Get ready for a slew of original programming from Barack and Michelle Obama, coming soon to Netflix!
Last year we learned that former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama had signed a huge multi-year deal with Netflix.
If you’re one of the many who’ve been curious to find out what the Obamas have been cooking up via their newly-minted Higher Ground productions, the wait is finally over.
On Tuesday, Higher Ground co-heads Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis revealed a full slate of projects consisting of seven titles total.
The titles coming down the pipeline consist of both scripted and unscripted projects ranging from documentaries to feature films.
Both Obamas released statements in regards to the projects they’re committed to producing via Higher Ground, which sheds a bit of light on what they all have in common.
“We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling. That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects,” said former President Obama in his statement. “Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights, and much more, we believe each of these productions won’t just entertain, but will educate, connect, and inspire us all.”
Meanwhile, the former First Lady said: “We love this slate because it spans so many different interests and experiences, yet it’s all woven together with stories that are relevant to our daily lives. We think there’s something here for everyone — moms and dads, curious kids, and anyone simply looking for an engaging, uplifting watch at the end of a busy day. We can’t wait to see these projects come to life — and the conversations they’ll generate.”
There’s currently no word on when we can expect the titles to be released, but in their press release Netflix notes that all projects are currently in different stages of development. The plan is to release them over the course of the next several years.
Here are the titles and official synopses for all seven projects:
AMERICAN FACTORY: A film acquired by Netflix in association with Higher Ground Productions out of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Directing Award: U.S. Documentary. From Participant Media, the film is directed by Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy Award®-winners Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert (“The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant,” “A Lion in the House,” “Seeing Red”). The acclaimed film takes a deep dive into a post-industrial Ohio, where a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant and hires two thousand blue-collar Americans. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America. The producers are Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert, Jeff Reichert, and Julie Parker Benello.
BLOOM: An upstairs/downstairs drama series set in the world of fashion in post-WWII New York City that depicts barriers faced by women and by people of color in an era marked by hurdles but also tremendous progress. BLOOM is written and executive produced by Academy Award-winner® Callie Khouri (“Nashville,” “Thelma and Louise,” the upcoming Aretha Franklin movie at MGM), from an idea developed by Khouri, writer-director Clement Virgo (“The Book Of Negroes,” “The Wire,” “Empire”) and novelist and producer Juliana Maio (“City of the Sun”). Higher Ground Productions, Khouri, Virgo and Maio will executive produce the series.
FREDERIC DOUGLASS BIO-PIC: Higher Ground is producing a feature film adaptation of author David W. Blight’s Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, for which he won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History. The New York Times called the book “an ambitious and empathetic biography of a major American life.”
OVERLOOKED: Adapted from The New York Times’ ongoing obituary column Overlooked, telling the stories of remarkable people whose deaths were not reported by the newspaper, Higher Ground is developing Overlooked as a scripted anthology series with producers Liza Chasin of 3dot Productions and Joy Gorman Wettels of Anonymous Content.
LISTEN TO YOUR VEGETABLES & EAT YOUR PARENTS: A half-hour preschool series from creators Jeremy Konner (“Drunk History”) and Erika Thormahlen. The show will take young children and their families around the globe on an adventure that tells us the story of our food.
FIFTH RISK: From Michael Lewis, the best-selling author of The Big Short and Moneyball, and based on his book The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy, Fifth Risk is a non-fiction series, that will aim to portray the importance of unheralded work done by everyday heroes guiding our government and safeguarding our nation.
CRIP CAMP: A feature-length documentary film in production that is supported by the Sundance Institute and acquired earlier this year by Higher Ground and Netflix. Just down the road from Woodstock, in the early 1970s, a parallel revolution blossomed in a ramshackle summer camp for disabled teenagers that would transform young lives, and America forever by helping to set in motion the disability rights movement. The film is directed by former camper Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham. Producers include Newnham, LeBrecht and Sara Bolder, with executive producer Howard Gertler.
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