Mark Duplass, star of The Morning Show, is to be handed the Excellence in Acting Award at the upcoming SeriesFest event.
The event is held in Denver between May 1 and 5 and features the likes of Minnie Driver and the cast of Grey’s Anatomy across its lineup.
Duplass, who also co-created HBO series Togetherness, is giving an Innovation Talk, where he will be handed the award. Duplass has also starred in The League, Goliath and The Mindy Project as well as being behind films such as The Puffy Chair and Cyrus as well as HBO’s anthology series Room 104 and a raft of documentaries including Evil Genius, Wild Wild Country and Sasquatch.
Also joining the lineup are Shark Tank’s Daymond John, who will be in conversation with Emil Pinnock and SAG-AFTRA Leadership, including Linda Powell, Shari Belafonte and Jodi Long.
There will be a screening and a panel...
The event is held in Denver between May 1 and 5 and features the likes of Minnie Driver and the cast of Grey’s Anatomy across its lineup.
Duplass, who also co-created HBO series Togetherness, is giving an Innovation Talk, where he will be handed the award. Duplass has also starred in The League, Goliath and The Mindy Project as well as being behind films such as The Puffy Chair and Cyrus as well as HBO’s anthology series Room 104 and a raft of documentaries including Evil Genius, Wild Wild Country and Sasquatch.
Also joining the lineup are Shark Tank’s Daymond John, who will be in conversation with Emil Pinnock and SAG-AFTRA Leadership, including Linda Powell, Shari Belafonte and Jodi Long.
There will be a screening and a panel...
- 4/18/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
If a silly golf tournament and exhibition tennis were not your thing, can Netflix interest you in Mike Tyson boxing Jake Paul live? Yes, yes, it can.
The streamer will host the fight on Saturday, July 20, 2024 from the 80,000-seat capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Someone copyright “Malice in Dallas” — quick.
Tyson’s professional record is 50-6 with 44 KOs, Paul’s is 9-1 with 6 Kos. There is quite a significant age difference between the two: Tyson is 57 and Paul is 27. Good luck handicapping this one, sportsbooks.
Paul recently knocked-out a pair of professional boxers and Golden Glove winners: Ryan Bourland this past Saturday, March 2, and Andre August in December 2023.
Tyson has earned every letter in his “Baddest Man on the Planet” moniker. At 20, Tyson was the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he ratted off 37 consecutive victories, 33 of them by Ko, with many...
The streamer will host the fight on Saturday, July 20, 2024 from the 80,000-seat capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys. Someone copyright “Malice in Dallas” — quick.
Tyson’s professional record is 50-6 with 44 KOs, Paul’s is 9-1 with 6 Kos. There is quite a significant age difference between the two: Tyson is 57 and Paul is 27. Good luck handicapping this one, sportsbooks.
Paul recently knocked-out a pair of professional boxers and Golden Glove winners: Ryan Bourland this past Saturday, March 2, and Andre August in December 2023.
Tyson has earned every letter in his “Baddest Man on the Planet” moniker. At 20, Tyson was the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he ratted off 37 consecutive victories, 33 of them by Ko, with many...
- 3/7/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Dun dun, Dick Wolf is now coming to Netflix.
The “Law & Order” and “FBI” creator and mega-producer is behind Netflix docuseries “Homicide: New York.” Wolf produces the five-episode show that revisits the most infamous and complex murder cases in New York City.
Featuring real cops, the docuseries showcases interviews with detectives and prosecutors as past cases are reexamined. The official series description teases that “Homicide: New York” will “illuminates the stories of notorious murder cases as told by the people who know them best: the detectives and prosecutors who cracked them.”
“Homicide: New York” is just one half of the two-part series, with follow-up “Homicide: Los Angeles” debuting later this year.
The show hails from Wolf Entertainment and Alfred Street Industries. Wolf executive produces along with Tom Thayer, Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth, Nan Strait, Dan Volpe, and Adam Kassen.
Meanwhile, Wolf’s “Law & Order” empire is thriving at NBC,...
The “Law & Order” and “FBI” creator and mega-producer is behind Netflix docuseries “Homicide: New York.” Wolf produces the five-episode show that revisits the most infamous and complex murder cases in New York City.
Featuring real cops, the docuseries showcases interviews with detectives and prosecutors as past cases are reexamined. The official series description teases that “Homicide: New York” will “illuminates the stories of notorious murder cases as told by the people who know them best: the detectives and prosecutors who cracked them.”
“Homicide: New York” is just one half of the two-part series, with follow-up “Homicide: Los Angeles” debuting later this year.
The show hails from Wolf Entertainment and Alfred Street Industries. Wolf executive produces along with Tom Thayer, Jane Lipsitz, Dan Cutforth, Nan Strait, Dan Volpe, and Adam Kassen.
Meanwhile, Wolf’s “Law & Order” empire is thriving at NBC,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
What began as an inquiry into a David vs Goliath contract and intellectual-property theft dispute ensnared one journalist in a massive web of intrigue involving political machinations, international espionage, and maybe even murder. American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders, a new documentary series directed by Zachary Treitz and produced by Duplass Brothers Productions with Stardust Frames Productions (who last teamed up for Wild Wild Country), untangles the arms of this conspiracy theory. When a photojournalist named Christian Hansen takes another look at the unfinished investigation, his search for answers sends him and Treitz zigzagging across the country in an attempt to track down the various entities involved in this mystery. It’s a mission that may put them at great personal risk — especially considering that Danny Casolaro, the journalist who originally pursued the story, was found dead under curious circumstances.
“It’s like a horror movie in some respects for me,...
“It’s like a horror movie in some respects for me,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Roxanne Fequiere
- Tudum - Netflix
"We knew who was involved. No one was ever brought to justice." Netflix has revealed a trailer for another new true crime, mysterious doc series - this one titled American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. However, this doc series looks like it's something much more intriguing than most - from the filmmaking team who brought you Wild Wild Country (which is one of the best series). From Stardust Frames, Duplass Brothers Productions, and director Zachary Treitz - this four part docuseries untangles a mystery decades in the making. The series takes a closer look at a shadowy organization called "The Octopus", a secret group with ties to stolen government spy software and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. The odd thing about this is that James Bond's great nemesis Ernst Blofeld runs Spectre, the villainous organization also uses an octopus for its symbol. This is a fictional group,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
What if finding out the truth got you killed?
Duplass Brothers Productions backs the looks-to-be-chilling Netflix docuseries “American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders,” which reexamines the death of West Virginian journalist Danny Casolaro. From the producers of “Wild Wild Country,” the series uncovers the organization known as the “octopus,” comprised of former government officials whose “tentacles” reach every part of the U.S. That was thanks to the software program Promis, which was used by the CIA.
The official synopsis for the four-part docuseries reads: “When journalist Danny Casolaro was found dead in a hotel bathtub, police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called ‘The Octopus,’ a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes...
Duplass Brothers Productions backs the looks-to-be-chilling Netflix docuseries “American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders,” which reexamines the death of West Virginian journalist Danny Casolaro. From the producers of “Wild Wild Country,” the series uncovers the organization known as the “octopus,” comprised of former government officials whose “tentacles” reach every part of the U.S. That was thanks to the software program Promis, which was used by the CIA.
The official synopsis for the four-part docuseries reads: “When journalist Danny Casolaro was found dead in a hotel bathtub, police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called ‘The Octopus,’ a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes...
- 2/8/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Netflix is investigating a strange conspiracy about a hidden organization known as The Octopus in its latest crime docuseries.
The streamer has ordered American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. It comes from Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames, the two companies behind Netflix’s hit docuseries Wild Wild Country and will be directed by Zachary Treitz (Men Go To Battle).
It starts with the death of journalist Danny Casolaro, who was found in a hotel bathtub and the police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called “The Octopus” – a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes to uncover the secrets behind Casolaro’s death, and the story that killed him.
The four-part series,...
The streamer has ordered American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders. It comes from Duplass Brothers Productions and Stardust Frames, the two companies behind Netflix’s hit docuseries Wild Wild Country and will be directed by Zachary Treitz (Men Go To Battle).
It starts with the death of journalist Danny Casolaro, who was found in a hotel bathtub and the police ruled it a suicide. But his family and colleagues believe he may have been murdered for investigating a conspiracy he called “The Octopus” – a hidden organization connected to stolen government spy software, a string of unsolved murders, and some of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century. Years later, researcher Christian Hansen pushes to uncover the secrets behind Casolaro’s death, and the story that killed him.
The four-part series,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Can you even believe we’re already heading into mid-October? My, how time flies!
There is so much to look forward to this week on the small screen, and we’ve got a whole bunch of recommendations for you below. Whether it’s new or returning shows or exciting movies, this is a busy week for TV Fanatics!
And if you’re still counting down the days to the spookiest day of the year (in addition to this week’s Friday the 13th), don’t forget to check out our What to Watch Special Edition: Halloween 2023 list for all the spooky goodies!
Saturday, October 7
8/7c 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost (Hallmark)
If you’re like me, you’ve been absolutely delighted that we’re Falling into Hallmark again. Fall is my favorite time of the year, and their decor alone puts me in the spirit.
Julie Gonzalo stars in this wonderful movie as Anna,...
There is so much to look forward to this week on the small screen, and we’ve got a whole bunch of recommendations for you below. Whether it’s new or returning shows or exciting movies, this is a busy week for TV Fanatics!
And if you’re still counting down the days to the spookiest day of the year (in addition to this week’s Friday the 13th), don’t forget to check out our What to Watch Special Edition: Halloween 2023 list for all the spooky goodies!
Saturday, October 7
8/7c 3 Bed, 2 Bath, 1 Ghost (Hallmark)
If you’re like me, you’ve been absolutely delighted that we’re Falling into Hallmark again. Fall is my favorite time of the year, and their decor alone puts me in the spirit.
Julie Gonzalo stars in this wonderful movie as Anna,...
- 10/7/2023
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
With the success of long-format cult-exposé documentaries such as Hulu’s “Stolen Youth,” HBO’s “The Vow” and Netflix’s “Wild Wild Country,” it’s not surprising that both Amazon and Netflix greenlit competing docuseries about Twin Flames Universe – an alleged online love cult run by YouTube influencers Jeff and Shaleia Divine.
Amazon’s “Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe” is being released on Oct. 6, a month before Netflix’s “Escaping Twin Flames.”
“Desperately Seeking Soulmate” is based on journalist Alice Hines’ 2020 Vanity Fair article about the “always online, all-consuming world of Twin Flames Universe.” The article and subsequent docuseries, which Hines leads, takes a deep dive into the alleged online love cult, which is still active. Created by Jeff and Shaleia, Twin Flames Universe sells online classes that guarantee to match each member with their “soulmate.” The three-part Amazon docuseries examines how Jeff and Shaleia met and formed...
Amazon’s “Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe” is being released on Oct. 6, a month before Netflix’s “Escaping Twin Flames.”
“Desperately Seeking Soulmate” is based on journalist Alice Hines’ 2020 Vanity Fair article about the “always online, all-consuming world of Twin Flames Universe.” The article and subsequent docuseries, which Hines leads, takes a deep dive into the alleged online love cult, which is still active. Created by Jeff and Shaleia, Twin Flames Universe sells online classes that guarantee to match each member with their “soulmate.” The three-part Amazon docuseries examines how Jeff and Shaleia met and formed...
- 10/6/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Brothers Chapman and Maclain Way, the sons of screenwriter Rick Way, grandsons of actor Bing Russell, and nephews to Kurt Russell (that one you know), have some obvious Hollywood pedigree. They also have a Primetime Emmy for 2018’s “Wild Wild Country” and Sundance status for 2014’s “The Battered Bastards of Baseball,” both of which were distributed by Netflix.
With the Tuesday return of their best-in-genre sports-documentary series “Untold,” the guys also have a legitimate claim for Top Netflix brothers. Sorry, Duffers; and Joe and Anthony Russo, you had better make something really good out of that “Gray Man” universe.
“Untold: Volume 3” debuts with a doc about the rise of yet another pair of bothers, Jake Paul and Logan Paul. “The Problem Child,” directed by Andrew Renzi is Jake’s (pictured above) story. And though Chapman, 36, and Maclain, 32, didn’t direct any of this season’s four “Untold” installments, their style...
With the Tuesday return of their best-in-genre sports-documentary series “Untold,” the guys also have a legitimate claim for Top Netflix brothers. Sorry, Duffers; and Joe and Anthony Russo, you had better make something really good out of that “Gray Man” universe.
“Untold: Volume 3” debuts with a doc about the rise of yet another pair of bothers, Jake Paul and Logan Paul. “The Problem Child,” directed by Andrew Renzi is Jake’s (pictured above) story. And though Chapman, 36, and Maclain, 32, didn’t direct any of this season’s four “Untold” installments, their style...
- 8/1/2023
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
"It's very important to convince people there is something sacred about you." Netflix revealed their official trailer for the doc series called How to Become a Cult Leader, streaming at the end of July for anyone who wants to find out the answer. It's the latest in Netflix's series of "How To Become" docs, following the original How To Become A Tyrant in 2021. Citizen Jones & Estuary Films, the producers behind these docs, have also announced How To Make A Mob Boss coming up in 2024 as well. A look inside the cult leader's playbook for achieving unconditional love, endless devotion and the power to control people's minds, bodies and souls. How to Become a Cult Leader is narrated by actor Peter Dinklage, who presents this satirical "guidebook" for capturing a devoted cult following. There are references in this trailer to cults like Aum in Japan, Osho from Wild Wild Country, Michel...
- 7/13/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Netflix already has some great docs about cults and their leaders, including “Wild Wild Country” and “Keep Sweet: Pray And Obey.” But now, the streamer takes a more tongue-in-cheek approach to megalomaniacal leaders and their flocks in a new six-part series: “How To Become A Cult Leader.”
Read More: The 70 Most Anticipated TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2023
The series marks the second in Netflix’s “How To Become…” series, the first of which, “How To Become A Tyrant,” hit the streamer in 2021.
Continue reading ‘How To Become A Cult Leader’ Trailer: New Doc Series About Megalomaniac Leaders And Their Flocks Hits Netflix On July 28 at The Playlist.
Read More: The 70 Most Anticipated TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2023
The series marks the second in Netflix’s “How To Become…” series, the first of which, “How To Become A Tyrant,” hit the streamer in 2021.
Continue reading ‘How To Become A Cult Leader’ Trailer: New Doc Series About Megalomaniac Leaders And Their Flocks Hits Netflix On July 28 at The Playlist.
- 7/13/2023
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Cannes Docs highlights Spain as part of its Docs in Progress program, featuring four documentaries that range from the avant-garde to the introspective.
Spain’s doc filmmakers have labored to establish international footing — battling the stigma that the category is made up of dry narratives, productions strive for the robust funding granted to fiction. “There’s still a negative connotation that the documentary’s something purely informative, expository or boring. It’s a state of mind that affects the public, but more importantly the distribution and exhibition. We’ve the great challenge of explaining that yes, the documentary has a cinematographic, narrative and emotional treatment comparable to ‘real cinema,’” says Rafa Molés of Suica Films.
Increasingly, docs have blurred borders, to positive effect.
“Since the democratization of digital devices at the beginning of this century and creation of the first specialized documentary studios in our country from the 2000s to present,...
Spain’s doc filmmakers have labored to establish international footing — battling the stigma that the category is made up of dry narratives, productions strive for the robust funding granted to fiction. “There’s still a negative connotation that the documentary’s something purely informative, expository or boring. It’s a state of mind that affects the public, but more importantly the distribution and exhibition. We’ve the great challenge of explaining that yes, the documentary has a cinematographic, narrative and emotional treatment comparable to ‘real cinema,’” says Rafa Molés of Suica Films.
Increasingly, docs have blurred borders, to positive effect.
“Since the democratization of digital devices at the beginning of this century and creation of the first specialized documentary studios in our country from the 2000s to present,...
- 5/19/2023
- by Holly Jones
- Variety Film + TV
Quinta Brunson has quickly become one of the most beloved names in comedy thanks to the success of her hilarious, charming, and Emmy-winning series "Abbott Elementary" on ABC. The series follows a staff of teacher's at a public elementary school in Philadelphia, where they not only have to deal with everyone's eccentric personalities but the harsh realities of the American educational system, albeit with a comedic spin.
Because Brunson plays an eager and ambitious teacher, she's become quite the celebrated figure among America's teachers (including her own mother). But as Brunson illustrated on the latest episode of "Saturday Night Live," she's first and foremost a comedian, and she took full advantage of breaking away from her "Abbott Elementary" image. This episode of "SNL" lands somewhere near the best of the season, and perhaps the most pleasing element is that almost all of the sketches were original premises, with only a couple veering into parody territory.
Because Brunson plays an eager and ambitious teacher, she's become quite the celebrated figure among America's teachers (including her own mother). But as Brunson illustrated on the latest episode of "Saturday Night Live," she's first and foremost a comedian, and she took full advantage of breaking away from her "Abbott Elementary" image. This episode of "SNL" lands somewhere near the best of the season, and perhaps the most pleasing element is that almost all of the sketches were original premises, with only a couple veering into parody territory.
- 4/2/2023
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Quinta Brunson had a real-life “pinch me” moment on April 1. The “Abbott Elementary” creator and star made her “Saturday Night Live” debut as the night’s guest, and according to her monologue, it was a long time coming.
Brunson shared that she had always dreamed of being on “SNL” when she was a kid, but the audition process “seemed long,” so she took the simple route when she “created my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys and then got asked to host and it was so much easier!”
The 33-year-old went on about the network sitcom’s success, at one point comparing it to “Friends”. “Except instead of being about a group of friends, it’s about a group of teachers. And instead of New York, it’s in Philadelphia. And instead of not having Black people — it does,” she joked.
Brunson...
Brunson shared that she had always dreamed of being on “SNL” when she was a kid, but the audition process “seemed long,” so she took the simple route when she “created my own TV show, made sure it became really popular, won a bunch of Emmys and then got asked to host and it was so much easier!”
The 33-year-old went on about the network sitcom’s success, at one point comparing it to “Friends”. “Except instead of being about a group of friends, it’s about a group of teachers. And instead of New York, it’s in Philadelphia. And instead of not having Black people — it does,” she joked.
Brunson...
- 4/2/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
The new Netflix documentary, Waco: American Apocalypse, follows the 51-day standoff that took place at a Branch Davidian compound in Waco, TX. The Branch Davidians are an apocalyptic religious movement led by David Koresh at the time of the standoff. Waco: American Apocalypse isn’t the only show about cults on Netflix.
David Koresh in ‘Waco: American Apocalypse’ | Netflix The Netflix documentary ‘Sins of Our Mother’ follows a well-known true-crime case
Sins of Our Mother follows the disappearances and murders of Tylee Ryan (16) and J.J. Vallow (7) and the subsequent arrests of Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Lori grew up Mormon. This means she was a follower of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Lds Church.)
Over time, Lori’s religious beliefs and mental state became increasingly concerning, especially after she met Chad Daybell. The pair were part of an extreme cult-like spinoff sect of the Lds Church,...
David Koresh in ‘Waco: American Apocalypse’ | Netflix The Netflix documentary ‘Sins of Our Mother’ follows a well-known true-crime case
Sins of Our Mother follows the disappearances and murders of Tylee Ryan (16) and J.J. Vallow (7) and the subsequent arrests of Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell. Lori grew up Mormon. This means she was a follower of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Lds Church.)
Over time, Lori’s religious beliefs and mental state became increasingly concerning, especially after she met Chad Daybell. The pair were part of an extreme cult-like spinoff sect of the Lds Church,...
- 4/1/2023
- by Erica Scassellati
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The success of long-format cult-exposé documentaries like HBO’s “The Vow” and Netflix’s “Wild Wild Country” has given the cult-curious an appetite for the kind of chain-link explosion rhythms that only serials can supply. We’re primed, one might even say programmed, to expect the smallest new kink on even the oddest tangent to get ample screentime, and broader thematic arcs and major personalities to have multiple episodes over which to develop. Ben Braun and Chiaki Yanagimoto’s “Aum: The Cult At The End of The World” certainly acknowledges that there is a whole season’s worth of material in the story of the infamous cult, fully named Aum Shinrikyo, that murdered 14 people and injured 6,000 when they released sarin gas into the Tokyo subway in 1995. In trying to cram it all into one 106-minute package, however, the directors deliver a far-ranging but only fitfully revealing investigation into how Aum came into being and,...
- 1/26/2023
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Showtime is exploring an infamous teenage couple who were convicted of murdering 11 people in the 1950s in the network’s latest docuseries. The 12th Victim is a four-part docuseries following the crimes of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate.
Told through a stylistic blend of archival and recreated footage and countless film and television series inspired by the killings, the series reexamines Fugate’s guilty verdict, who was 14 years old at the time of the killings, through a modern lens, questioning the media and judicial system’s treatment of her despite her self-proclaimed innocence.
On Tuesday, Showtime released a trailer for the series and announced it will debut on February 17.
In 1958, a grisly string of murders terrified the Midwest, as 18-year-old Starkweather killed 11 victims in Nebraska and Wyoming with his girlfriend Fugate by his side. Fugate went on to become the youngest female in U.S. history to be tried...
Told through a stylistic blend of archival and recreated footage and countless film and television series inspired by the killings, the series reexamines Fugate’s guilty verdict, who was 14 years old at the time of the killings, through a modern lens, questioning the media and judicial system’s treatment of her despite her self-proclaimed innocence.
On Tuesday, Showtime released a trailer for the series and announced it will debut on February 17.
In 1958, a grisly string of murders terrified the Midwest, as 18-year-old Starkweather killed 11 victims in Nebraska and Wyoming with his girlfriend Fugate by his side. Fugate went on to become the youngest female in U.S. history to be tried...
- 1/24/2023
- by Katie Campione
- Deadline Film + TV
Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.
The series: "Documentary Now!"
Where you can stream it: AMC+
The pitch: A team of some of comedy's most creative minds, including Fred Armisen, John Mulaney, Bill Hader, and Seth Meyers, set out to spoof documentaries in every way possible. Armisen has described the show as the "Weird Al of documentaries," while Hader has been hesitant to call the show's send-ups of various documentaries "parodies" because they're doing so much more than a simple satire. Each episode is a self-contained mini faux-documentary, with a few two-parter exceptions, and the subject matter ranges from showbiz docs like "The Kid Stays in the Picture" to the modern Netflix hit about a cult, "Wild, Wild Country." There is a clear love for the documentaries that are being spoofed,...
The series: "Documentary Now!"
Where you can stream it: AMC+
The pitch: A team of some of comedy's most creative minds, including Fred Armisen, John Mulaney, Bill Hader, and Seth Meyers, set out to spoof documentaries in every way possible. Armisen has described the show as the "Weird Al of documentaries," while Hader has been hesitant to call the show's send-ups of various documentaries "parodies" because they're doing so much more than a simple satire. Each episode is a self-contained mini faux-documentary, with a few two-parter exceptions, and the subject matter ranges from showbiz docs like "The Kid Stays in the Picture" to the modern Netflix hit about a cult, "Wild, Wild Country." There is a clear love for the documentaries that are being spoofed,...
- 11/5/2022
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Now in its second season, Untold—the Netflix documentary series executive produced by brothers Chapman and Maclain Way (Wild Wild Country)—continues to offer an intriguing selection of sports-centered stories. From covering the world’s most successful female boxer to the infamous “Malice at the Palace” brawl, Volume 1 of the series became popular for choosing to tell a side of a notable story you thought you knew—essentially a nonfiction offering of feature-length episodes packaged under the Untold umbrella. As a basketball fan, I was curious to see what Volume 2 would include. Having premiered on August 16th and rolling out an episode […]
The post “Making These Documentaries Is Like a Wild Goose Chase All Over the Globe”: Chapman and Maclain Way on Untold Volume 2 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post “Making These Documentaries Is Like a Wild Goose Chase All Over the Globe”: Chapman and Maclain Way on Untold Volume 2 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 8/30/2022
- by Erik Luers
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
MTV’s “Catfish” never had an episode with the drama that surrounded former Notre Dame football standout Manti Te’o, the Hawaiian-born linebacker infamously duped into believing his longtime girlfriend, whom he never met in person, died just ahead of the 2013 Bcs National Championship Game. It was a tabloid story that left many wanting the real truth, but it took Chapman and Maclain Way’s Netflix documentary series “Untold” to reveal it.
“It’s obviously been a white whale in the sports world,” Chapman told IndieWire of the Manti episode, “The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.” The Ways, with directors Ryan Duffy and Tony Vainuku, captured a many-hours-long interview with the former linebacker (and many more hours with his catfisher). “He’s always been a hard ‘No, no, no, no, no, no.'”
Until now, now, now, now, now, now. What changed?
“I think [it was] the release of Volume 1 and seeing the...
“It’s obviously been a white whale in the sports world,” Chapman told IndieWire of the Manti episode, “The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.” The Ways, with directors Ryan Duffy and Tony Vainuku, captured a many-hours-long interview with the former linebacker (and many more hours with his catfisher). “He’s always been a hard ‘No, no, no, no, no, no.'”
Until now, now, now, now, now, now. What changed?
“I think [it was] the release of Volume 1 and seeing the...
- 8/16/2022
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
1. “The Sandman” Season 1 (available August 5)
Developed by: Neil Gaiman & David S. Goyer & Allan Heinberg
Cast: Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, David Thewlis, Stephen Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park
Format: Series
Length: Season 1: 10 hourlong episodes
Best Reason to Watch: Prior to today, Neil Gaiman, the outspoken author behind previous book-to-screen adaptations of “Coraline,” “Stardust,” “American Gods,” and “Good Omens,” has said that his main responsibility to his award-winning 1989 comic book series was “to try and stop bad [adaptations] from happening.” Insofar as this is the first “Sandman” to be seen on screen, he succeeded. And to match his faith in the Netflix series, he’s not just attached as a producer, but a writer and co-developer, as well. Audiences will be able to determine if his devotion and protection pay off when the 10-episode first season debuts this August, and the...
Developed by: Neil Gaiman & David S. Goyer & Allan Heinberg
Cast: Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt, Vivienne Acheampong, Gwendoline Christie, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, David Thewlis, Stephen Fry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park
Format: Series
Length: Season 1: 10 hourlong episodes
Best Reason to Watch: Prior to today, Neil Gaiman, the outspoken author behind previous book-to-screen adaptations of “Coraline,” “Stardust,” “American Gods,” and “Good Omens,” has said that his main responsibility to his award-winning 1989 comic book series was “to try and stop bad [adaptations] from happening.” Insofar as this is the first “Sandman” to be seen on screen, he succeeded. And to match his faith in the Netflix series, he’s not just attached as a producer, but a writer and co-developer, as well. Audiences will be able to determine if his devotion and protection pay off when the 10-episode first season debuts this August, and the...
- 7/31/2022
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Will ‘Better Call Saul’ Breakout Rhea Seehorn Survive the Finale? ‘Death Is Not the Only Tragic End’
Rhea Seehorn’s fiancé doesn’t know if Kim Wexler lives. Neither do her stepchildren, who recently became “Better Call Saul” fans — and now demand similar answers about her fate. There are just six episodes left before the “Breaking Bad” prequel wraps up its six-season run in August. How it all ends is still a closely guarded secret.
Seehorn, of course, won’t entertain guesses about her character’s destiny. But she offers a twist: Maybe the question isn’t whether Kim dies — but what happens if she doesn’t? “Death is not the only tragic end,” she teases.
All we know from the “Breaking Bad” timeline are the characters who later pop up in that show — starting with Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman, aka Gene Takovic. Bob Odenkirk’s now-iconic role, which began as a one-note huckster lawyer on “Bad,” evolved into a textured, deeply flawed yet sympathetic lead in “Better Call Saul.
Seehorn, of course, won’t entertain guesses about her character’s destiny. But she offers a twist: Maybe the question isn’t whether Kim dies — but what happens if she doesn’t? “Death is not the only tragic end,” she teases.
All we know from the “Breaking Bad” timeline are the characters who later pop up in that show — starting with Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman, aka Gene Takovic. Bob Odenkirk’s now-iconic role, which began as a one-note huckster lawyer on “Bad,” evolved into a textured, deeply flawed yet sympathetic lead in “Better Call Saul.
- 6/15/2022
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
In a move that suggests the golden age of true-crime content is also being established in Spain, Madrid-based Onza Distribution has pounced on worldwide rights outside the country to smash hit series “Crímenes” (“Crimes”), by Catalan journalist Carles Porta.
Broadcast since 2020 on Catalunya’s public broadcaster TV3 under the Catalan title of “Crims,” the true-crime series’ first two-seasons topped free-to-air TV primetime slots in the region, snagging peaks of 22 audience share.
Since January, adapted as “Crímenes” into Spanish language, it launched nationwide on leading paybox Movistar Plus’ premium channel #0 and its VOD service, also generating an enthusiastic audience response.
Onza Distribution is presenting “Crimes” to international buyers for the first time ever at MipTV, which runs April, 4-6 in Cannes.
With the combination of documentary material and the necessary fictional resources, “Crimes” recounts a series of criminal offenses extracted from recent real-life events in Spain.
It invites the viewer to...
Broadcast since 2020 on Catalunya’s public broadcaster TV3 under the Catalan title of “Crims,” the true-crime series’ first two-seasons topped free-to-air TV primetime slots in the region, snagging peaks of 22 audience share.
Since January, adapted as “Crímenes” into Spanish language, it launched nationwide on leading paybox Movistar Plus’ premium channel #0 and its VOD service, also generating an enthusiastic audience response.
Onza Distribution is presenting “Crimes” to international buyers for the first time ever at MipTV, which runs April, 4-6 in Cannes.
With the combination of documentary material and the necessary fictional resources, “Crimes” recounts a series of criminal offenses extracted from recent real-life events in Spain.
It invites the viewer to...
- 4/1/2022
- by Emiliano De Pablos
- Variety Film + TV
IndieWire turns 25 this year. To mark the occasion, we’re running a series of essays about the future of everything we cover.
Remember when documentaries were deeply honorable but commercially unviable? “Knock Down the House” shattered Sundance records in 2019 when Netflix bought it for $10 million; Apple and A24 broke that record the next year with the $12 million acquisition of “Boys State.” Apple paid a reported $25 million for “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” while studios like Concordia, Participant, Radical, and Xtr pump millions into the non-fiction genre.
Today, everyone loves documentaries. Streamers are hailed as giving the genre a new lease on life. However, the streaming business is not dedicated to speaking truth to power, as documentaries often do; streamers amass subscribers and create shareholder value.
So, what does that mean for the future of documentaries? If the risk-averse, franchise-dominated movie business is any example, we should expect more documentaries about famous people,...
Remember when documentaries were deeply honorable but commercially unviable? “Knock Down the House” shattered Sundance records in 2019 when Netflix bought it for $10 million; Apple and A24 broke that record the next year with the $12 million acquisition of “Boys State.” Apple paid a reported $25 million for “Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry,” while studios like Concordia, Participant, Radical, and Xtr pump millions into the non-fiction genre.
Today, everyone loves documentaries. Streamers are hailed as giving the genre a new lease on life. However, the streaming business is not dedicated to speaking truth to power, as documentaries often do; streamers amass subscribers and create shareholder value.
So, what does that mean for the future of documentaries? If the risk-averse, franchise-dominated movie business is any example, we should expect more documentaries about famous people,...
- 12/11/2021
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Lace ‘em up, fans of top-notch sports docs: Netflix has renewed “Last Chance U: Basketball” for a second season and ordered what the streaming service is calling “Volume 2” of the excellent feature-length documentary series “Untold.”
The second season of “Last Chance U: Basketball” will return to East Los Angeles College Huskies (Elac) and head coach John Mosley. “Untold: Volume 2” will consist of four new stories told over four weeks, including a two-part film on Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te’o. Directed by Ryan Duffy and Tony Vainuku, that one will feature interviews with Manti Te’o and the catfisher behind the hoax, Netflix said.
Additionally, Netflix has ordered a new docuseries, “Bad Sport,” which examines “six unbelievable stories at the intersection of sports and crime.”
“Bad Sport” episodes include the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic figure skating scandal; superstar Indycar driver Randy Lanier’s marijuana-smuggling operation; the Arizona State University basketball point-shaving...
The second season of “Last Chance U: Basketball” will return to East Los Angeles College Huskies (Elac) and head coach John Mosley. “Untold: Volume 2” will consist of four new stories told over four weeks, including a two-part film on Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te’o. Directed by Ryan Duffy and Tony Vainuku, that one will feature interviews with Manti Te’o and the catfisher behind the hoax, Netflix said.
Additionally, Netflix has ordered a new docuseries, “Bad Sport,” which examines “six unbelievable stories at the intersection of sports and crime.”
“Bad Sport” episodes include the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic figure skating scandal; superstar Indycar driver Randy Lanier’s marijuana-smuggling operation; the Arizona State University basketball point-shaving...
- 9/10/2021
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
A documentary collection of five “story behind the story” looks at compelling chapters from the world of sports doesn’t happen by accident. Particularly in a corner of the entertainment world driven by injecting drama into events in whatever sport happens to be on display, athletes are no stranger to the process of seeing how stories are written in real time.
So when the filmmaking duo of Maclain and Chapman Way set out to collect a handful of sports world reevaluations for the Netflix series “Untold,” they knew exactly what they were looking for in potential subjects. After an enlightening conversation with former tennis pro Mardy Fish — the main participant in “Breaking Point,” the volume’s last chapter — the Ways met with around 20 different former sports stars before honing in on the five that would come to make up “Untold.”
“We talked to a lot of athletes and looked at...
So when the filmmaking duo of Maclain and Chapman Way set out to collect a handful of sports world reevaluations for the Netflix series “Untold,” they knew exactly what they were looking for in potential subjects. After an enlightening conversation with former tennis pro Mardy Fish — the main participant in “Breaking Point,” the volume’s last chapter — the Ways met with around 20 different former sports stars before honing in on the five that would come to make up “Untold.”
“We talked to a lot of athletes and looked at...
- 9/8/2021
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Another month, another hefty lineup of Netflix original films and television series arriving on the streaming platform. For September 2021, Netflix will debut not just new episodes of Emmy-nominated reality show “Nailed It!” but numerous high profile features including Worth (September 3) with Michael Keaton and Stanley Tucci, “Kate” (September 10) with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and “The Starling” (September 24) with Melissa McCarthy and Kevin Kline.
Ahead, the biggest new movies and shows coming to Netflix in September.
Coming Soon
Baki Hanma — Netflix Anime
Baki Hanma continues his quest to become the most powerful fighter and prepares for his battle with the strongest creature in the world — his father.
Bangkok Breaking — Netflix Series
Newly arrived in Bangkok, Wanchai joins the road rescue service and unravels a city-wide conspiracy with the help of a journalist.
Crime Stories: India Detectives — Netflix Documentary
Cameras following Bengaluru police on the job offer a rare glimpse into the complex...
Ahead, the biggest new movies and shows coming to Netflix in September.
Coming Soon
Baki Hanma — Netflix Anime
Baki Hanma continues his quest to become the most powerful fighter and prepares for his battle with the strongest creature in the world — his father.
Bangkok Breaking — Netflix Series
Newly arrived in Bangkok, Wanchai joins the road rescue service and unravels a city-wide conspiracy with the help of a journalist.
Crime Stories: India Detectives — Netflix Documentary
Cameras following Bengaluru police on the job offer a rare glimpse into the complex...
- 8/25/2021
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Emmy winners Sterling K. Brown and Mark Duplass have teamed up for a new sci-fi movie titled “Biosphere,” directed by Mel Eslyn.
The mysterious movie marks Eslyn’s feature directorial debut. Production on “Biosphere” — written by Eslyn and Duplass — has wrapped, with details of the project’s plot being kept secret.
The new movie is produced by Duplass Brothers Productions and Zackary Drucker, who previously co-directed the Duplass Brothers-produced docuseries “The Lady and the Dale.” ICM Partners is handling worldwide sales for the project.
Eslyn, who was named president of Duplass Brothers Productions in 2017, is the veteran producer behind movies and television series that include “The One I Love,” “Outside In” and “Paddleton.” She also directed three episode of the HBO anthology show “Room 104” and produced the series in its entirety.
Brown is a two-time Emmy winner, best known for his work on NBC’s “This Is Us,” for...
The mysterious movie marks Eslyn’s feature directorial debut. Production on “Biosphere” — written by Eslyn and Duplass — has wrapped, with details of the project’s plot being kept secret.
The new movie is produced by Duplass Brothers Productions and Zackary Drucker, who previously co-directed the Duplass Brothers-produced docuseries “The Lady and the Dale.” ICM Partners is handling worldwide sales for the project.
Eslyn, who was named president of Duplass Brothers Productions in 2017, is the veteran producer behind movies and television series that include “The One I Love,” “Outside In” and “Paddleton.” She also directed three episode of the HBO anthology show “Room 104” and produced the series in its entirety.
Brown is a two-time Emmy winner, best known for his work on NBC’s “This Is Us,” for...
- 8/25/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
1. “The Chair” Season 1 (available August 20)
Why Should I Watch: Sandra Oh! Do you need another reason beyond Sandra Oh? Of course not, but perhaps you’re curious to know how much of the “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Killing Eve” star you’ll be getting. “The Chair” consists of six, half-hour episodes, all of which star Oh as Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, the new Chair of the English department at a prestigious (fictional) university tarnished by scandal. A professor (Jay Duplass) has been accused of improper behavior, and the investigation is made all the more complicated by a) his well-liked status within the community, and b) his possible relationship with Dr. Kim. Has she been promoted to guide the university into a new era, or is she the scapegoat to help the old guard escape any blame for their current predicament?
Bonus Reason: Amanda Peet! No, the “Brockmire” and “Togetherness” star isn’t...
Why Should I Watch: Sandra Oh! Do you need another reason beyond Sandra Oh? Of course not, but perhaps you’re curious to know how much of the “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Killing Eve” star you’ll be getting. “The Chair” consists of six, half-hour episodes, all of which star Oh as Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim, the new Chair of the English department at a prestigious (fictional) university tarnished by scandal. A professor (Jay Duplass) has been accused of improper behavior, and the investigation is made all the more complicated by a) his well-liked status within the community, and b) his possible relationship with Dr. Kim. Has she been promoted to guide the university into a new era, or is she the scapegoat to help the old guard escape any blame for their current predicament?
Bonus Reason: Amanda Peet! No, the “Brockmire” and “Togetherness” star isn’t...
- 8/1/2021
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Netflix has turned its eye to the untold stories in the sporting world with the upcoming docuseries (the rather straightforwardly titled) “Untold.” The new trailer provides a look at the five feature-length episodes, two of which are directed by “Wild Wild Country”’ filmmakers Chapman and Maclein Way (who also executive produce), and another by director of “Skate Kitchen” and HBO’s “Betty,” Crystal Moselle.
Continue reading ‘Untold’ Trailer: ‘Wild, Wild Country’ Creators Tackle The Sporting World For Netflix at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Untold’ Trailer: ‘Wild, Wild Country’ Creators Tackle The Sporting World For Netflix at The Playlist.
- 7/27/2021
- by Kambole Campbell
- The Playlist
"They're making a mockery of the league!" Netflix has revealed a trailer for a fascinating new documentary series called Untold, debuting weekly starting in August in a few more weeks. This series features five individual sports history doc films, each one about 80 mins, debuting across five weeks. From the creators of Wild Wild Country (which I lost my shit over), comes a five-part docuseries event that brings fresh eyes to epic tales from the wide world of sports. From tennis to boxing to basketball, these stories aren’t the ones you've heard before, even if you think you have. Premiering weekly, each film kicks off at a pivotal moment — the big fight, the Olympics, the playoffs — then delves deep into what happened beyond the headlines, as told by those who lived it, to reveal the grit, resilience, heartbreak, triumph, violence, comedy and pathos beneath the sweat. Damnnn this sounds good!
- 7/27/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Netflix is preparing to tell the untold stories in the world of sports with their upcoming docuseries, titled appropriately enough, “Untold.” The trailer below gives a sneak peek at the five feature-length episodes, two of which are helmed by “Wild Wild Country” directors Chapman and Maclein Way (who also executive produce the full series).
The synopsis, per Netflix:
Premiering weekly, each film kicks off at a pivotal moment — the big fight, the Olympics, the playoffs — and then delves deep into what happened beyond the headlines, as told by those who lived it, to reveal the grit, resilience, heartbreak, triumph, violence, comedy, and pathos beneath the sweat.
Whether it’s the famous “Malice at the Palace” Pacers-Pistons brawl finally being unraveled by those who were on the inside, Olympian Caitlyn Jenner reflecting on her journey to winning gold, boxer Christy Martin in the fight of her life outside the ring, professional...
The synopsis, per Netflix:
Premiering weekly, each film kicks off at a pivotal moment — the big fight, the Olympics, the playoffs — and then delves deep into what happened beyond the headlines, as told by those who lived it, to reveal the grit, resilience, heartbreak, triumph, violence, comedy, and pathos beneath the sweat.
Whether it’s the famous “Malice at the Palace” Pacers-Pistons brawl finally being unraveled by those who were on the inside, Olympian Caitlyn Jenner reflecting on her journey to winning gold, boxer Christy Martin in the fight of her life outside the ring, professional...
- 7/27/2021
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
Six years ago, “The Jinx,” HBO’s six-part series about murder suspect and real estate heir Robert Durst, reinvigorated the long-form docuseries format.
A mad rush by premium cablers and streamers to come up with the next “Jinx” followed, with Netflix’s 10-part “Making a Murderer” later that year and ESPN’s format busting “O.J.: Made in America” in 2016 further whetting the appetite for long-form docuseries.
But in the last few years docuseries have become noticeably bloated, so much so that according to several veteran docu producers, major platforms such as HBO, Netflix and Amazon are seeking shorter series or the traditional 90-minute, one-off documentary.
While the explosion of docuseries may have initially garnered subscribers for streamers, viewer data structures and algorithms have convinced doc buyers that more is not necessarily better.
“It seems clear that the data is telling these buyers that there are certain types of projects that...
A mad rush by premium cablers and streamers to come up with the next “Jinx” followed, with Netflix’s 10-part “Making a Murderer” later that year and ESPN’s format busting “O.J.: Made in America” in 2016 further whetting the appetite for long-form docuseries.
But in the last few years docuseries have become noticeably bloated, so much so that according to several veteran docu producers, major platforms such as HBO, Netflix and Amazon are seeking shorter series or the traditional 90-minute, one-off documentary.
While the explosion of docuseries may have initially garnered subscribers for streamers, viewer data structures and algorithms have convinced doc buyers that more is not necessarily better.
“It seems clear that the data is telling these buyers that there are certain types of projects that...
- 7/1/2021
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Virgil Films has acquired the North American rights to Far Out West: Inside California’s Kerista Commune, a documentary about a decades-long experiment in communal living.
The film will get a virtual release this fall, followed by a rollout across digital platforms.
Virgil’s description the film sums up a tale that fits with the recent attention for the multiple Nxium doc series and Netflix’s Wild Wild Country. “In the early 1970s,” it reads, “25 young, free spirits found each other in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood and formed the Kerista Commune. For two decades, they lived as one family, loving freely, raising children together, and making millions selling Apple computers. But if the alternative society they built was fantastically alluring, it was also fragile, and a quarter century after they voted to dissolve their commune, the former members are still debating what their experiment can teach us about human nature,...
The film will get a virtual release this fall, followed by a rollout across digital platforms.
Virgil’s description the film sums up a tale that fits with the recent attention for the multiple Nxium doc series and Netflix’s Wild Wild Country. “In the early 1970s,” it reads, “25 young, free spirits found each other in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood and formed the Kerista Commune. For two decades, they lived as one family, loving freely, raising children together, and making millions selling Apple computers. But if the alternative society they built was fantastically alluring, it was also fragile, and a quarter century after they voted to dissolve their commune, the former members are still debating what their experiment can teach us about human nature,...
- 6/16/2021
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Greenwich Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to Nicholas Bruckman’s Not Going Quietly, with plans to release the film in theaters on August 13.
The documentary, which won the Audience Award and Special Jury Recognition for Humanity in Social Action at SXSW, offers an intimate and inspiring look at the life of political activist Ady Barkan.
“If you didn’t already know that Ady Barkan is an incredible badass who has overcome every possible obstacle to transform our democracy for the better, soon you will thanks to Greenwich Entertainment,” said director Nicholas Bruckman in a statement. “We’re beyond excited to be working with the passionate team at Greenwich on the release of Not Going Quietly, and to share Ady’s story nationwide at this profound and hopeful moment for our country.”
A progressive hero and loving father, Barkan was diagnosed with Als at age 32. In spite of his declining physical abilities,...
The documentary, which won the Audience Award and Special Jury Recognition for Humanity in Social Action at SXSW, offers an intimate and inspiring look at the life of political activist Ady Barkan.
“If you didn’t already know that Ady Barkan is an incredible badass who has overcome every possible obstacle to transform our democracy for the better, soon you will thanks to Greenwich Entertainment,” said director Nicholas Bruckman in a statement. “We’re beyond excited to be working with the passionate team at Greenwich on the release of Not Going Quietly, and to share Ady’s story nationwide at this profound and hopeful moment for our country.”
A progressive hero and loving father, Barkan was diagnosed with Als at age 32. In spite of his declining physical abilities,...
- 5/12/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The two men on the train are sharing a single set of earphones. “Good song, isn’t it?” says the more gregarious of the two. The quieter man smiles faintly and agrees, “It goes with the landscape.” They could be childhood friends reconnecting, or colleagues who get along despite their differences. But they are filmmaker Atsushi Sakahara, victim of the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attacks, and Hiroshi Araki, long-standing member of Aleph (formerly Aum Shinriko) the doomsday cult that carried them out. And their flickering but unmistakable connection forms the core of the desperately moving “Me and the Cult Leader,” a film made all the more heartbreaking because you can never be quite sure who your heart is breaking for.
In the decades since the attack — panicky amateur footage of which opens the film, as the soundtrack crackles with frantic police chatter — Sakahara has suffered from Ptsd and various physical impairments.
In the decades since the attack — panicky amateur footage of which opens the film, as the soundtrack crackles with frantic police chatter — Sakahara has suffered from Ptsd and various physical impairments.
- 4/28/2021
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
Photo: ‘Searching For Sheela’/Netflix Little Made Of Lots Netflix’s newest documentary, ‘Searching For Sheela’, follows Ma Anand Sheela, former secretary to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, founder of the Rajneesh movement in India, who was sentenced to twenty years in United States prison after the 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack as she returns to India for the first time in decades for an interview tour. This documentary comes off the heels of the 2018 true-crime docuseries, ‘Wild Wild Country’, which depicts and recaps the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Ma Anand Sheela, and the Rajneesh movement as well as the 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack. Prior to watching the documentary, I was unfamiliar with the source material and had not seen ‘Wild Wild Country’ which made for me being not the most informed viewer of ‘Searching For Sheela’ so be sure to read my review from that lens and perspective. Related article: Must Watch – Hollywood Insider’s...
- 4/24/2021
- by Sean Aversa
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Sheela Birnstiel, formerly known as Ma Anand Sheela, or more simply Sheela, emerged as by far the most colorful character in the Duplass Brothers’ “Wild Wild Country” documentary series, released by Netflix in 2018.
While the Rajneesh religious group rose and fell, Sheela’s individual narrative included impassioned entanglements with media and prison time for attempted murder.
Sheela today considers herself absolved. She argues that she’s served her time and, therefore, can no longer be considered a criminal. Her answer to so-called “cancel culture” is to stand her ground and refuse to be canceled.
“I have no explaining to do. People understand me from where they are — from what is their understanding about themselves and their lives, they project it on me. And I have no complaints about it, either,” she tells Variety. “Good, bad, ugly, it makes no difference. I am me. Their opinions will not change me.”
Barely out of her teens,...
While the Rajneesh religious group rose and fell, Sheela’s individual narrative included impassioned entanglements with media and prison time for attempted murder.
Sheela today considers herself absolved. She argues that she’s served her time and, therefore, can no longer be considered a criminal. Her answer to so-called “cancel culture” is to stand her ground and refuse to be canceled.
“I have no explaining to do. People understand me from where they are — from what is their understanding about themselves and their lives, they project it on me. And I have no complaints about it, either,” she tells Variety. “Good, bad, ugly, it makes no difference. I am me. Their opinions will not change me.”
Barely out of her teens,...
- 4/23/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Hulu’s Sasquatch is not really about bigfoot, although the mythical creature looms large in the three-part series.
The Joshua Rofé-directed project is, in fact, a murder mystery centered around a dangerous, weed-growing community in the Pacific Northwest.
Rofé told Deadline, which broke the news of the series in January, that after he finished Lorena, the Amazon docuseries about Lorena Bobbitt, the woman who famously cut off her husband’s penis, he was looking for a story that was hard to search for, which led him to Sasquatch. Naturally.
“I was feeling so relieved that we were getting so much amazing archival footage [on Lorena], which is a gamechanger when you’re making a doc and you know you’ll be able to represent it visually and capture a time and a place. My weird thought was, what if next time you had a story that you couldn’t even Google.
The Joshua Rofé-directed project is, in fact, a murder mystery centered around a dangerous, weed-growing community in the Pacific Northwest.
Rofé told Deadline, which broke the news of the series in January, that after he finished Lorena, the Amazon docuseries about Lorena Bobbitt, the woman who famously cut off her husband’s penis, he was looking for a story that was hard to search for, which led him to Sasquatch. Naturally.
“I was feeling so relieved that we were getting so much amazing archival footage [on Lorena], which is a gamechanger when you’re making a doc and you know you’ll be able to represent it visually and capture a time and a place. My weird thought was, what if next time you had a story that you couldn’t even Google.
- 4/20/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix released the first trailer for Searching for Sheela, a feature documentary that catches up with the breakout individual of its smash hit docuseries Wild Wild Country, Ma Anand Sheela. The righthand woman of the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Aka Osho), Sheela instantly became the most talked-about character of the series, owing to her alleged part in […]
The post ‘Searching for Sheela’ Trailer: Netflix Documentary Catches Up With ‘Wild Wild Country’ Guru’s Righthand Woman appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Searching for Sheela’ Trailer: Netflix Documentary Catches Up With ‘Wild Wild Country’ Guru’s Righthand Woman appeared first on /Film.
- 4/13/2021
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
Netflix released the first official trailer for “Searching for Sheela,” a short feature film follow-up to its smash hit docuseries “Wild Wild Country,” about the controversial Oregon Rajneesh cult and its spiritual leader, Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. The film follows the enigmatic cult leader’s right hand woman, known as Ma Anand Sheela, an intensely devoted follower who instantly became the most compelling and unsettling character in the series. “Searching for Sheela” will capitalize on the fascination with this dangerously charismatic woman.
Here’s the official synopsis provided by Netflix: “Osho’s controversial and sassy ex-secretary, Ma Anand Sheela returns to India after 34 years of exile and people just can’t get enough of her. Searching for Sheela is an intimate look into her journey across India, observing the rebranding of her as a pop-culture icon, with audiences unable to decide if they deem her a “criminal” or remain...
Here’s the official synopsis provided by Netflix: “Osho’s controversial and sassy ex-secretary, Ma Anand Sheela returns to India after 34 years of exile and people just can’t get enough of her. Searching for Sheela is an intimate look into her journey across India, observing the rebranding of her as a pop-culture icon, with audiences unable to decide if they deem her a “criminal” or remain...
- 4/13/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Is Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, real? “Sasquatch,” the upcoming Hulu docuseries executive produced by Mark and Jay Duplass probably isn’t going to answer that question.
However, the series does aim to offer a deep-dive into a grisly triple homicide that was allegedly caused by a Sasquatch decades ago. Hulu recently released a trailer for the project which is directed by Joshua Rofé.
Hulu’s synopsis for “Sasquatch” reads: While visiting a pot farm in Northern California in 1993, investigative journalist David Holthouse heard a story that still haunts him. On a nearby farm three men were torn limb from limb in a savage Bigfoot attack. “Sasquatch” follows David as he revisits the Redwoods 25 years later in search of any evidence that might lead to the truth of what happened that night. As he pulls at the threads of this story he’ll be taken down a path that’s...
However, the series does aim to offer a deep-dive into a grisly triple homicide that was allegedly caused by a Sasquatch decades ago. Hulu recently released a trailer for the project which is directed by Joshua Rofé.
Hulu’s synopsis for “Sasquatch” reads: While visiting a pot farm in Northern California in 1993, investigative journalist David Holthouse heard a story that still haunts him. On a nearby farm three men were torn limb from limb in a savage Bigfoot attack. “Sasquatch” follows David as he revisits the Redwoods 25 years later in search of any evidence that might lead to the truth of what happened that night. As he pulls at the threads of this story he’ll be taken down a path that’s...
- 3/27/2021
- by Tyler Hersko
- Indiewire
If you watched Netflix's documentary Wild Wild Country back in 2018, do we have news for you. Netflix recently announced that Searching For Sheela, a documentary about the later years of Ma Anand Sheela, is coming soon to the platform. An exact release date has not yet been announced, so in the meantime, here's a quick refresher about Sheela's controversial, stranger-than-fiction life.
Sheela is one of the main figures in Wild Wild Country, which traces the controversial Oregon community led by Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in the 1980s. In the '80s, she was Rajneesh's most trusted advisor and vocal supporter, while also being the subject of numerous accusations. The documentary depicts her battle with residents of the nearby town of Antelope, who objected to Rajneesh's community, called Rajneeshpuram. Sheela fought back politically, moving community members ("sannyasins") into Antelope proper to take control of the town government through municipal elections.
Sheela is one of the main figures in Wild Wild Country, which traces the controversial Oregon community led by Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh in the 1980s. In the '80s, she was Rajneesh's most trusted advisor and vocal supporter, while also being the subject of numerous accusations. The documentary depicts her battle with residents of the nearby town of Antelope, who objected to Rajneesh's community, called Rajneeshpuram. Sheela fought back politically, moving community members ("sannyasins") into Antelope proper to take control of the town government through municipal elections.
- 3/24/2021
- by Amanda Prahl
- Popsugar.com
"Now I'm going to tell you the craziest story I've ever heard." Hulu has revealed an official trailer for a new documentary mini-series titled Sasquatch, from producers Jay Duplass and Mark Duplass, billed as the executive producers of "Wild Wild Country", which was one of the best doc series I've ever seen. This doc just premiered at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival this week, and it drops on Hulu on 4/20. Because in addition to Bigfoot, there's a big-time marijuana connection as well. Sasquatch is a true crime doc series following investigative journalist David Holthouse as he attempts to solve a bizarre 25-year-old triple homicide that was said to be the work of a mythical creature. But it turns out this is all around a lucrative area in Northern California where they grow a lot of high quality weed, too. This just looks creepy and funny and wild and the quote about...
- 3/17/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Christopher Wallace packed a lot of living into 24 years, and “Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell” goes a long way toward capturing his personal story alongside the legacy of his relatively brief but deeply influential career as hip-hop paradigm-shifter Notorious B.I.G.
Unlike 2009’s docudrama biopic “Notorious” (also made under the auspices of the rapper’s estate) which seemed determine to sand down the music legend’s rougher edges, this new Netflix documentary takes a more clear-eyed approach — to Wallace’s childhood, his teenage years on the street absorbed in hip-hop and making a living selling drugs, the adults who taught and protected him, and the musical influences that made his work unique and important.
Producer Sean Combs notes early on that Biggie was the first rapper whose style couldn’t be traced to the roots of hip-hop, and that’s not just hyperbole. Director Emmett Malloy digs...
Unlike 2009’s docudrama biopic “Notorious” (also made under the auspices of the rapper’s estate) which seemed determine to sand down the music legend’s rougher edges, this new Netflix documentary takes a more clear-eyed approach — to Wallace’s childhood, his teenage years on the street absorbed in hip-hop and making a living selling drugs, the adults who taught and protected him, and the musical influences that made his work unique and important.
Producer Sean Combs notes early on that Biggie was the first rapper whose style couldn’t be traced to the roots of hip-hop, and that’s not just hyperbole. Director Emmett Malloy digs...
- 2/24/2021
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Hulu on Wednesday unveiled premiere dates for its spring slate of original documentaries, including a film on the “cautionary tale” of WeWork and its charismatic co-founder Adam Neumann.
Weighing in with an 11-word title, WeWork: Or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn debuts on the streaming platform April 2. Jed Rothstein directed the documentary exploring the office space-sharing startup that attracted massive investment and then nearly collapsed in a twisted pile of Herman Miller chairs. Neumann, described as a “hippie-messianic leader,” was bought out to the tune of a billion dollars.
As Deadline reported last month, Apple TV+ has separately ordered WeCrashed, a limited series based on the WeWork debacle, to star Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto.
Hulu says its documentary benefits from interviews with “journalists, experts and high-ranking former employees” to tell “one of the biggest corporate flameouts and venture capitalist bubbles in recent years.” Campfire, Forbes and...
Weighing in with an 11-word title, WeWork: Or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn debuts on the streaming platform April 2. Jed Rothstein directed the documentary exploring the office space-sharing startup that attracted massive investment and then nearly collapsed in a twisted pile of Herman Miller chairs. Neumann, described as a “hippie-messianic leader,” was bought out to the tune of a billion dollars.
As Deadline reported last month, Apple TV+ has separately ordered WeCrashed, a limited series based on the WeWork debacle, to star Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto.
Hulu says its documentary benefits from interviews with “journalists, experts and high-ranking former employees” to tell “one of the biggest corporate flameouts and venture capitalist bubbles in recent years.” Campfire, Forbes and...
- 2/10/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Hulu is continuing to ramp up its original documentary push with a three-part series about Bigfoot from the Duplass Brothers and Lorena director Joshua Rofé.
The streamer has ordered Sasquatch, which investigates rumors of a bizarre twenty-five-year old triple homicide said to be the work of a mythical creature.
The series will launch this spring.
Rofé, who directed Amazon’s doc series on the Lorena Bobbitt case, will direct the series and will exec produce alongside Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, and Mel Eslyn of Duplass Brothers Productions, Steven Berger of Number 19, David Holthouse and Zach Cregger. M. Elizabeth Hughes produces.
It is the latest documentary series from Mark and Jay Duplass, who are behind Netflix’s Wild Wild Country and Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist. Their four-part series The Lady and the Dale, which tells the story of Elizabeth Carmichael and the Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation,...
The streamer has ordered Sasquatch, which investigates rumors of a bizarre twenty-five-year old triple homicide said to be the work of a mythical creature.
The series will launch this spring.
Rofé, who directed Amazon’s doc series on the Lorena Bobbitt case, will direct the series and will exec produce alongside Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, and Mel Eslyn of Duplass Brothers Productions, Steven Berger of Number 19, David Holthouse and Zach Cregger. M. Elizabeth Hughes produces.
It is the latest documentary series from Mark and Jay Duplass, who are behind Netflix’s Wild Wild Country and Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist. Their four-part series The Lady and the Dale, which tells the story of Elizabeth Carmichael and the Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation,...
- 1/14/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix’s first Italian original doc series “SanPa: Sins of the Savior” follows controversial drug rehab founder Vincenzo Muccioli, and has made a splash on the platform since its Dec. 30 debut. In the last week, the series has cracked the platform’s top 10 most-watched programs in Italy, and currently holds the number 2 spot after “Bridgerton.”
Directed by Cosima Spender — whose 2015 doc “Palio,” about the storied horse race held in Siena, went to Tribeca — “SanPa” is a deep dive into the complexities of Muccioli’s rise to national prominence, and the dubious methods used at his rehab center. As promotional materials put it, the charismatic Muccioli “cared for the addicted, earning him fierce public devotion — even as charges of violence began to mount.”
Those charges included aiding and abetting the murder of one of his rehab’s residents, Roberto Maranzano, who in 1989 was beaten to death in a slaughterhouse within San Patrignano,...
Directed by Cosima Spender — whose 2015 doc “Palio,” about the storied horse race held in Siena, went to Tribeca — “SanPa” is a deep dive into the complexities of Muccioli’s rise to national prominence, and the dubious methods used at his rehab center. As promotional materials put it, the charismatic Muccioli “cared for the addicted, earning him fierce public devotion — even as charges of violence began to mount.”
Those charges included aiding and abetting the murder of one of his rehab’s residents, Roberto Maranzano, who in 1989 was beaten to death in a slaughterhouse within San Patrignano,...
- 1/5/2021
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
True-crime is a popular genre of documentary these days, yielding multiple Emmy wins for nonfiction series like “The Jinx,” “Making a Murderer” and “Wild Wild Country.” But they haven’t been as common at the Oscars. The tragic story chronicled in “Finding Yingying” could change that.
SEE2021 Oscars: Watch chats with 8 creators of Best Documentary contenders
“Finding Yingying” tells the story of the disappearance of Chinese graduate student Yingying Zhang attending an American university, after which her family travels to the US from their home country to learn what happened to her. But while it deals with crime, it’s not just a procedural about the justice system. It’s also personal, as director Jenny Shi embeds with the Zhang family and draws parallels between herself and Yingying: they were the same age and both attended Peking University in China before traveling to the US.
The film was set to...
SEE2021 Oscars: Watch chats with 8 creators of Best Documentary contenders
“Finding Yingying” tells the story of the disappearance of Chinese graduate student Yingying Zhang attending an American university, after which her family travels to the US from their home country to learn what happened to her. But while it deals with crime, it’s not just a procedural about the justice system. It’s also personal, as director Jenny Shi embeds with the Zhang family and draws parallels between herself and Yingying: they were the same age and both attended Peking University in China before traveling to the US.
The film was set to...
- 12/30/2020
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
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