"False advertising" doesn't even begin to cover Files of the Unexplained, Netflix's latest docuseries about extraordinary crimes, conspiracies, and phenomena that have captured the public's attention over the past 50 years. Each episode explores a different "unexplained" event, from alien abductions to the gelatinous blobs that rained down over a Washington town in 1994, but while its subjects offer plausible theories, the show purposely casts doubt on them, instead preferring to maintain an air of mystery around these cases. It's as if producers have set out to mislead the viewer, which is particularly odd considering those behind the scenes — including Vox Media Studios, the production company responsible for Netflix's Explained franchise, and executive producer Skye Borgman — have a history of responsible, evidence-based work.
- 4/4/2024
- by Claire Spellberg Lustig
- Primetimer
Exclusive: Verve has hired Jacy Schleier as an agent in the Non-Fiction team, led by Partner Andy Stabile. Schleier was most recently an agent, Non-Fiction Television, Talent & IP at CAA.
There, she was involved in the representation of production companies such as Magical Elves (Nailed It!), Citizen Jones (How to Become a Tyrant), Mary Robertson’s Maxine (June), and Objective (Lingo). She worked with filmmaker Skye Borgman (Sins of Our Mother) on securing an overall deal at Netflix and has represented chef Kwame Onwuachi (Top Chef) and producers on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Love Island, and Below Deck.
In the Book-to-tv & film area, Schleier has been involved in the representation of companies like Mattel, Spotify, and ProPublica and assisted journalists such as Bob Spitz (The Remarkable Life of Julia Child), and Laura Beil (Dr. Death) in adapting their stories for television.
Schleier also was involved in selling documentaries,...
There, she was involved in the representation of production companies such as Magical Elves (Nailed It!), Citizen Jones (How to Become a Tyrant), Mary Robertson’s Maxine (June), and Objective (Lingo). She worked with filmmaker Skye Borgman (Sins of Our Mother) on securing an overall deal at Netflix and has represented chef Kwame Onwuachi (Top Chef) and producers on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Love Island, and Below Deck.
In the Book-to-tv & film area, Schleier has been involved in the representation of companies like Mattel, Spotify, and ProPublica and assisted journalists such as Bob Spitz (The Remarkable Life of Julia Child), and Laura Beil (Dr. Death) in adapting their stories for television.
Schleier also was involved in selling documentaries,...
- 2/29/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Don't let the title fool you: There are no concrete answers to be found in The Truth About Jim. Directed by Skye Borgman (Abducted in Plain Sight), Max's four-part series follows amateur investigator Sierra Barter as she digs into her family's painful past and explores the possibility that her step-grandfather Jim Mordecai was a serial killer. In the years since Mordecai's death, Barter's mother Shannon and grandmother Judy have opened up about the horrific abuse they suffered at his hands, shedding new light on allegations that Mordecai, a high school teacher, groomed and raped young girls, including his stepdaughter Christi Probst.
- 2/16/2024
- by Claire Spellberg Lustig
- Primetimer
Sierra Barter embarks on a journey to answer the question to its fullest, most disturbing capacity as the amateur investigator dives into her personal and familial trauma to uncover the truths of her deceased stepfather, a respected San Francisco Bay Area teacher and community member covering a vicious history of physical violence, sexual assault, and potentially serial murder. Produced by Imagine Documentaries for Investigation Discovery (ID), the four-part Max Original documentary series “The Truth About Jim” will premiere on Thursday, Feb. 15. You can watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.
How to Watch 'The Truth About Jim' When: Thursday, February 15, 2024 Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com About 'The Truth About Jim'
Produced by Imagine Documentaries for Investigation Discovery (ID) and directed by Skye Borgman (“Abducted in Plain Sight”), “The Truth About Jim” seeks...
How to Watch 'The Truth About Jim' When: Thursday, February 15, 2024 Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com About 'The Truth About Jim'
Produced by Imagine Documentaries for Investigation Discovery (ID) and directed by Skye Borgman (“Abducted in Plain Sight”), “The Truth About Jim” seeks...
- 2/15/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Was Her Family Member the Zodiac Killer? ‘The Truth About Jim’ Follows One Woman’s Quest for Answers
True crime documentaries are so ubiquitous that the subgenres now have subgenres. You’ll find countless serial killer stories, with various wrinkles to distinguish one from the next. And lately we’ve seen an influx of projects featuring citizen investigators sifting through their own family histories — Great Photo, Lovely Life, and Born in Synanon come to mind — in search of closure.
The Truth About Jim, the new Max Original docuseries from Investigation Discovery, is a sort of mashup of the above. It follows a young woman, Sierra Barter, seeking to...
The Truth About Jim, the new Max Original docuseries from Investigation Discovery, is a sort of mashup of the above. It follows a young woman, Sierra Barter, seeking to...
- 2/15/2024
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
Skye Borgman’s deep dive into an unsolved serial killer’s crimes unearths a whole family tree of pain, pathos, and progress.
“A cold case is no substitute for a warm life.”
True crime documentaries and serial killer investigations have become the latest cash cow for streaming services. Dozens of these slickly-packaged products flood streamers as they elicit shock and awe through sensationalized storytelling. That’s not to say that all of these serial killer docu-series are disposable, but there’s definitely a right and wrong way to engage in these investigative narratives. The Truth About Jim benefits from its accomplished director, Skye Borgman, who’s responsible for the gripping true crime documentary, Abducted in Plain Sight, which unpacks the complicated tale of the Broberg family, as well as Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries revival. The Truth About Jim tells a story that’s comfortably in Borgman’s wheelhouse that attempts...
“A cold case is no substitute for a warm life.”
True crime documentaries and serial killer investigations have become the latest cash cow for streaming services. Dozens of these slickly-packaged products flood streamers as they elicit shock and awe through sensationalized storytelling. That’s not to say that all of these serial killer docu-series are disposable, but there’s definitely a right and wrong way to engage in these investigative narratives. The Truth About Jim benefits from its accomplished director, Skye Borgman, who’s responsible for the gripping true crime documentary, Abducted in Plain Sight, which unpacks the complicated tale of the Broberg family, as well as Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries revival. The Truth About Jim tells a story that’s comfortably in Borgman’s wheelhouse that attempts...
- 2/14/2024
- by Daniel Kurland
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Max Original four-part documentary series The Truth About Jim, from Investigation Discovery (ID), directed by Skye Borgman and produced by Imagine Documentaries, debuts Thursday, February 15 on Max. Amateur investigator Sierra Barter confronts a traumatic past and secrets that have plagued her family for generations. Sierra, her mother Shannon, and her grandmother Judy bravely pursue the truth about a mystery that could change their lives forever – was Jim Mordecai, their husband, stepfather, and step-grandfather a notorious serial killer? The Truth About Jim Trailer Episode Descriptions: Episode 1: Digging Up The PastSierra Barter begins investigating her step-grandfather ... Read more...
- 2/2/2024
- by Thomas Miller
- Seat42F
Back in 2019, local Lousiana headlines carried some shockingly disturbing news — a 17-year-old shot and killed his father. However, what initially seemed pretty open and closed turned into a layered event that would shake the general public to the core. No doubt there’s nothing quite normal about the situation, but the story of Burt Templet was definitely a story for the screens. Cue Netflix‘s expository documentary, I Just Killed My Dad, which brought the dark details of the story to light. The narrative was brought to life by the director of Girl in the Picture, Skye Borgman. Not only did...
- 9/27/2023
- by Ima Whyte
- TVovermind.com
Click here to read the full article.
In Nanfu Wang’s docuseries Mind Over Murder, the town of Beatrice, Nebraska, is still struggling with a 38-year-old tragedy. Six people were convicted of raping and murdering a woman in 1985, but DNA evidence exonerated them decades later. The six-part HBO series chronicles the extended miscarriage of justice with a focus on the town’s unique coping mechanism: A local community theater did a staged reading of court records and transcripts. It’s storytelling as confrontation therapy and, in one of the year’s best TV offerings, it’s an exploration of how our insatiable appetite for true crime, so often presented in voyeuristic terms, can be healing for those most personally involved with the tragedy, and for our societal wounds.
Throw in the myriad examples of true-crime content that have contributed to the exoneration of the innocent (The Thin Blue Line, Serial...
In Nanfu Wang’s docuseries Mind Over Murder, the town of Beatrice, Nebraska, is still struggling with a 38-year-old tragedy. Six people were convicted of raping and murdering a woman in 1985, but DNA evidence exonerated them decades later. The six-part HBO series chronicles the extended miscarriage of justice with a focus on the town’s unique coping mechanism: A local community theater did a staged reading of court records and transcripts. It’s storytelling as confrontation therapy and, in one of the year’s best TV offerings, it’s an exploration of how our insatiable appetite for true crime, so often presented in voyeuristic terms, can be healing for those most personally involved with the tragedy, and for our societal wounds.
Throw in the myriad examples of true-crime content that have contributed to the exoneration of the innocent (The Thin Blue Line, Serial...
- 11/20/2022
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This opening is usually where a disclaimer goes. For a series like “A Friend of the Family,” one that dramatizes the events behind a story that came to public attention through an acclaimed (or at least widely-seen) documentary, it’s almost second nature now to start off any discussion with a acknowledgment that many of the details are an open matter. Anyone who wants to know the story beforehand (particularly those who might want to avoid certain subject matter the story addresses) can easily find a concise summary with a few clicks.
Creators will go to great lengths to try to preserve a certain kind of viewing experience, one with twists unspoiled and jarring turns hidden. Amidst a sea of real-life stories of manipulation and grief and predation being turned into TV series, “A Friend of the Family” is one that stands out because it’s not constructed in that way.
Creators will go to great lengths to try to preserve a certain kind of viewing experience, one with twists unspoiled and jarring turns hidden. Amidst a sea of real-life stories of manipulation and grief and predation being turned into TV series, “A Friend of the Family” is one that stands out because it’s not constructed in that way.
- 10/6/2022
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
The documentary to podcast to scripted series is now a familiar progression for those of us who can’t help but blast blue light into our eyes at night, plunging into one true crime rabbit hole or another instead of sleeping. It’s no longer enough to consume a real-life travesty just for the facts; we need to obsess over the really juicy ones from every angle, from the lurid to the topical to the philosophical.
The latest now-familiar story to make the final stop on the all-platforms content cycle — the A-list scripted limited series — is the story of Jan Broberg, who was kidnapped twice as a child by her neighbor Robert Berchtold, and is now chronicled in “A Friend of the Family.”
Skye Borgman’s Netflix documentary “Abducted In Plain Sight” first introduced this strange, maddening story to a mass audience, leaving viewers with outrage and righteous judgment, the...
The latest now-familiar story to make the final stop on the all-platforms content cycle — the A-list scripted limited series — is the story of Jan Broberg, who was kidnapped twice as a child by her neighbor Robert Berchtold, and is now chronicled in “A Friend of the Family.”
Skye Borgman’s Netflix documentary “Abducted In Plain Sight” first introduced this strange, maddening story to a mass audience, leaving viewers with outrage and righteous judgment, the...
- 10/6/2022
- by Stephan Lee
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Making way-too-long, way-too-late indirect scripted adaptations of shoddily made Netflix true crime documentaries wouldn’t seem like a winning business plan. But six months after informally turning Tiger King into the almost unwatchably hammy Joe vs. Carole, Peacock has given the limited series treatment to 2019’s Abducted in Plain Sight.
Abducted in Plain Sight — one of those Netflix releases that come without any promotion, are all anybody discusses for three days and then are never mentioned again — was simultaneously tedious and tawdry. At only 91 minutes, it was either infuriatingly repetitive or repetitively infuriating, and the idea that Peacock’s A Friend of the Family was going to tell Jan Broberg’s harrowingly bizarre story in nine hours caused me immediate trepidation.
Based on six episodes sent to critics, A Friend of the Family is simultaneously doomed by that structural choice and close to a best-case scenario.
Making way-too-long, way-too-late indirect scripted adaptations of shoddily made Netflix true crime documentaries wouldn’t seem like a winning business plan. But six months after informally turning Tiger King into the almost unwatchably hammy Joe vs. Carole, Peacock has given the limited series treatment to 2019’s Abducted in Plain Sight.
Abducted in Plain Sight — one of those Netflix releases that come without any promotion, are all anybody discusses for three days and then are never mentioned again — was simultaneously tedious and tawdry. At only 91 minutes, it was either infuriatingly repetitive or repetitively infuriating, and the idea that Peacock’s A Friend of the Family was going to tell Jan Broberg’s harrowingly bizarre story in nine hours caused me immediate trepidation.
Based on six episodes sent to critics, A Friend of the Family is simultaneously doomed by that structural choice and close to a best-case scenario.
- 10/5/2022
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The iconic and gripping series returns with a three-week event featuring more unexplained deaths, baffling disappearances, and bizarre paranormal activity. Unsolved Mysteries Vol 3 is from the creators of the original docuseries, Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, and 21 Laps Entertainment, the producers of Stranger Things.
Episode Descriptions Premiering October 18, 2022 Mystery at Mile Marker 45 Directed by Skye Borgman When talented 18-year-old volleyball star Tiffany Valiante was hit by a train on a remote, unlit stretch of tracks in Mays Landing, New Jersey, authorities quickly ruled her case a suicide. However, Tiffany’s family and a team of pro bono experts believe she was murdered and her body, left on the tracks, to destroy the evidence. Something in the Sky Directed by Gabe Torres On the night of March 8, 1994, hundreds of people called 911 to report strange lights hovering over Lake Michigan. Among the witnesses was Jack Bushong, a National Weather Service radar operator, who...
Episode Descriptions Premiering October 18, 2022 Mystery at Mile Marker 45 Directed by Skye Borgman When talented 18-year-old volleyball star Tiffany Valiante was hit by a train on a remote, unlit stretch of tracks in Mays Landing, New Jersey, authorities quickly ruled her case a suicide. However, Tiffany’s family and a team of pro bono experts believe she was murdered and her body, left on the tracks, to destroy the evidence. Something in the Sky Directed by Gabe Torres On the night of March 8, 1994, hundreds of people called 911 to report strange lights hovering over Lake Michigan. Among the witnesses was Jack Bushong, a National Weather Service radar operator, who...
- 10/5/2022
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
“Cobra Kai” Season 5 has once again clinched the first spot in the Netflix Top 10 in the second week since its premiere, with 95.6 million hours viewed. The top 3 on the English TV list this week was rounded out by “Fate: The Winx Saga” Season 2, which debuted with nearly 49 million hours viewed, and “The Crown” Season 1, following closely behind with 40.8 million hours viewed after news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
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‘Do Revenge’ Star Maya Hawke on the Messiness of High School: ‘There’s So Much Forgiveness Built Into It’
Other notable entries on the list included documentary series “Sins of Our Mother,” from director Skye Borgman, which debuted on the list with 24.4 million hours viewed, as well as “The Crown” Season 2, which marked its first entry on the list with 16.7 million hours viewed. Also on the list were “The Imperfects,” “Devil in Ohio,” “Love Is Blind” Season 2, “Stranger Things 4” and “The Sandman.
Also Read:
‘Do Revenge’ Star Maya Hawke on the Messiness of High School: ‘There’s So Much Forgiveness Built Into It’
Other notable entries on the list included documentary series “Sins of Our Mother,” from director Skye Borgman, which debuted on the list with 24.4 million hours viewed, as well as “The Crown” Season 2, which marked its first entry on the list with 16.7 million hours viewed. Also on the list were “The Imperfects,” “Devil in Ohio,” “Love Is Blind” Season 2, “Stranger Things 4” and “The Sandman.
- 9/20/2022
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
Skye Borgman is the director behind some of the most popular true crime documentaries of the last decade, including Abducted in Plain Sight and Girl in the Picture. Her latest project Sins of Our Mother sheds new light on the alleged crimes of Lori Vallow, who is accused of murdering her two children, JJ and Tylee. Lori's pleaded not guilty to all charges. But Borgman told E! News she isn't just looking to entertain viewers, she wants to show them that JJ, Tylee and Charles Vallow could still be alive today had someone helped Lori. "I would hope that what people take away from this film is that they can really see how many times Lori could have been...
- 9/16/2022
- E! Online
Not everyone is a good person. Some people have darkness lurking in them that drives them to commit unspeakable acts. These people could be your family, co-workers, and friends. People change behind closed doors, but some monsters refuse to remain hidden when an object of desire threatens to escape their grasp. In Peacock’s A Friend of the Family trailer, the Broberg family discovers an unfathomable secret about a friend who feels more like an extended family member.
According to Peacock, A Friend of the Family is “based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This...
According to Peacock, A Friend of the Family is “based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This...
- 9/13/2022
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
A first look at A Friend of the Family, Peacock’s limited true crime drama series, is out in advance of the trailer’s debut this evening during the 74th Emmys.
The series features Anna Paquin (Flack), Jake Lacy (The White Lotus), Colin Hanks (The Offer), Lio Tipton (The Edge of Sleep), Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Afterlife), and Hendrix Yancey (George & Tammy). The show premieres on Peacock Oct. 6 with three episodes at launch and new episodes streaming weekly.
A Friend Of The Family is inspired by the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The series comes from showrunner/EP/writer Nick Antosca (Candy) and executive producers Alex Hedlund and Eliza Hittman, who also directs. Jan and Mary Ann Broberg both serve as producers on the series while Skye Borgman for Top Knot Films is a consulting producer.
The series features Anna Paquin (Flack), Jake Lacy (The White Lotus), Colin Hanks (The Offer), Lio Tipton (The Edge of Sleep), Mckenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Afterlife), and Hendrix Yancey (George & Tammy). The show premieres on Peacock Oct. 6 with three episodes at launch and new episodes streaming weekly.
A Friend Of The Family is inspired by the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a few years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The series comes from showrunner/EP/writer Nick Antosca (Candy) and executive producers Alex Hedlund and Eliza Hittman, who also directs. Jan and Mary Ann Broberg both serve as producers on the series while Skye Borgman for Top Knot Films is a consulting producer.
- 9/13/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
In the first trailer for the forthcoming three-part docuseries Sins of Our Mother, archival footage depicts Lori Vallow engaged in some uncomfortably eerie foreshadowing. “Being a good mom is very important to me, and a good wife,” she says, adding with a light laugh: “Being all those things together is not easy, so I’m basically a ticking time bomb.”
In 2021, Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell were both indicted for conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her two youngest children, 17-year-old Tylee and 7-year-old JJ,...
In 2021, Vallow and her husband Chad Daybell were both indicted for conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her two youngest children, 17-year-old Tylee and 7-year-old JJ,...
- 8/22/2022
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
A neighbor develops a disturbing interest in the Broberg family in the just-released trailer for Peacock’s upcoming true-crime limited drama series “A Friend of the Family.”
The series is inspired by the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over several years by an obsessed family “friend.” (You can watch the new trailer here.)
Jan and Mary Ann Broberg both serve as producers on the series, which comes from showrunner, executive producer and writer Nick Antosca (“Candy”).
“We were a loving, trusting, educated family. We were not stupid or careless. So how could this happen in our neighborhood, where we knew everyone, and everyone was a friend? The truth is that most predators are not strangers but people we know — people who can build trust, create special friendships, and separate family members psychologically,” Jan Broberg said in a statement.
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‘Vampire Academy...
The series is inspired by the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over several years by an obsessed family “friend.” (You can watch the new trailer here.)
Jan and Mary Ann Broberg both serve as producers on the series, which comes from showrunner, executive producer and writer Nick Antosca (“Candy”).
“We were a loving, trusting, educated family. We were not stupid or careless. So how could this happen in our neighborhood, where we knew everyone, and everyone was a friend? The truth is that most predators are not strangers but people we know — people who can build trust, create special friendships, and separate family members psychologically,” Jan Broberg said in a statement.
Also Read:
‘Vampire Academy...
- 8/18/2022
- by Brandon Katz
- The Wrap
Netflix is keeping its true crime fans entertained. The streaming platform announced the premiere date for I Just Killed My Father, its latest original documentary directed by Skye Borgman, the mind behind Girl in the Picture. According to the media release, the new series, premiering Aug. 9, will reexamine the 2019 death of Burt Templet, who was murdered by his son Anthony. "Why he did it is a complex question with profound implications that go far beyond one family," the logline reads. "This three-episode documentary series explores the psyche of Anthony leading up to the events of June 3, 2019 and the journey of his mental and emotional aftermath." Meanwhile,...
- 7/18/2022
- E! Online
Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you have not watched “Girl in the Picture,” streaming now on Netflix.
Netflix’s true-crime documentary “Girl in the Picture” has quickly captivated audiences with the layered and tragic story of Suzanne Sevakis, who was abducted as a child by Frank Floyd, and raised as his daughter. He sexually abused her, and forced her to marry him — and then she was killed in what Floyd claims was a hit-and-run accident in 1990. She was just 20 years old at the time of her death.
The doc, directed by Skye Borgman, unfolds in a gradual way as if viewers are investigating the crime themselves, leading to many shocking twists and turns. At first, audiences are told that the name of the woman who died was Tonya Hughes and that she had a child, Michael, with her husband Clarence. Then, viewers learn that they were known as Sharon...
Netflix’s true-crime documentary “Girl in the Picture” has quickly captivated audiences with the layered and tragic story of Suzanne Sevakis, who was abducted as a child by Frank Floyd, and raised as his daughter. He sexually abused her, and forced her to marry him — and then she was killed in what Floyd claims was a hit-and-run accident in 1990. She was just 20 years old at the time of her death.
The doc, directed by Skye Borgman, unfolds in a gradual way as if viewers are investigating the crime themselves, leading to many shocking twists and turns. At first, audiences are told that the name of the woman who died was Tonya Hughes and that she had a child, Michael, with her husband Clarence. Then, viewers learn that they were known as Sharon...
- 7/13/2022
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Ella Jay Basco has been cast as a recurring character in Nick Antosca’s upcoming Peacock limited series “A Friend of the Family,” Variety has learned exclusively.
The crime series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan (Hendrix Yancey) was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by Robert “B” Berchtold (Jake Lacy), a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart and turn their daughter against them. “A Friend of the Family” follows how their lives were permanently altered and how they survived.
Details of Basco’s character have yet to be announced.
Basco is best known for starring as Cassandra Cain opposite Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn in the 2020 DC movie “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of...
The crime series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan (Hendrix Yancey) was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by Robert “B” Berchtold (Jake Lacy), a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart and turn their daughter against them. “A Friend of the Family” follows how their lives were permanently altered and how they survived.
Details of Basco’s character have yet to be announced.
Basco is best known for starring as Cassandra Cain opposite Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn in the 2020 DC movie “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of...
- 7/7/2022
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Joe Chrest (Stranger Things) has been tapped for a heavily recurring role in A Friend of the Family, Peacock’s limited series from Nick Antosca and UCP.
A Friend Of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
Chrest will play Bishop Matthew Paulsen, a local bishop in Pocatello, ID. He is an important authority figure in the Brobergs’ life and plays a powerful role in the community. He believes in protecting members of his congregation and will make...
A Friend Of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
Chrest will play Bishop Matthew Paulsen, a local bishop in Pocatello, ID. He is an important authority figure in the Brobergs’ life and plays a powerful role in the community. He believes in protecting members of his congregation and will make...
- 6/16/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock’s limited drama series A Friend Of The Family continues to build its cast, adding Austin Stowell (The Hating Game), Patrick Fischler (American Crime Story: Impeachment), Bree Elrod (Red Rocket) and Philip Ettinger (First Reformed). They will join previously announced stars Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Lio Tipton, Mckenna Grace and Hendrix Yancey. A Friend Of The Family comes from Nick Antosca, who serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer.
A Friend Of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
A Friend Of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
- 4/6/2022
- by Alexandra Del Rosario
- Deadline Film + TV
Hendrix Yancey has been cast in a main role of the Peacock true crime series “A Friend of the Family.”
She joins previously announced cast members Mckenna Grace, Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Yancey will play Jan Broberg in the early years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect. It was previously announced that Grace will play an older version of Broberg in the story.
Yancey will next be seen in the drama series “George and Tammy” alongside Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon.
She joins previously announced cast members Mckenna Grace, Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Yancey will play Jan Broberg in the early years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect. It was previously announced that Grace will play an older version of Broberg in the story.
Yancey will next be seen in the drama series “George and Tammy” alongside Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon.
- 3/25/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Mckenna Grace, who earned an Emmy nomination for her role as 14-year-old Esther on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” has joined the cast of its true crime series, “Friend of the Family,” Peacock announced Tuesday.
The limited series from “The Act” producer Nick Antosca is the stranger-than-fiction story of Jan Broberg, whose kidnapping was told in 2017 Netflix doc “Abducted in Plain Sight.” As a child, her parents Bob and Mary Ann mistakenly put their trust in friend and neighbor, Robert Berchtold, who abducted Jan multiple times and manipulated her parents in jaw-dropping ways.
Grace, whose credits include “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” will play the teen version of Jan. She joins previously announced cast members Anna Paquin as Mary Ann Broberg, Colin Hanks as Bob Boberg, Jake Lacy as Robert Berchtold, and Lio Tiptin as Robert’s wife, Gail Berchtold.
Jan Broberg and Mary Ann Broberg serve as producers on the series.
The limited series from “The Act” producer Nick Antosca is the stranger-than-fiction story of Jan Broberg, whose kidnapping was told in 2017 Netflix doc “Abducted in Plain Sight.” As a child, her parents Bob and Mary Ann mistakenly put their trust in friend and neighbor, Robert Berchtold, who abducted Jan multiple times and manipulated her parents in jaw-dropping ways.
Grace, whose credits include “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “The Haunting of Hill House,” will play the teen version of Jan. She joins previously announced cast members Anna Paquin as Mary Ann Broberg, Colin Hanks as Bob Boberg, Jake Lacy as Robert Berchtold, and Lio Tiptin as Robert’s wife, Gail Berchtold.
Jan Broberg and Mary Ann Broberg serve as producers on the series.
- 3/22/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Mckenna Grace has joined the upcoming Peacock limited series “A Friend of the Family.”
Grace joins previously announced cast members stars Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Grace will star as Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect.
Grace recently starred in the hit film “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” as well as others like “Malignant,” “Scoob!,” “I, Tonya,” and “Captain Marvel.” She has also made a number of TV appearances throughout her career, including a...
Grace joins previously announced cast members stars Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”
Grace will star as Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city. Jan trusts family friend and neighbor Robert Berchtold (Lacy), though he has plans for her abduction that she doesn’t suspect.
Grace recently starred in the hit film “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” as well as others like “Malignant,” “Scoob!,” “I, Tonya,” and “Captain Marvel.” She has also made a number of TV appearances throughout her career, including a...
- 3/22/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Mckenna Grace (The Handmaid’s Tale) is set to star alongside Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks and Lio Tipton in A Friend of the Family, Peacock’s limited drama series about the Jan Broberg kidnapping case.
Written by Nick Antosca, A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered, and how they survived.
2022 Peacock Series & Pilot Orders
Grace will play Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann (Paquin) Broberg and leads a happy,...
Written by Nick Antosca, A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered, and how they survived.
2022 Peacock Series & Pilot Orders
Grace will play Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann (Paquin) Broberg and leads a happy,...
- 3/22/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to A Friend of the Family, a true-crime limited drama about the Jan Broberg kidnapping case, from Nick Antosca and UCP, with Oscar winner Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks and Lio Tipton attached to star. Eliza Hittman (Never Rarely Sometimes Always) is set to direct and executive produce multiple episodes, including the pilot.
UCP won the rights to the stranger-than-fiction story in a competitive situation, and the project has been in development at UCP since 2020.
Antosca will write and serve as showrunner and executive produce via his Eat the Cat banner, as part of his overall deal with UCP.
A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith,...
UCP won the rights to the stranger-than-fiction story in a competitive situation, and the project has been in development at UCP since 2020.
Antosca will write and serve as showrunner and executive produce via his Eat the Cat banner, as part of his overall deal with UCP.
A Friend of the Family is based on the harrowing true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith,...
- 2/15/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to the true crime series “A Friend of the Family,” which tells the story of the multiple kidnappings of Jan Broberg.
Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton will all star in the series, which hails from “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca. The show was originally announced as being in development back in May 2020.
“A Friend of the Family” is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered and how they survived.
“Nick Antosca has created a compelling series in...
Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton will all star in the series, which hails from “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca. The show was originally announced as being in development back in May 2020.
“A Friend of the Family” is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. This is the story of how their lives were permanently altered and how they survived.
“Nick Antosca has created a compelling series in...
- 2/15/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
About a year before her sister, Brooke Preston, was brutally killed by their roommate Randy Herman, Jr. in 2017, Jordan Preston remembers driving with her from Sarasota, Florida, to West Palm Beach, where she had a job interview. On the car ride over, they accidentally hit a turtle in the middle of the road. Brooke was devastated. “It broke her heart. She was literally crying, because she was so compassionate about this turtle,” Jordan remembers. In a Snapchat video she took, Brooke is seen uncontrollably sobbing as her sister, who’s filming,...
- 12/10/2021
- by EJ Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
Today, during the Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour, Hulu presented the company’s lineup of upcoming original programming.
Among those shows discussed were Dopesick, starring Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rosario Dawson and the second season of acclaimed, Emmy-nominated comedy series The Great, starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult.
They also covered new comedy series Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, and Nine Perfect Strangers, the latest limited series from executive producer David E. Kelley and starring and executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy.
All of these shows join the company’s collection of premium original content.
The company also announced a series order for the new Hulu Original comedy series This Fool, inspired by the life of up-and-coming comedian Chris Estrada, in which he will also write, star and executive produce.
Additionally, the highly successful Hulu Originals...
Among those shows discussed were Dopesick, starring Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rosario Dawson and the second season of acclaimed, Emmy-nominated comedy series The Great, starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult.
They also covered new comedy series Only Murders in the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, and Nine Perfect Strangers, the latest limited series from executive producer David E. Kelley and starring and executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy.
All of these shows join the company’s collection of premium original content.
The company also announced a series order for the new Hulu Original comedy series This Fool, inspired by the life of up-and-coming comedian Chris Estrada, in which he will also write, star and executive produce.
Additionally, the highly successful Hulu Originals...
- 8/7/2021
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Hulu is expanding its true-crime collection with two new titles.
First, from Abducted In Plain Sight director Skye Borgman, the documentary Dead Asleep follows the case of Randy Herman Jr., a Florida man convicted of a murder he says he committed while sleepwalking in 2017. The film shares exclusive footage of Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking).
Dead Asleep, which is produced by Pulse Films, is a co-production with British pay-tv broadcaster Sky, which will air it on its nascent network Sky Crime. It is exec produced by Pulse Films’ Marisa Clifford, Nelesh Dhand, and Sunshine Jackson and Sky’s Jack Oliver and Poppy Dixon.
Next, the docuseries Captive Audience, about what life was like for kidnapping victim Steven Stayner and his family after the 1989 miniseries I Know My First Name Is Steven (starring Corin Nemec as Steven) aired.
First, from Abducted In Plain Sight director Skye Borgman, the documentary Dead Asleep follows the case of Randy Herman Jr., a Florida man convicted of a murder he says he committed while sleepwalking in 2017. The film shares exclusive footage of Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists, and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleepwalking).
Dead Asleep, which is produced by Pulse Films, is a co-production with British pay-tv broadcaster Sky, which will air it on its nascent network Sky Crime. It is exec produced by Pulse Films’ Marisa Clifford, Nelesh Dhand, and Sunshine Jackson and Sky’s Jack Oliver and Poppy Dixon.
Next, the docuseries Captive Audience, about what life was like for kidnapping victim Steven Stayner and his family after the 1989 miniseries I Know My First Name Is Steven (starring Corin Nemec as Steven) aired.
- 8/6/2021
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
The first thing you might notice in Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 trailer is the music. The familiar theme of the original, classic series, has been twisted into a cross between the themes to the film Halloween and The Exorcist. We can still make out the melody, but it is far more haunting in its new mix. The same can be said of the show.
The new iteration Unsolved Mysteries is haunting and serious, avoiding some of the cheesier aspects which endeared viewers to the original, which began airing in 1987. Unsolved Mysteries Volume 1 featured six episodes which began streaming in July. Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2’s second set of sixes premieres on Oct. 19. With only one more 6 to make it a devilish enumeration, it is a perfect way to celebrate Halloween.
“In six new episodes, Unsolved Mysteries profiles more unexplained disappearances, tragic events, and bizarre occurrences,” according to the official logline.
The new iteration Unsolved Mysteries is haunting and serious, avoiding some of the cheesier aspects which endeared viewers to the original, which began airing in 1987. Unsolved Mysteries Volume 1 featured six episodes which began streaming in July. Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2’s second set of sixes premieres on Oct. 19. With only one more 6 to make it a devilish enumeration, it is a perfect way to celebrate Halloween.
“In six new episodes, Unsolved Mysteries profiles more unexplained disappearances, tragic events, and bizarre occurrences,” according to the official logline.
- 10/8/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The official trailer for Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries Vol. 2” is out, and it features “haunting” footage from real-life cases that is sure to give you goosebumps.
The second installment of Netflix’s reboot of the classic mystery TV series comes out Oct. 19, featuring six all-new stories that have left investigators scratching their heads for years.
As always, the show’s goal is to generate new information from viewers that could lead to a break in each case.
“Somebody out there knows something,” a voice says in the trailer, which you can watch above and on YouTube.
From the murder of a Washington insider to a case of stolen children, Volume 2 “profiles more unexplained disappearances, tragic events, and bizarre occurrences,” according to Netflix.
The series comes from the original creators, Terry Meurer and John Cosgrove, who also executive produce with Robert M. Wise. Shawn Levy and Josh Barry executive produce for 21 Laps Entertainment,...
The second installment of Netflix’s reboot of the classic mystery TV series comes out Oct. 19, featuring six all-new stories that have left investigators scratching their heads for years.
As always, the show’s goal is to generate new information from viewers that could lead to a break in each case.
“Somebody out there knows something,” a voice says in the trailer, which you can watch above and on YouTube.
From the murder of a Washington insider to a case of stolen children, Volume 2 “profiles more unexplained disappearances, tragic events, and bizarre occurrences,” according to Netflix.
The series comes from the original creators, Terry Meurer and John Cosgrove, who also executive produce with Robert M. Wise. Shawn Levy and Josh Barry executive produce for 21 Laps Entertainment,...
- 10/8/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Jan Broberg's unbelievable true story is becoming a TV series. The Act's Nick Antosca will script the limited series from Ucp based on the life of Broberg, an actress who recurred on Everwood, who was abducted and sexually abused as a child by a family friend. The events were chronicled in Abducted in Plain Sight, a documentary currently on Netflix. Both Broberg and her mother Mary Ann Broberg will serve as producers on the series. Antosca is executive producing, Alex Hedlund is co-executive producer and Abducted in Plain Sight director Skye Borgman is consulting producer. The untitled series will tell the story of the Broberg clan and Jan who was kidnapped multiple times over several years by an...
- 5/7/2020
- E! Online
Ucp and “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca have landed the rights to develop a limited series based on the true story of the Jan Broberg kidnapping, told in the documentary “Abducted in Plain Sight.”
Broberg’s shocking story of being abducted as a young girl by a trusted family friend in the 1970s was brought back into the public eye when the 2017 true-crime doc began streaming on Netflix last year.
Broberg herself is signed on to produce, along with her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, who wrote about her family’s experience in her memoir “Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story.” Antosca will write and executive produce.
Also Read: 'Crime Junkie' Host Ashley Flowers on Her Fascination With True Crime and Her Favorite Podcasts
The Ucp project, still untitled, is described as following “the bizarre true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic,...
Broberg’s shocking story of being abducted as a young girl by a trusted family friend in the 1970s was brought back into the public eye when the 2017 true-crime doc began streaming on Netflix last year.
Broberg herself is signed on to produce, along with her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, who wrote about her family’s experience in her memoir “Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story.” Antosca will write and executive produce.
Also Read: 'Crime Junkie' Host Ashley Flowers on Her Fascination With True Crime and Her Favorite Podcasts
The Ucp project, still untitled, is described as following “the bizarre true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic,...
- 5/7/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Nick Antosca, who co-created Hulu’s “The Act,” is delving into another crazy real-life story.
The “Channel Zero” producer is teaming up with Ucp to develop a limited series about Jan Broberg and her multiple kidnappings. Ucp, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios, nabbed the rights to Broberg’s stranger-than-fiction story series in what sources describe as a competitive bidding situation.
Broberg’s story was the subject of a Netflix documentary called “Abducted in Plain Sight.” Both Broberg and her mother Mary Ann are on board with this new project as producers.
The untitled Broberg series will follow the bizarre true story of how Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them.
The “Channel Zero” producer is teaming up with Ucp to develop a limited series about Jan Broberg and her multiple kidnappings. Ucp, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios, nabbed the rights to Broberg’s stranger-than-fiction story series in what sources describe as a competitive bidding situation.
Broberg’s story was the subject of a Netflix documentary called “Abducted in Plain Sight.” Both Broberg and her mother Mary Ann are on board with this new project as producers.
The untitled Broberg series will follow the bizarre true story of how Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them.
- 5/7/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
In a competitive situation, Ucp, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios, and Nick Antosca have won the rights to Jan Broberg’s true-crime stranger-than-fiction story, for development as a limited series.
The untitled Jan Broberg project follows the bizarre true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs —devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. The series is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
Antosca, under his production banner Eat the Cat, will write and executive produce via his overall deal with Ucp. Jan Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, will serve as producers. Eat the Cat’s Alex Hedlund will co-executive produce.
The untitled Jan Broberg project follows the bizarre true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs —devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them. The series is the story of how their lives were permanently altered — and how they survived.
Antosca, under his production banner Eat the Cat, will write and executive produce via his overall deal with Ucp. Jan Broberg and her mother, Mary Ann Broberg, will serve as producers. Eat the Cat’s Alex Hedlund will co-executive produce.
- 5/7/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Feature documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, which airs on Netflix and covers the kidnappings of actress Jan Broberg when she was a kid, is getting a podcast spin-off.
Obsessed With: Abducted In Plain Sight, which will be hosted by the film’s director Skye Borgman, is itself a spin-off of true crime comedy podcast True Crime Obsessed. It becomes the first podcast from the Obsessed Network, which was established by Patrick Hinds.
Abducted In Plain Sight tells the true story of Broberg, an Idaho teenager who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold in the 1970s on two separate occasions. Broberg went on to become an actress and starred in TV series including CBS’ Touched By An Angel and The WB’s Everwood as well as feature Maniac alongside Elijah Wood.
The spin-off podcast, which is co-hosted and produced by Hinds, will take a deep dive into the documentary.
Obsessed With: Abducted In Plain Sight, which will be hosted by the film’s director Skye Borgman, is itself a spin-off of true crime comedy podcast True Crime Obsessed. It becomes the first podcast from the Obsessed Network, which was established by Patrick Hinds.
Abducted In Plain Sight tells the true story of Broberg, an Idaho teenager who was abducted by her neighbor Robert Berchtold in the 1970s on two separate occasions. Broberg went on to become an actress and starred in TV series including CBS’ Touched By An Angel and The WB’s Everwood as well as feature Maniac alongside Elijah Wood.
The spin-off podcast, which is co-hosted and produced by Hinds, will take a deep dive into the documentary.
- 2/10/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Film Independent is looking to enrich and inspire the industry with its latest lineup of keynotes, films and panelists for its 14th annual Film Independent Forum. Keynotes will be delivered by Late Night filmmaker Nisha Ganatra and Len Amato President of HBO Films. The Forum will kick off with a screening of Olivia Wilde’s comedy Booksmart and will also feature Justin Chon’s drama Ms. Purple. The event, which continues to champion inclusive storytelling in film, takes place April 26 – 28 at the Lmu Playa Vista Campus and Harmony Gold Theater.
“Once again, I am thrilled to congregate our community to explore the work of the most interesting creators this year,” said Maria Raquel Bozzi, Senior Director of Education and International Initiatives. “From our screenings of Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart and Justin Chon’s Ms. Purple to our Keynotes by acclaimed writer-director Nisha Ganatra and HBO Films President Len Amato,...
“Once again, I am thrilled to congregate our community to explore the work of the most interesting creators this year,” said Maria Raquel Bozzi, Senior Director of Education and International Initiatives. “From our screenings of Olivia Wilde’s Booksmart and Justin Chon’s Ms. Purple to our Keynotes by acclaimed writer-director Nisha Ganatra and HBO Films President Len Amato,...
- 4/9/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
The true crime documentary, Abducted in Plain Sight, which recently appeared on Netflix, initially seems to be a nightmarish but otherwise unremarkable suburban kidnapping story. Set in the 1970s, Robert and Mary Ann Broberg and their three young daughters, Jan, Karen and Susan, are a nice Mormon family from Pocatello, Idaho, who quickly become close pals with their new neighbor, Robert Berchtold, and his wife and kids. So close that the Broberg girls come to view Berchtold, known as “B,” like a second father, especially middle daughter Jan. Somewhat predictably,...
- 1/30/2019
- by Amelia McDonell-Parry
- Rollingstone.com
Chicago – The 2018 Chicago Critics Film Festival (Ccff), the only fest curated by film critics in the country, is finishing up with a rousing line-up of cinema leading to the Closing Night Spotlight. “Eighth Grade” will close the 6th annual fest – and although the film is sold out – rush tickets could be available at the fest’s location, Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre. Get all the information by clicking here.
The Films of Ccff Screen at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.
Photo credit: ChicagoCriticsFilmFestival.com
The line up for Thursday, May 10th, 2018, the final day of the Ccff…
Three Identical Strangers (Noon) When three identical triplets, separated at birth, find each other in 1980 (at age 19), and it became a sensational news story. But the reunion also unlocks some secrets that go beyond their own lives, and actually could transform the understanding of human nature itself. To purchase tickets, click here.
The Films of Ccff Screen at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.
Photo credit: ChicagoCriticsFilmFestival.com
The line up for Thursday, May 10th, 2018, the final day of the Ccff…
Three Identical Strangers (Noon) When three identical triplets, separated at birth, find each other in 1980 (at age 19), and it became a sensational news story. But the reunion also unlocks some secrets that go beyond their own lives, and actually could transform the understanding of human nature itself. To purchase tickets, click here.
- 5/10/2018
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – The 2018 Chicago Critics Film Festival (Ccff), the only fest curated by film critics in the country, is entering its sixth edition with another outstanding line up. A collective of Chicago film critics attend the winter film festivals and find the hidden gems that will make their mark in cinemas for 2018 and beyond. The festival takes place from Friday, May 4th – “Fast Color” is the opening night film – through Thursday, May 10th, at Chicago’s historic Music Box Theatre. Get all the information – including the opportunity to purchase a weeklong pass – by clicking here.
From short films to features to documentaries, there are film treats to savor at this year’s Ccff. One of the benefits of the festival is special appearances by the filmmakers and featured performers. HollywoodChicago.com breaks down all those meet-and-greets below, and includes one other additional festival highlight by day and date.
Ccff Opening Night is Friday,...
From short films to features to documentaries, there are film treats to savor at this year’s Ccff. One of the benefits of the festival is special appearances by the filmmakers and featured performers. HollywoodChicago.com breaks down all those meet-and-greets below, and includes one other additional festival highlight by day and date.
Ccff Opening Night is Friday,...
- 5/4/2018
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Here’s your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress — at the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
Stolen Innocence
Logline: 12-year-old Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her parents’ best friend and trusted neighbor. Twice.
Elevator Pitch:
In 1974, Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her parents best friend, Robert Bechtold. He drugged her and strapped her to a bed in the back of a motorhome, and drove to Mexico. Upon awakening, Jan heard high-pitched voices, repeating commands through a small intercom, leading her to believe that she and Berchtold had been abducted by aliens. The FBI conducted a nationwide manhunt and found Jan 5 weeks later. Jan’s family remained oblivious to Berchtold’s diabolical intentions towards their daughter. His calculated...
In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.
Stolen Innocence
Logline: 12-year-old Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her parents’ best friend and trusted neighbor. Twice.
Elevator Pitch:
In 1974, Jan Broberg was kidnapped by her parents best friend, Robert Bechtold. He drugged her and strapped her to a bed in the back of a motorhome, and drove to Mexico. Upon awakening, Jan heard high-pitched voices, repeating commands through a small intercom, leading her to believe that she and Berchtold had been abducted by aliens. The FBI conducted a nationwide manhunt and found Jan 5 weeks later. Jan’s family remained oblivious to Berchtold’s diabolical intentions towards their daughter. His calculated...
- 7/25/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Last Thursday night, following hosting a screening and ensuing Q&A of Matt Zettell’s Resurrection County at The Los Angeles Film School (and the after-party at Kung Pao Kitty in Hollywood, CA), Dread was tipped off by the director that he’d just received a script for a sequel to his 2007 flick Cellar Door.
Entitled Cellar Door 2: Preymate, Zettell (pictured l to r with Resurrection County screenwriter James Cotton and stars Kathryn Michelle and Adam Huss) revealed of the film’s plot, “Herman has been locked away in a institution for the criminally insane. There should be nothing to fear. But Jody is running scared. A mysterious copy cat killer is stalking her, taunting her with the last words on earth she wants to hear; “Herman wants to play!.”
Penned by Chris Nelson who scripted the first in the now-burgeoning series, actors James DuMont and Michelle Tomlinson return...
Entitled Cellar Door 2: Preymate, Zettell (pictured l to r with Resurrection County screenwriter James Cotton and stars Kathryn Michelle and Adam Huss) revealed of the film’s plot, “Herman has been locked away in a institution for the criminally insane. There should be nothing to fear. But Jody is running scared. A mysterious copy cat killer is stalking her, taunting her with the last words on earth she wants to hear; “Herman wants to play!.”
Penned by Chris Nelson who scripted the first in the now-burgeoning series, actors James DuMont and Michelle Tomlinson return...
- 9/14/2009
- by SeanD.
- DreadCentral.com
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