on a new documentary about the nun who inspired 1995 Oscar-winning hit “Dead Man Walking,” Variety can exclusively confirm.
Titled “Rebel Nun,” the doc follows the story of Catholic nun and leading death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean. Susan Sarandaon won her first and only Oscar playing Prejean in “Dead Man Walking,” which was written and directed by Tim Robbins and co-starred Sean Penn as a convicted murderer.
“Rebel Nun” will explore Sister Helen’s life to date and her ongoing fight against the death penalty.
“Sister Helen Prejean was a humble nun from Louisiana who embarked on a controversial battle that would change the world,” reads the logline. “Now 84 years old, Sister Helen is currently fighting to stop the execution of a Death Row inmate in Oklahoma even lawmakers are convinced is innocent.”
The doc is directed by Dominic Sivyer (“The...
Titled “Rebel Nun,” the doc follows the story of Catholic nun and leading death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean. Susan Sarandaon won her first and only Oscar playing Prejean in “Dead Man Walking,” which was written and directed by Tim Robbins and co-starred Sean Penn as a convicted murderer.
“Rebel Nun” will explore Sister Helen’s life to date and her ongoing fight against the death penalty.
“Sister Helen Prejean was a humble nun from Louisiana who embarked on a controversial battle that would change the world,” reads the logline. “Now 84 years old, Sister Helen is currently fighting to stop the execution of a Death Row inmate in Oklahoma even lawmakers are convinced is innocent.”
The doc is directed by Dominic Sivyer (“The...
- 3/26/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Steve Buscemi’s “The Listener” is heading to the Sarasota Film Festival.
The 26th edition of the Florida fest will feature live and in-person screenings and events that will take place across Sarasota beginning on April 5. The 10-day fest will feature 23 narrative features, 41 documentary features and 81 short films.
Buscemi will be in Sarasota to participate in a Q&a following the screening of “The Listener,” which will serve as the closing night film. About a crisis hotline worker enduring the pressures of her job, the film starring Tessa Thompson made its world premiere at Venice Film Festival in 2022.
Lynn Dow’s “Bull Street,” starring Loretta Devine and Amy Madigan, will open the fest on April 5. The drama centers on a South Carolina small-town lawyer (Malynda Hale) as she faces local politics and an unwavering judge (Madigan) when her estranged father’s family tries to evict her and her grandmother (Devine) from her home.
The 26th edition of the Florida fest will feature live and in-person screenings and events that will take place across Sarasota beginning on April 5. The 10-day fest will feature 23 narrative features, 41 documentary features and 81 short films.
Buscemi will be in Sarasota to participate in a Q&a following the screening of “The Listener,” which will serve as the closing night film. About a crisis hotline worker enduring the pressures of her job, the film starring Tessa Thompson made its world premiere at Venice Film Festival in 2022.
Lynn Dow’s “Bull Street,” starring Loretta Devine and Amy Madigan, will open the fest on April 5. The drama centers on a South Carolina small-town lawyer (Malynda Hale) as she faces local politics and an unwavering judge (Madigan) when her estranged father’s family tries to evict her and her grandmother (Devine) from her home.
- 3/21/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
After a year-long hiatus the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for its 26th edition, which will take place in Durham, N.C., from April 4-7. The festival will kick things off with “Girls State,” the Apple Original docu that premiered at Sundance earlier this year.
It’s been five years since Full Frame, often referred to as “a filmmaker’s festival,” was held as an in-person event. Full Frame was held entirely online for the 2020–22 festivals due to Covid-19. Then in 2023 the festival was put on hold last year due to financial struggles and leadership turnover at Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies (Cds), a nonprofit affiliate of the university that puts on the fest. Notably, Cds executive director Opeyemi Olukemi resigned last year. As reported by The Assembly, Olukemi, who took the role in 2021, was criticized as the Cds staff shrank and a bulk of...
It’s been five years since Full Frame, often referred to as “a filmmaker’s festival,” was held as an in-person event. Full Frame was held entirely online for the 2020–22 festivals due to Covid-19. Then in 2023 the festival was put on hold last year due to financial struggles and leadership turnover at Duke’s Center for Documentary Studies (Cds), a nonprofit affiliate of the university that puts on the fest. Notably, Cds executive director Opeyemi Olukemi resigned last year. As reported by The Assembly, Olukemi, who took the role in 2021, was criticized as the Cds staff shrank and a bulk of...
- 3/14/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
The documentary “Sue Bird: In the Clutch,” about the basketball legend’s final WNBA season and her impact on sports, has been acquired following its buzzy Sundance debut.
Wolfe Releasing, the largest exclusive distributor of LGBTQ+ films, has picked up the North American distribution rights the feature documentary, which will become available for digital purchase and rental on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu and Wolfe On Demand beginning March 29.
“We are honored and excited to partner with these talented producing teams to bring the legendary story of Sue Bird to wide audiences in the midst of March Madness and Women’s History Month,” stated Wolfe Releasing CEO and founder Kathy Wolfe and Evan Schwartz, VP of content. “In a time where the LGBTQ+ narrative is shifting towards celebration, Sue’s journey perfectly captures this sentiment. We believe Sue’s iconic run as one of the greatest athletes of all time will entertain,...
Wolfe Releasing, the largest exclusive distributor of LGBTQ+ films, has picked up the North American distribution rights the feature documentary, which will become available for digital purchase and rental on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu and Wolfe On Demand beginning March 29.
“We are honored and excited to partner with these talented producing teams to bring the legendary story of Sue Bird to wide audiences in the midst of March Madness and Women’s History Month,” stated Wolfe Releasing CEO and founder Kathy Wolfe and Evan Schwartz, VP of content. “In a time where the LGBTQ+ narrative is shifting towards celebration, Sue’s journey perfectly captures this sentiment. We believe Sue’s iconic run as one of the greatest athletes of all time will entertain,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Gotham Award winner Dawn Porter (Luther: Never Too Much) will direct and produce a documentary about one of the most iconic, politically-charged partnerships in history: the remarkable, largely untold story of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. She’ll also produce through her Trilogy Films, alongside the Schultz Family Foundation.
Based on Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage, a book by noted South African writer and scholar Jonny Steinberg, the film will explore the Mandelas’ profound bond and how their marriage was inextricably entangled with the struggle against apartheid. The film promises an intimate portrayal of Nelson and Winnie’s marriage, delving into their vehement and volatile connection from their early years to their mutual goal of dismantling apartheid. Their journey culminates in Nelson Mandela’s historic election as South Africa’s first democratically elected President.
Nelson Mandela and wife Winnie
The project marks the Schultz Family Foundation’s first...
Based on Winnie and Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage, a book by noted South African writer and scholar Jonny Steinberg, the film will explore the Mandelas’ profound bond and how their marriage was inextricably entangled with the struggle against apartheid. The film promises an intimate portrayal of Nelson and Winnie’s marriage, delving into their vehement and volatile connection from their early years to their mutual goal of dismantling apartheid. Their journey culminates in Nelson Mandela’s historic election as South Africa’s first democratically elected President.
Nelson Mandela and wife Winnie
The project marks the Schultz Family Foundation’s first...
- 2/13/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Filled with wonderful musical performances exploring the 30-year career of Luther Vandross, Dawn Porter’s sweeping biographical documentary Luther: Never Too Much interweaves archival materials and new interviews in a manner that is effective at telling the story but somehow feels a little too distant from its subject. In particular, the selection of archival materials of Vandross, who passed away in 2005 at age 54, and the film’s later chapters divulging personal struggles with health and weight along with speculation about his sexuality, keep the viewer at arm’s length. Perhaps this is somewhat by design, a case of the film’s subject not speaking out, as some speculate for fear of alienating his female fans and perhaps his record label.
A barrier-breaking artist in many respects, Vandross grew up in the projects of the Bronx before becoming a seminal recording artist working as a background vocalist, producer, and later a...
A barrier-breaking artist in many respects, Vandross grew up in the projects of the Bronx before becoming a seminal recording artist working as a background vocalist, producer, and later a...
- 2/5/2024
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Sundance documentaries are alive and well. And it looks like there’s some acquisition action this year, too. Which Sundance documentaries have the best shot at landing in Oscar contention this year? It helps to get bought early or to have an international footprint.
A rickety theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers meant that many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution, or met serious delays before companies came through. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. But last year, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” which was rumored to be an HBO Documentary Films pickup for months, wasn’t announced until August 29, when other Sundance grads had been campaigning all summer.
One...
A rickety theatrical market for non-fiction features and a dwindling number of active documentary buyers meant that many Sundance 2023 films did not get picked up for distribution, or met serious delays before companies came through. As the top American film festival for docs, Sundance usually supplies as many as four out of the final five Oscar nominees each year.
And usually, by late summer, Oscar promotion is well underway. But last year, “Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project,” which was rumored to be an HBO Documentary Films pickup for months, wasn’t announced until August 29, when other Sundance grads had been campaigning all summer.
One...
- 1/31/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Late R&b legend Luther Vandross — still known mononymously to his fans — was always a bit of an inscrutable figure. His voice, that voice, is undeniable. The way he could modulate his velvety tenor to make a single word vibrate with unfathomable longing and desire? Don’t get me started!
But during his time in the spotlight, the public turned Luther into a mirror reflecting back cultural anxieties about sexuality (was he gay or straight?) and race (was he “just” an R&b artist or could he crossover into pop success?). Then there was the constant chatter about his weight: Fans would add Big or Little to his name depending on the size of his bedazzled suits.
Now we finally have a fuller picture of the man. Dawn Porter’s documentary “Luther: Never Too Much” uses a deft mix of archival footage of and interviews with Luther and his closest...
But during his time in the spotlight, the public turned Luther into a mirror reflecting back cultural anxieties about sexuality (was he gay or straight?) and race (was he “just” an R&b artist or could he crossover into pop success?). Then there was the constant chatter about his weight: Fans would add Big or Little to his name depending on the size of his bedazzled suits.
Now we finally have a fuller picture of the man. Dawn Porter’s documentary “Luther: Never Too Much” uses a deft mix of archival footage of and interviews with Luther and his closest...
- 1/30/2024
- by Tomi Akitunde for Dropbox
- Indiewire
Luther Vandross’ voice was the soundtrack of many Black millennial childhoods. Personally, I would wake up every Sunday to church music followed by his hit single “Never Too Much,” which still stops most people in their tracks to this day. In the documentary Luther: Never Too Much, director Dawn Porter chronicles a his journey to stardom and how he manifested the career he desired.
His path begins in the culturally rich landscape of Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Vandross was influenced by the likes of Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. His earliest musical forays came as part of the group Listen My Brother, which was formed by childhood friends in Harlem committed to harnessing their vocal talents. The group provided not just his first brush with critical acclaim, but an artistic environment steeped in collective ambition that drove him to sharpen his abilities.
That is until his career took a pivotal...
His path begins in the culturally rich landscape of Harlem’s Apollo Theater. Vandross was influenced by the likes of Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. His earliest musical forays came as part of the group Listen My Brother, which was formed by childhood friends in Harlem committed to harnessing their vocal talents. The group provided not just his first brush with critical acclaim, but an artistic environment steeped in collective ambition that drove him to sharpen his abilities.
That is until his career took a pivotal...
- 1/28/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
When American soul and R&b icon Luther Vandross sang, he didn’t just produce beautiful musical sounds. He caressed and coddled each note with his famously velvety tenor voice, considering where to linger, when to whisper, or to gradually crescendo with an impeccable and ever-influential technique. In other words, he didn’t only sing, but created something ethereal, something that both pushed the form and felt like it gently poured straight out of his soul.
Considering the stamp he put on the American music industry, it feels strange that there hasn’t yet been a definitive documentary about Vandross’ unsung legacy until Dawn Porter’s “Luther: Never Too Much,” which had its world premiere recently at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. But that delay is perhaps fortuitous — after experiencing Porter’s loving portrait of the virtuosic musician, producer, and songwriter, you can’t imagine Vandross’ story being told by anyone else.
Considering the stamp he put on the American music industry, it feels strange that there hasn’t yet been a definitive documentary about Vandross’ unsung legacy until Dawn Porter’s “Luther: Never Too Much,” which had its world premiere recently at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. But that delay is perhaps fortuitous — after experiencing Porter’s loving portrait of the virtuosic musician, producer, and songwriter, you can’t imagine Vandross’ story being told by anyone else.
- 1/26/2024
- by Tomris Laffly
- Indiewire
Plot: The life and times of Luther Vandross, the legendary Rn’B singer who always struggled to break out from the niche box the industry put him in.
Review: Of all the singers in the world, Luther Vandross might be the one responsible for the most trips to the bedroom. As Jamie Foxx tells it in his interview for Luther: Never Too Much, whenever he wanted to get with a girl, he played her his music – and it worked about 100% of the time. It’s sadly ironic then, as revealed by Dawn Porter’s excellent documentary, that the singer himself was a lonely man who never found romantic love in his own life.
You see, as the documentary sensitively reveals, Vandross was almost certainly gay, but he stayed in the closet for several reasons, such as his need to protect his image. Still, also for personal reasons, the doc has...
Review: Of all the singers in the world, Luther Vandross might be the one responsible for the most trips to the bedroom. As Jamie Foxx tells it in his interview for Luther: Never Too Much, whenever he wanted to get with a girl, he played her his music – and it worked about 100% of the time. It’s sadly ironic then, as revealed by Dawn Porter’s excellent documentary, that the singer himself was a lonely man who never found romantic love in his own life.
You see, as the documentary sensitively reveals, Vandross was almost certainly gay, but he stayed in the closet for several reasons, such as his need to protect his image. Still, also for personal reasons, the doc has...
- 1/25/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Togethxr, the media company founded by star atheletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, Simone Manuel, and Sue Bird as well as Jessica Robertson, has a new head of development.
The company has hired former Westbrook Media head of development Tina Tozzi in the role.
Tozzi will oversee the company’s scripted and unscripted slate. She had a similar role at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s company, and before that was director of development at Alfred Street Industries, where she developed series such as Netflix’s Is it Cake? and Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo and Hulu’s Best in Dough.
Togethxr is behind series such as Surf Girls: Kaikana, a docuseries produced in partnership with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Prime Video, and The Syd and Tp Show, an unscripted comedy series in partnership with Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and FuboTV.
It is currently working on a feature-length documentary,...
The company has hired former Westbrook Media head of development Tina Tozzi in the role.
Tozzi will oversee the company’s scripted and unscripted slate. She had a similar role at Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s company, and before that was director of development at Alfred Street Industries, where she developed series such as Netflix’s Is it Cake? and Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo and Hulu’s Best in Dough.
Togethxr is behind series such as Surf Girls: Kaikana, a docuseries produced in partnership with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Prime Video, and The Syd and Tp Show, an unscripted comedy series in partnership with Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and FuboTV.
It is currently working on a feature-length documentary,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
In her latest documentary, Luther: Never Too Much, Dawn Porter crafts a striking profile of a singular musician. That Luther Vandross, who died in 2005, hasn’t gotten the documentary treatment until now is surprising considering his imprint on the music industry. Vandross — a true multi-hyphenate — sang, arranged and produced records for himself and other iconic artists. He worked with David Bowie, Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick, for example. He wasn’t just popular with fans for his velvety voice and romantic numbers; he was beloved by industry stalwarts, some of whom appear in Porter’s documentary. Even for those familiar with the “Never Too Much” crooner, Porter’s project is essential viewing.
Premiering at Sundance, Luther: Never Too Much is a trove of archival material. Porter uses rehearsal footage, concert videos, old interviews with Vandross and newer ones with his friends and family to tell the musician’s story. The...
Premiering at Sundance, Luther: Never Too Much is a trove of archival material. Porter uses rehearsal footage, concert videos, old interviews with Vandross and newer ones with his friends and family to tell the musician’s story. The...
- 1/22/2024
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Although it isn’t structured any differently from dozens of other cradle-to-grave documentaries about artistic luminaries, “Luther: Never Too Much” sheds light on much more than just the life and career of R&b singer Luther Vandross. Drawn largely from interview and performance footage of Vandross over his almost 40 years in entertainment, and bolstered and contextualized by retrospective talks will collaborators and confidantes, director Dawn Porter’s film exposes some uneasy truths about the music industry and the media we may now know, but whose seeming ubiquitousness at the time he was alive may be difficult to fully comprehend.
White audience members in particular may stand to learn the most about him — a fact Porter pointedly attributes to the genre siloes of radio’s heyday and cultural prejudices against black singers who weren’t thin or light-skinned enough to receive the opportunity to cross over from R&b to pop.
White audience members in particular may stand to learn the most about him — a fact Porter pointedly attributes to the genre siloes of radio’s heyday and cultural prejudices against black singers who weren’t thin or light-skinned enough to receive the opportunity to cross over from R&b to pop.
- 1/21/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Lena Waithe, who is a juror at Sundance, believes the festival “really sets the tone for the year,” citing “Past Lives” as an example from last year.
“Obviously, ‘Past Lives’ has done really well, surprisingly so to the business. It’s a quiet movie about home, friends, what would’ve happened if you would’ve stayed in one place versus going somewhere else,” Waithe said. “Ultimately, I look at Sundance as a window into our industry, into what’s happening. And I think there’s a huge diversity in terms of filmmakers, writers, cast, and for me, it’s really about making sure this business still has a heartbeat.”
At the Variety Diversifying Storytelling in Film panel presented by Adobe, Waithe and other creatives at Sundance discussed the role art plays in reflecting society.
Dawn Porter, director of “Luther: Never Too Much,” reflected on how films from “Past Lives” to...
“Obviously, ‘Past Lives’ has done really well, surprisingly so to the business. It’s a quiet movie about home, friends, what would’ve happened if you would’ve stayed in one place versus going somewhere else,” Waithe said. “Ultimately, I look at Sundance as a window into our industry, into what’s happening. And I think there’s a huge diversity in terms of filmmakers, writers, cast, and for me, it’s really about making sure this business still has a heartbeat.”
At the Variety Diversifying Storytelling in Film panel presented by Adobe, Waithe and other creatives at Sundance discussed the role art plays in reflecting society.
Dawn Porter, director of “Luther: Never Too Much,” reflected on how films from “Past Lives” to...
- 1/21/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
IndieWire has partnered with Sundance Film Festival presenting sponsor Adobe to host several panels at the Adobe on Main space. The last of these will take place today, January 21, at 11 a.m. Mt. It’s called New Voices in Film: Sundance x Adobe Fellows Spotlight, and it’s moderated by IndieWire Executive Editor, Craft and Special Projects, Chris O’Falt. Speakers Gerardo Coello, Gabriela Ortega, Iliana Sosa, and Sean Wang will discuss their latest projects, creative processes, and their unique stories shaping the future of film.
If you can’t make it in person, IndieWire will be live streaming the panel right here.
Coello is a 2018 Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellow director/screenwriter whose short film “Viaje de Negocios” is debuting at 2024 Sundance. Ortega, one of the 2023 Sundance Women to Watch x Adobe Fellows, is the producer and actor behind short film “Border Hopper.” Sosa, a 2020 Sundance Women to Watch x Adobe Fellow,...
If you can’t make it in person, IndieWire will be live streaming the panel right here.
Coello is a 2018 Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellow director/screenwriter whose short film “Viaje de Negocios” is debuting at 2024 Sundance. Ortega, one of the 2023 Sundance Women to Watch x Adobe Fellows, is the producer and actor behind short film “Border Hopper.” Sosa, a 2020 Sundance Women to Watch x Adobe Fellow,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
IndieWire’s 2024 Sundance lineup of events is officially being revealed.
In addition to IndieWire’s annual Sundance Studio, the publication is partnering with Adobe for three panel discussions taking place at Adobe’s 558 Main Street location in Park City. Sign up to gain access to the space here.
The first, taking place January 20 at 3 p.m. Mt, is titled IndieWire: Creative Collaborations in Filmmaking, presented by Adobe.
Join the guest list here.
IndieWire’s Crafts editor Chris O’Falt will moderate a discussion with Duplass Brothers Productions president Mel Eslyn and producer/director/actor Mark Duplass. The conversation will focus on the longtime partnership behind the production company behind projects such as HBO’s “Room 104,” “Somebody Somewhere,” Hulu’s “Sasquatch,” and new release “Penelope,” which is premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
The second conversation, at 3:30 p.m. Mt, January 20, will have O’Falt moderate a discussion with the...
In addition to IndieWire’s annual Sundance Studio, the publication is partnering with Adobe for three panel discussions taking place at Adobe’s 558 Main Street location in Park City. Sign up to gain access to the space here.
The first, taking place January 20 at 3 p.m. Mt, is titled IndieWire: Creative Collaborations in Filmmaking, presented by Adobe.
Join the guest list here.
IndieWire’s Crafts editor Chris O’Falt will moderate a discussion with Duplass Brothers Productions president Mel Eslyn and producer/director/actor Mark Duplass. The conversation will focus on the longtime partnership behind the production company behind projects such as HBO’s “Room 104,” “Somebody Somewhere,” Hulu’s “Sasquatch,” and new release “Penelope,” which is premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
The second conversation, at 3:30 p.m. Mt, January 20, will have O’Falt moderate a discussion with the...
- 1/19/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
In the wake of the dual Hollywood strikes, the 2024 theatrical release schedule is in a bind, even streamers are desperate for product. Sundance, save us.
Eighty percent of this year’s film lineup is for sale, some even made on SAG-AFTRA interim agreements during the actors strike. That means there’s a lot up for grabs, and Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming Eugene Hernandez anticipates a frenzy.
“There’s an enthusiasm (among buyers), everyone is showing up to connect with and consider films for distribution,” he said at Thursday morning’s opening news conference.
“We have assembled a program that includes movies that deserve to be and to find their audiences. Films are ready for their audiences,” added Hernandez.
Related: Sundance Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews
“We have a slate that is ready to meet its audience,” he said.
“I think Sundance...
Eighty percent of this year’s film lineup is for sale, some even made on SAG-AFTRA interim agreements during the actors strike. That means there’s a lot up for grabs, and Sundance Film Festival Director and Head of Public Programming Eugene Hernandez anticipates a frenzy.
“There’s an enthusiasm (among buyers), everyone is showing up to connect with and consider films for distribution,” he said at Thursday morning’s opening news conference.
“We have assembled a program that includes movies that deserve to be and to find their audiences. Films are ready for their audiences,” added Hernandez.
Related: Sundance Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews
“We have a slate that is ready to meet its audience,” he said.
“I think Sundance...
- 1/18/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The annual IndieWire Studio at Sundance returns for the 2024 season to honor the 40th anniversary of the iconic festival.
The IndieWire Studio at Sundance will feature interviews with the talent behind the most anticipated films of the festival with discussions taking place in-person on Main Street in historic Park City, Utah.
Presented by Dropbox, and with supporting partners ACLU and Cotopaxi, the IndieWire Studio at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival will serve as a hub for video interviews with the top attending talent from the hottest indie films presented at the fest. Actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, and documentary subjects will be interviewed by IndieWire’s senior staff for exclusive video and social media content.
Dropbox is the perfect partner for IndieWire — and for Sundance — because it’s a brand that recognizes the power of collaborative effort. Their tools keep creative teams on the same page, whether sharing dailies, shooting schedules, costume specs,...
The IndieWire Studio at Sundance will feature interviews with the talent behind the most anticipated films of the festival with discussions taking place in-person on Main Street in historic Park City, Utah.
Presented by Dropbox, and with supporting partners ACLU and Cotopaxi, the IndieWire Studio at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival will serve as a hub for video interviews with the top attending talent from the hottest indie films presented at the fest. Actors, directors, producers, screenwriters, and documentary subjects will be interviewed by IndieWire’s senior staff for exclusive video and social media content.
Dropbox is the perfect partner for IndieWire — and for Sundance — because it’s a brand that recognizes the power of collaborative effort. Their tools keep creative teams on the same page, whether sharing dailies, shooting schedules, costume specs,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Ben Fowlie, founder of the Camden International Film Festival, is departing as executive and artistic director of the Points North Institute, the nonprofit that produces the highly-respected documentary festival in coastal Maine.
Rick Rector, a board member of the Points North Institute, has been appointed Pni’s interim executive director in Fowlie’s stead. Fowlie, in addition to founding the film festival in 2005, established the Points North Institute in 2016, co-founding the nonprofit with Sean Flynn and Caroline von Kuhn.
Von Kuhn will remain as Pni board chair and Flynn will continue to lead Pni’s artist programs and fellowships and expand his role to oversee the upcoming 20th Camden International Film Festival, set for September 12-15, 2024.
Ciff executive and artistic director Ben Fowlie with ‘The Rescue’ director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
“After twenty incredible years building this organization from the ground up, it’s the right time for me to step down,...
Rick Rector, a board member of the Points North Institute, has been appointed Pni’s interim executive director in Fowlie’s stead. Fowlie, in addition to founding the film festival in 2005, established the Points North Institute in 2016, co-founding the nonprofit with Sean Flynn and Caroline von Kuhn.
Von Kuhn will remain as Pni board chair and Flynn will continue to lead Pni’s artist programs and fellowships and expand his role to oversee the upcoming 20th Camden International Film Festival, set for September 12-15, 2024.
Ciff executive and artistic director Ben Fowlie with ‘The Rescue’ director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
“After twenty incredible years building this organization from the ground up, it’s the right time for me to step down,...
- 1/16/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The MacRo Lodge at Sundance Film Festival (www.StayMACRO.com), hosted by MacRo Founder & CEO Charles D. King (Mudbound, Judas and the Black Messiah) and his wife Stacey Walker King, Chief Brand Officer of the company, returns to the Sundance Film Festival for its seventh annual showcase of panels and parties at the iconic film festival to champion inclusion and people of color at its prime location at 136 Heber Avenue in Park City, Ut with three days of programming.
Featured events from January 19-21, 2024 will include appearances by David Alan Grier, Demario Driver, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Jay Ellis, Ji-Young Yoo, Justice Smith, Keir Gilchrist, Michelle Farrah Huang, Normani, director/writer/producers Anna Boden, Carlos Lopez Estrada, Dawn Porter, Kobi Libii and Ryan Fleck, producers Datari Turner, Debby Wolfe, Debra Martin Chase, Jelani Johnson, Leah Smith, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Poppy Hanks, Sonja Warfield and more.
Midnight MacRo, MacRo’s...
Featured events from January 19-21, 2024 will include appearances by David Alan Grier, Demario Driver, Dominique Thorne, Jack Champion, Jay Ellis, Ji-Young Yoo, Justice Smith, Keir Gilchrist, Michelle Farrah Huang, Normani, director/writer/producers Anna Boden, Carlos Lopez Estrada, Dawn Porter, Kobi Libii and Ryan Fleck, producers Datari Turner, Debby Wolfe, Debra Martin Chase, Jelani Johnson, Leah Smith, Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Poppy Hanks, Sonja Warfield and more.
Midnight MacRo, MacRo’s...
- 1/12/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Film lovers, filmmakers, industry insiders, actors, artists and more are expected to return en masse for the milestone festivities that will include a packed calendar of parties, panels, concerts, gatherings and networking opportunities, in addition to all the big-screen showings. Below is a roundup of all of the intel The Hollywood Reporter has gathered thus far, featuring events in Park City. All times listed are local and information for how to submit an event is at the end of the list.
Houses, Lodges and Activations
Acura House of Energy
Acura House of Energy, 550 Swede Alley, daily from Jan. 19-22 (with both public and private, invite-only hours)
Acura returns to Sundance for a 14th year as presenting sponsor and official vehicle of the festival by bringing new “energy” to its commitment to uplift independent artists and underrepresented through official Sundance programming and a reimagined, revamped space dubbed the Acura House of Energy.
Houses, Lodges and Activations
Acura House of Energy
Acura House of Energy, 550 Swede Alley, daily from Jan. 19-22 (with both public and private, invite-only hours)
Acura returns to Sundance for a 14th year as presenting sponsor and official vehicle of the festival by bringing new “energy” to its commitment to uplift independent artists and underrepresented through official Sundance programming and a reimagined, revamped space dubbed the Acura House of Energy.
- 1/12/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter — who directed the upcoming Luther Vandross documentary Luther: Never Too Much — thinks of her favorite song by the legendary singer, she selects “So Amazing,” the timeless track he wrote and produced for Dionne Warwick and later recorded himself.
But then she pauses. “I think it’s hard for me because I’m very attached to some scenes right now,” she says. Then she speaks about “Any Love,” Vandross’ autobiographical song about wanting to find the one and the sadness behind being alone. The track topped the R&b charts in the late ’80s.
“I really wanted him to be able to tell you his story as much as possible, so how do you do that with someone who’s not with us? A lot of that was thinking about the lyrics. [On] ‘Any Love,’ he was just endlessly frustrated with the absence of a romantic partner in his life,...
But then she pauses. “I think it’s hard for me because I’m very attached to some scenes right now,” she says. Then she speaks about “Any Love,” Vandross’ autobiographical song about wanting to find the one and the sadness behind being alone. The track topped the R&b charts in the late ’80s.
“I really wanted him to be able to tell you his story as much as possible, so how do you do that with someone who’s not with us? A lot of that was thinking about the lyrics. [On] ‘Any Love,’ he was just endlessly frustrated with the absence of a romantic partner in his life,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Mesfin Fekadu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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