Exclusive: The North Road Company’s investment drive continues.
Peter Chernin’s company has acquired Little Room Films, the production company established by Jason Hehir, the director behind the hit basketball docuseries The Last Dance.
It marks Chernin’s latest investment in the non-fiction space, having invested in Words+Pictures, the company started by former ESPN content chief Connor Schell.
Hehir has worked closely with Words+Pictures; in addition to producing and directing The Last Dance, which thanks to incredible footage and Michael Jordan’s participation became ESPN’s most-watched documentary ever, which was exec produced by Schell and Libby Geist, Hehir also directed and exec produced Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space, the Netflix docuseries that was produced by Words+Pictures. He also worked closely with 30 for 30 co-creator Schell during his time at ESPN.
Jason Hehir (Little Room Films)
Little Room Films was founded by Hehir in 2021, in the wake of...
Peter Chernin’s company has acquired Little Room Films, the production company established by Jason Hehir, the director behind the hit basketball docuseries The Last Dance.
It marks Chernin’s latest investment in the non-fiction space, having invested in Words+Pictures, the company started by former ESPN content chief Connor Schell.
Hehir has worked closely with Words+Pictures; in addition to producing and directing The Last Dance, which thanks to incredible footage and Michael Jordan’s participation became ESPN’s most-watched documentary ever, which was exec produced by Schell and Libby Geist, Hehir also directed and exec produced Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space, the Netflix docuseries that was produced by Words+Pictures. He also worked closely with 30 for 30 co-creator Schell during his time at ESPN.
Jason Hehir (Little Room Films)
Little Room Films was founded by Hehir in 2021, in the wake of...
- 11/15/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Lausanne, Aug 29 (Ians) The Munich Olympics of 1972 is a story of triumphs and tragedy as the Olympic Games were; for the first time disrupted, by a terrorist attack in which 11 members of the Israeli contingent, five terrorists and a West German policeman were killed.
On the 50th anniversary of the Olympic Games Munich 1972, which were held from August 26-September 11, the International Olympic Committee (Ioc) has released a documentary series in which some of the participants revisit the venues of Munich 1972 to relive the stories of their triumphs and the tragedy.
Titled “72 – A Gathering of Champions”, the emotive four-part series produced by the Olympic Channel and directed by Emmy-award winner Jonathan Hock, revisits the event with the Olympians who experienced first-hand both personal triumphs and unimaginable tragedy, as they return to Munich.
Combining remarkable restored film footage and new personal accounts from the athletes whose lives were deeply touched by the events of this time,...
On the 50th anniversary of the Olympic Games Munich 1972, which were held from August 26-September 11, the International Olympic Committee (Ioc) has released a documentary series in which some of the participants revisit the venues of Munich 1972 to relive the stories of their triumphs and the tragedy.
Titled “72 – A Gathering of Champions”, the emotive four-part series produced by the Olympic Channel and directed by Emmy-award winner Jonathan Hock, revisits the event with the Olympians who experienced first-hand both personal triumphs and unimaginable tragedy, as they return to Munich.
Combining remarkable restored film footage and new personal accounts from the athletes whose lives were deeply touched by the events of this time,...
- 8/29/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Exclusive: Neo Studios U.S., the production arm of sports media group Eleven, has set its leadership team and unveiled its inaugural development slate.
The company has named Anouk Mertens as Global CEO of Neo Studios and tapped Melanie Capacia Johnson as President, Neo Studios, U.S. Jill Johnson has been named EVP, Entertainment with Mike Basone set as Head of Unscripted Development and Francesca Smith as Senior Director of Scripted Development & Production.
It comes as the group has brought together four separate Eleven-owned businesses – Whistle Studios, Tiny Horse, Vertical Networks and New Form – under the Neo Studios umbrella.
Mertens was previously Group COO of Eleven, former Viacom exec Capacia Johnson, who will lead all IP development and production services for Neo Studios U.S., co-founded marketing and production company Tiny Horse, while former Syco Entertainment exec Johnson served as its Gm. Basone was previously head of unscripted for Whistle Studios,...
The company has named Anouk Mertens as Global CEO of Neo Studios and tapped Melanie Capacia Johnson as President, Neo Studios, U.S. Jill Johnson has been named EVP, Entertainment with Mike Basone set as Head of Unscripted Development and Francesca Smith as Senior Director of Scripted Development & Production.
It comes as the group has brought together four separate Eleven-owned businesses – Whistle Studios, Tiny Horse, Vertical Networks and New Form – under the Neo Studios umbrella.
Mertens was previously Group COO of Eleven, former Viacom exec Capacia Johnson, who will lead all IP development and production services for Neo Studios U.S., co-founded marketing and production company Tiny Horse, while former Syco Entertainment exec Johnson served as its Gm. Basone was previously head of unscripted for Whistle Studios,...
- 3/1/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
"The legacy really speaks for itself." Discovery has revealed the first offiical trailer for a documentary series about athletes titled Legacy: In the Shadow of Greatness. It seems a bit strange that they'd decide to make an entire series about nepotism, but these three kids literally are "living in the shadow of greatness" no matter how you frame it. The six-part series from 11-time Emmy Award winning filmmaker Jonathan Hock follows the athletic pursuits of the children of sports icons Dwyane Wade, Evander Holyfield, and Randall Cunningham as they attempt to make their own mark on the world. It focuses on Zaire Wade, Evan Holyfield, and Vashti Cunningham. This is a rather lackluster trailer so far, not that these people aren't working hard, but it just seems so obvious. Of course parents want their kids to be the best, especially children of famous athletes. Plus we've already seen so many...
- 2/24/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Imagine being the son of NBA great Dwyane Wade – one of the game’s all-time greats – and wanting to play basketball too.
That’s the reality for Zaire Wade, Dwyane’s eldest son, who was drafted last October by the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. Zaire, who turns 20 on Friday, has got some skills like his father, who just turned 40.
“Now, when I ask him to play [1-on-1],” Zaire said in a recent interview, “he doesn’t want to play me no more. He says he’s too old.”
Joking aside, those are some big shoes to fill. The six-part documentary series Legacy: In the Shadow of Greatness, launching on the Discovery+ streaming platform on March 8, explores what it’s like to be the offspring of a famous athlete and, like your dad, wanting to excel in sport.
Jonathan Hock, winner of 11 Emmys, directs the series...
That’s the reality for Zaire Wade, Dwyane’s eldest son, who was drafted last October by the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. Zaire, who turns 20 on Friday, has got some skills like his father, who just turned 40.
“Now, when I ask him to play [1-on-1],” Zaire said in a recent interview, “he doesn’t want to play me no more. He says he’s too old.”
Joking aside, those are some big shoes to fill. The six-part documentary series Legacy: In the Shadow of Greatness, launching on the Discovery+ streaming platform on March 8, explores what it’s like to be the offspring of a famous athlete and, like your dad, wanting to excel in sport.
Jonathan Hock, winner of 11 Emmys, directs the series...
- 2/3/2022
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Before LeBron James chose to join the Miami Heat and form a super team in the Sunshine State, he was the National Basketball Assn.’s hottest free agent ever. As such, teams were pulling out all the stops to lure his talents. That included the New York Knicks, who recruited James Gandolfini and Edie Falco to reprise their roles as Tony Soprano and wife Carmela in a short film designed to appeal to James. The never-seen film was shot in 2010, three years after the acclaimed HBO series ended and three years before Gandolfini unexpectedly passed away in June 2013. The Sopranos ended ambiguously, leaving viewers wondering about Tony’s fate when a tense moment in a diner suddenly faded to black.
The existence of the short was revealed yesterday on rapper Chuck D’s podcast, Shattered: Hope, Heartbreak and the New York Knicks,
“I couldn’t believe that it didn’t work,...
The existence of the short was revealed yesterday on rapper Chuck D’s podcast, Shattered: Hope, Heartbreak and the New York Knicks,
“I couldn’t believe that it didn’t work,...
- 4/29/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Growing up, movies and television were one of Carmelo Anthony’s favorite escapes. The NBA superstar was inspired by the strong characters on TV shows such as “Martin,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and Spike Lee’s classic movie “Do the Right Thing.”
While the 36-year-old has found immense success on the basketball court, currently as the star power forward for the Portland Trail Blazers, he’s always had a passion to create content. Now he’s putting himself in a position to, quite literally, call the shots, by launching a production company that aims to champion inclusive narratives and voices that have gone unheard for too long.
“Storytelling brings people together, and it can serve as a vehicle for propelling larger societal conversations and understanding,” Anthony says. “We are interested in all types of stories that have the power to serve as catalysts for the change we wish to see in the world.
While the 36-year-old has found immense success on the basketball court, currently as the star power forward for the Portland Trail Blazers, he’s always had a passion to create content. Now he’s putting himself in a position to, quite literally, call the shots, by launching a production company that aims to champion inclusive narratives and voices that have gone unheard for too long.
“Storytelling brings people together, and it can serve as a vehicle for propelling larger societal conversations and understanding,” Anthony says. “We are interested in all types of stories that have the power to serve as catalysts for the change we wish to see in the world.
- 4/6/2021
- by Elizabeth Wagmeister
- Variety Film + TV
Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Hock has teamed up again with former professional basketball player and wellness advocate Chris Herren to take a deeper look into the struggles facing our youth today, including substance use, other harmful behaviors and mental health problems.
The First Day film, presented by Center on Addiction and Cigna, is a new approach to prevention education. It focuses on the reasons why young people turn to substances in the first place, rather than dwelling on later stages of the disease of addiction.
Since 2011, Chris Herren has shared his message with over 1 million people nationwide, following the release of the ESPN Films 30 for 30, Unguarded, in which Jonathan Hock chronicled Herren’s rise on the hardwood, harrowing drug use, the collapse of his career and his journey to find recovery. Over the past eight years, Herren has seen first-hand the need for a new approach to addressing addiction.
“The focus...
The First Day film, presented by Center on Addiction and Cigna, is a new approach to prevention education. It focuses on the reasons why young people turn to substances in the first place, rather than dwelling on later stages of the disease of addiction.
Since 2011, Chris Herren has shared his message with over 1 million people nationwide, following the release of the ESPN Films 30 for 30, Unguarded, in which Jonathan Hock chronicled Herren’s rise on the hardwood, harrowing drug use, the collapse of his career and his journey to find recovery. Over the past eight years, Herren has seen first-hand the need for a new approach to addressing addiction.
“The focus...
- 7/2/2019
- Look to the Stars
Benedict Men, a new docuseries executive produced by Stephen Curry’s Unanimous Media and produced by Whistle, is set at Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s Quibi, the new mobile subscription service, which launches next year. The project, among the first for the mobile video startup, was announced today by Katzenberg and Quibi CEO Whitman during Variety’s Innovate: AI and Data Science in Media summit.
Benedict Men will take an inside look at one of the most unique high school basketball teams in America at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey. St. Benedict’s Prep is an all-boys secondary school founded on the core belief ‘What Hurts My Brother Hurts Me,’ and aims to foster a legacy of strong character, community, leadership, and faith. As one of the top athletic high schools with a storied basketball program and the highest graduation rate in New Jersey, the series...
Benedict Men will take an inside look at one of the most unique high school basketball teams in America at St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey. St. Benedict’s Prep is an all-boys secondary school founded on the core belief ‘What Hurts My Brother Hurts Me,’ and aims to foster a legacy of strong character, community, leadership, and faith. As one of the top athletic high schools with a storied basketball program and the highest graduation rate in New Jersey, the series...
- 12/5/2018
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
A new documentary is being produced by Thomas Tull, chairman/CEO of Legendary Entertainment and also one of the producers on the rocker documentary It Might Get Loud. Next up will be K-9, which will delve into the world of trained military and law-enforcement dogs. Directed by 10-time Emmy winners Jonathan Hock and Greg Kohs, the film will explore the special relationship between combat, bomb-sniffing, search-and-rescue and security dogs and their human handlers. Tull…...
- 8/16/2016
- Deadline
Our own Heather Wixson was pleasantly surprised by The Blackout Experiments when it premiered at Sundance earlier this year, and those in North America will be able to see it for themselves this summer thanks to Gravitas Ventures:
“Press Release: Los Angeles, CA (April 14, 2016) — Gravitas Ventures has secured all North American rights to “The Blackout Experiments” following a successful premiere from the Midnight Section at Sundance 2016. Directed by Rich Fox, the terror-inducing documentary focuses on a culture that has embraced fear-seeking, interactive entertainment.”
The most extreme immersive horror experience in America is called “Blackout.” Deemed “the extreme event of the year” by The New York Times, it is not for the faint of heart; it is a terrifying, psychosexual thrill-ride designed to play on people’s deepest psychological fears.
Fox’s innovative horror documentary follows a group of friends whose experience with Blackout becomes deeply personal, developing into an...
“Press Release: Los Angeles, CA (April 14, 2016) — Gravitas Ventures has secured all North American rights to “The Blackout Experiments” following a successful premiere from the Midnight Section at Sundance 2016. Directed by Rich Fox, the terror-inducing documentary focuses on a culture that has embraced fear-seeking, interactive entertainment.”
The most extreme immersive horror experience in America is called “Blackout.” Deemed “the extreme event of the year” by The New York Times, it is not for the faint of heart; it is a terrifying, psychosexual thrill-ride designed to play on people’s deepest psychological fears.
Fox’s innovative horror documentary follows a group of friends whose experience with Blackout becomes deeply personal, developing into an...
- 4/15/2016
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
The most respected and feared pitch in baseball is definitely the fastball.
Every major league pitcher strives to perfect the fastball and every pitcher has the fastball pitch in their repertoire. Only a few can have the bragging rights to throw more than 100 miles per hour or even to have the fastest fastball ever.
In Jonathan Hock’s documentary Fastball, it explores baseball’s favorite pitch by attempting on who may have the fastest fastball in history from the perspective of the scientific community and the past/present famous baseballs players who tried to hit or to throw that pitch.
Some of the interviews include Justin Verlander, David Price, Derek Jeter, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Bob Gibson and more great players trying to push their perspective on the fastball. The documentary is narrated by Kevin Costner.
Fastball will be in select theaters and on-demand this Friday, March 25. Also check out...
Every major league pitcher strives to perfect the fastball and every pitcher has the fastball pitch in their repertoire. Only a few can have the bragging rights to throw more than 100 miles per hour or even to have the fastest fastball ever.
In Jonathan Hock’s documentary Fastball, it explores baseball’s favorite pitch by attempting on who may have the fastest fastball in history from the perspective of the scientific community and the past/present famous baseballs players who tried to hit or to throw that pitch.
Some of the interviews include Justin Verlander, David Price, Derek Jeter, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Bob Gibson and more great players trying to push their perspective on the fastball. The documentary is narrated by Kevin Costner.
Fastball will be in select theaters and on-demand this Friday, March 25. Also check out...
- 3/21/2016
- by Gig Patta
- LRMonline.com
I’m not really a baseball fan. I enjoy taking my kids to watch the Dodgers play from time to time, I love a Baseball movie, and I find the history of the sport interesting, but I don’t follow the game.
There’s a baseball documentary coming out next month called Fastball, which is narrated by Kevin Costner, who is the perfect person to narrate a doc like this. He’s starred in some great baseball movies in his career like Field of Dreams, but he also has that americana voice that fits perfectly with the sport.
Fastball was directed by Jonathan Hock who has directed a few of Espn’s 30 For 30 sport docs including Of Miracles and Men, Survive and Advance, and The Best That Never Was. Here’s the synopsis:
The essence of baseball is the primal battle between the pitcher and batter, but the magic of...
There’s a baseball documentary coming out next month called Fastball, which is narrated by Kevin Costner, who is the perfect person to narrate a doc like this. He’s starred in some great baseball movies in his career like Field of Dreams, but he also has that americana voice that fits perfectly with the sport.
Fastball was directed by Jonathan Hock who has directed a few of Espn’s 30 For 30 sport docs including Of Miracles and Men, Survive and Advance, and The Best That Never Was. Here’s the synopsis:
The essence of baseball is the primal battle between the pitcher and batter, but the magic of...
- 2/28/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Pull up a chair, folks, Kevin Costner is primed to open up the historic archives of baseball with Jonathan Hock’s upcoming sports documentary, Fastball.
A huge advocate of baseball himself – no thanks to appearances in Chasing Dreams, Bull Durham and Field of Dreams among others – Costner’s narration lends a sense of gravitas to today’s debut trailer.
Hock, the filmmaker behind such efforts as Of Miracles and Men, Survive and Advance, and The Best That Never Was, is set to shine a spotlight on the greatest players to ever grace the sport, and the “primal battle between the pitcher and the batter.”
Fans of the sport will no doubt have spotted the likes of Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan & Derek Jeter in today’s snippet, and the official synopsis for Hock’s latest can be found below.
The essence of baseball is the primal battle between the pitcher and batter,...
A huge advocate of baseball himself – no thanks to appearances in Chasing Dreams, Bull Durham and Field of Dreams among others – Costner’s narration lends a sense of gravitas to today’s debut trailer.
Hock, the filmmaker behind such efforts as Of Miracles and Men, Survive and Advance, and The Best That Never Was, is set to shine a spotlight on the greatest players to ever grace the sport, and the “primal battle between the pitcher and the batter.”
Fans of the sport will no doubt have spotted the likes of Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan & Derek Jeter in today’s snippet, and the official synopsis for Hock’s latest can be found below.
The essence of baseball is the primal battle between the pitcher and batter,...
- 2/23/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
"Sounds like trouble, is what it sounds like." Gravitas Ventures has debuted a trailer for the documentary Fastball, produced by Legendary Pictures and directed by Jonathan Hock, with narration by actor Kevin Costner. The film examines "the magic within the 396 milliseconds it takes a fastball to reach home plate" and focuses on the greatest fastball pitchers in the sport's history, attempting to figure out who threw the fastest pitch. There are appearances by Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan and Derek Jeter, among others. This trailer doesn't reveal everything, and it plays up the angle of "so who threw the fastest pitch? You have to watch to find out the answer!" But it does look pretty good. Any and every baseball fan needs to check this out below. Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Jonathan Hock's documentary Fastball, found on YouTube: The essence of baseball is the primal battle between the pitcher and batter,...
- 2/22/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The smell of fresh cut grass, the cry of someone selling hotdogs, and long afternoons in the sun means just one thing: the baseball season has arrived. America's favorite pastime is back on the field this month, and it's perfect timing for the baseball documentary "Fastball," which arrives at the Tribeca Film Festival that kicks off this week. And today, we have an exclusive clip. Read More: The 20 Most Anticipated Films Of The 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Jonathan Hock, who has helmed a strong handful of "30 For 30" docs for Espn, gets behind the camera to direct this look at every batter's worst nightmare: the fastball. As you'll witness in the scene below, it's barely fractions of a second that the batter has to figure out where the ball will cross the plate, and if they'll swing or not. It'll give you a whole new appreciation for what looks much, much easier...
- 4/13/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
New work from William Monahan, Henry Hobson, Adrián García Bogliano and Neil Labute are among the Spotlight, Midnight and Special Screening selections announced on Thursday.
Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.
Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.
Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.
Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).
Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.
“The Spotlight...
Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.
Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.
Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.
Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).
Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.
“The Spotlight...
- 3/5/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
New work from William Monahan, Henry Hobson, Adrián García Bogliano and Neil Labute are among the Spotlight, Midnight and Special Screening selections announced on Thursday.
Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.
Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.
Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.
Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).
Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.
“The Spotlight...
Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.
Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.
Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.
Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).
Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.
“The Spotlight...
- 3/5/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
New work from William Monahan, Henry Hobson, Adrián García Bogliano and Neil Labute are among the Spotlight, Midnight and Special Screening selections announced on Thursday.
Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.
Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.
Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.
Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).
Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.
“The Spotlight...
Tribeca Film Festival top brass announced the Spotlight section of 40 films comprising 23 narratives and 17 documentaries.
Twenty-four are world premieres, among them Monahan’s thriller Mojave, Labute’s Dirty Weekend and Henry Hobson’s zombie drama Maggie that Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions snapped up before Toronto before pulling the premiere.
Bogliano’s Here Comes The Devil follow-up Scherzo Diabolico plays in Midnight and is one of four world premieres in the five-strong genre strand.
Special Screenings include the world premiere of documentary Mary J. Blige – The London Sessions (pictured).
Work In Progress screenings include LoveTrue, the latest documentary from 2011 Best Documentary Feature Award winner Alma Har’el. Patrick Creadon, who directed 2011 entry Wordplay, will show a cut of All Work, All Play, which centres on the world of video game arena competitions.
“The Spotlight...
- 3/5/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Americans know the USA’s 1980 Winter Olympics hockey “Miracle on Ice” win over the Soviet Union as one of the great Cinderella stories in all of sports. Espn’s new 30 for 30 documentary “Of Miracles and Men,” (Sunday, Feb. 8, at 9pm Et) however, looks at the Miracle on Ice from the perspective of the seemingly unbeatable Soviet team before, during and after the seminal game. Director Jonathan Hock says: “Of all the 30 For 30 films I’ve directed, ‘Of Miracles and Men’ is the most ambitious. I was raised in the 1970’s on the notion that Soviet hockey players were robots, … Continue reading →
The post “30 for 30: Of Miracles and Men”: The Soviet side of the Miracle on Ice appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
The post “30 for 30: Of Miracles and Men”: The Soviet side of the Miracle on Ice appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.
- 2/8/2015
- by Ryan Berenz
- ChannelGuideMag
You knew it was only a matter of time. After Netflix scored with original programming like "Orange Is the New Black" and "Arrested Development," Amazon quickly jumped into the game -- and now Xbox is, too. Pretty soon, look forward to new shows from your microwave and blender. Xbox will launch Xbox: Originals this June with 12 projects. They will be available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, and other Microsoft devices, and, of course, the shows will offer "interactive capabilities." To prove they're not kidding around, Xbox Entertainment Studios has attracted names like Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott, who are attached to two separate scripted projects based on the “Halo” franchise. Because hey, you can never get enough "Halo." Other shows in production include an unscripted series about international street soccer, an original drama about robotic servants in a dystopian world, and a documentary about the search for discarded Atari games in...
- 4/28/2014
- by Liane Bonin Starr
- Hitfix
Survive and Advance, Espn’s latest 30 for 30 documentary, looks back on one of sports’ most inspiring stories: Jim Valvano’s North Carolina State Wolfpack and their improbable run to the 1983 Ncaa basketball championship. Director Jonathan Hock takes a poignant look through the eyes of senior captain Dereck Whittenburg at a dream fulfilled and explores what at times has been a tragic and heartbreaking aftermath in the 30 years since. Related: Ncaa Tournament 2013 schedule and TV channels Survive and Advance premieres on Espn Sunday, March 17, at 9pm Et as part of the Espn networks’ 16 hours of Selection [...]...
- 3/15/2013
- by Ryan Berenz
- ChannelGuideMag
Espn has announced two new films for round two of its sports documentary series "30 for 30," both to air this spring -- "Survive and Advance," from director Jonathan Hock ("Unguarded," "The Lost Son of Havana"), looks at Jim Valvano and the North Carolina State Wolfpack's 1982-1983 season, and "Elway to Marino," from NFL Films and director Ken Rodgers ("Hard Knocks"), examines the 1983 NFL Draft and its six first-round quarterbacks, including John Elway and Dan Marino. The next full slate of "30 for 30 Vol. II" films is scheduled to premiere in October. Here are the full descriptions for the spring pair, courtesy of Espn: Survive and Advance Directed by Jonathan Hock Airdate: Sunday, March 17, at 9pm Et on Espn When the 1982-83 college basketball season began, Jim Valvano and his North Carolina State Wolfpack faced high expectations with equally high aspirations. But with ten losses for the...
- 1/28/2013
- by Alison Willmore
- Indiewire
Espn-affiliated Grantland launched last year as a place where long reads on sports and culture could intersect under the watchful eye of The Sports Guy, Bill Simmons. Given the print-oriented nature of the initial vision for the site, Grantland’s YouTube channel sat collecting dust for over a year, save for a few videos (such as this interview with the president). But a recent video from Simmons has made it clear that it’s time to fire up the Grantland Channel for real: Sure enough, plenty of new content has followed right behind the announcement. Grantland Channel has unveiled its “starting rotation” of video series-to-be on sports and culture. Leading off is Hockumentaries, a series of mini-docs by filmmaker Jonathan Hock. Simmons’ rise to stardom at Espn (and, possibly, the reason he had enough clout to start Grantland in the first place) was aided by his work on 30 for 30, an engrossing series of 30 sports documentaries,...
- 9/14/2012
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
I am thrilled to be meeting with talk show host Kelly Ripa on an upcoming episode of Mondays With Marlo. Kelly will share her expertise on family life and professional success. She will cover:
Bullying Parenting tips Work/Life Balance Exercise/Nutrition Marriage/Relationships Tips for Success Live With Kelly And anything else you want to know!
Kelly Ripa is the host of the Emmy-winning syndicated morning talk show “Live! with Kelly.” Currently in her 12th year with the show, she has taken the lead on “Live” as the search for a new co-host continues.
After eleven consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Show Host with former partner Regis Philbin, the duo recently was honored with their second Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host for “Live.” Also during her tenure, the show has been nominated for ten Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Talk Show, and was presented...
Bullying Parenting tips Work/Life Balance Exercise/Nutrition Marriage/Relationships Tips for Success Live With Kelly And anything else you want to know!
Kelly Ripa is the host of the Emmy-winning syndicated morning talk show “Live! with Kelly.” Currently in her 12th year with the show, she has taken the lead on “Live” as the search for a new co-host continues.
After eleven consecutive Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Show Host with former partner Regis Philbin, the duo recently was honored with their second Daytime Entertainment Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host for “Live.” Also during her tenure, the show has been nominated for ten Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Talk Show, and was presented...
- 7/19/2012
- by Gabrielle Linzer
- Huffington Post
Jim Brown is widely considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, NFL players of all-time. In his nine seasons as a Cleveland Brown, he made the Pro Bowl every single year and never missed one game due to injury. When he retired in 1965 at the age of only 29, he held the all-time record in Rushing Yards, a record that stood for 19 years (he has since moved to 9th all-time) as well as led the league in everything a running back could possibly lead in.
From there Brown went into acting and became one of Hollywood’s first African American action stars, appearing in everything from the blaxploitation movies of the 70′s to Tim Burton‘s Mars Attacks! in 1995, and continues to act sparingly while also advocating for inner city youth. Jim Brown has pretty much lived the life movies are made of. And he’s apparently realized that too,...
From there Brown went into acting and became one of Hollywood’s first African American action stars, appearing in everything from the blaxploitation movies of the 70′s to Tim Burton‘s Mars Attacks! in 1995, and continues to act sparingly while also advocating for inner city youth. Jim Brown has pretty much lived the life movies are made of. And he’s apparently realized that too,...
- 2/16/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Gridiron legend turned actor Jim Brown has pledged his life rights to producer Hal Lieberman for a biopic which Bob Eisele ("The Great Debaters") will script and Jonathan Hock ("The Lost Son Of Havana") will direct says Deadline.
Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Browns and set every record for a pro running back in North American football. In 2002 Sporting News called him the greatest professional football player ever.
He retired at 29 to become Hollywood’s first African American action star and later an outspoken advocate for inner city youth.
He starred in numerous cinematic hits in the 60's through to the 90's including "The Dirty Dozen", "Ice Station Zebra," "The Running Man" and "Mars Attacks", and made history with Raquel Welch with the pair filming one of the first onscreen interracial love scenes in 1969's "100 Rifles".
The biopic is said to "focus on several facets of a remarkable life...
Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Browns and set every record for a pro running back in North American football. In 2002 Sporting News called him the greatest professional football player ever.
He retired at 29 to become Hollywood’s first African American action star and later an outspoken advocate for inner city youth.
He starred in numerous cinematic hits in the 60's through to the 90's including "The Dirty Dozen", "Ice Station Zebra," "The Running Man" and "Mars Attacks", and made history with Raquel Welch with the pair filming one of the first onscreen interracial love scenes in 1969's "100 Rifles".
The biopic is said to "focus on several facets of a remarkable life...
- 2/16/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Exclusive: Jim Brown, who traded his status as football’s greatest running back to become a movie star and eventually an activist to steer kids away from a gang lifestyle, is ready for his feature film close-up. Brown has pledged his life rights to producer Hal Lieberman for a feature film that will be written by Bob Eisele (The Great Debaters) and directed by Jonathan Hock, helmer of such documentaries as The Lost Son Of Havana and Michael Jordan To The Max. Lieberman is about to shop the package. Lieberman said he first met Brown on the set of New Jersey Turnpikes, a basketball comedy he produced and Brown starred in. Though that film never got released, they kept talking and remained friendly until finally Brown was ready. “I’ve been a fan and follower of his career over my lifetime, and there is 50 years of history under his belt,...
- 2/16/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Ray Richmond is contributing to Deadline's TCA coverage. Espn on Wednesday announced during the first day of the Television Critics Association's summer confab that it will air seven more new documentaries this fall on the heels of the sports giant's successful 30 for 30 series that drew critical raves and serious viewership numbers when it aired last year. Among the titles revealed this morning were Morgan Spurlock's The Dotted Line, Jonathan Hock's Unguarded and Mike Tollin's The Real Rocky. The docs will air Tuesdays beginning Sept. 27 and join another new doc-based series, Rise Up, which looks at the impact of renovated sports facilities on four high schools and their communities and begins Sept. 13. As part of it's new doc slate, Espn trotted out former heavyweight punching bag Chuck Wepner -- aka The Bayonne Bleeder -- to meet the media at the Beverly Hilton. Now 72, Wepner was seen to be...
- 7/27/2011
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
TLC is premiering the documentary film "Off The Rez" on Saturday, May 14 at 9/8c. The film follows Shoni Schimmel, a Umatilla Indian and one of the best high school basketball players in the country, and her family as she pursues her dream of being the first from her tribe to get a college basketball scholarship. Shoni and her mother Ceci - who is also her coach - battle together to redeem generations of struggle for their family and their people, but her hoop dreams are threatened after her family leaves the Umatilla Indian Reservation The film, from director Jonathan Hock, and executive produced by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, made its world debut on April 26, at...
- 5/14/2011
- by April MacIntyre
- Monsters and Critics
Heads up, documentary fans: Volume 2 of Espn's outstanding sports doc series, "30 For 30" comes out on DVD tomorrow, and we've got three free copies to give away. This set comes with fifteen films in total and includes many of the series' best including Jeff and Michael Zimbalist's "The Two Escobars," about the connection between drugs and professional soccer in Colombia in the early 1990s, Jonathan Hock's "The Best That Never Was," about the amazing but brief career of football phenom Marcus Dupree, and Thaddeus D. Matula's "Pony Excess," on the insanely corrupt college football program at Southern Methodist University. It's a pretty fantastic bunch of movies. I'll have a piece about this volume of "30 For 30" later in the week, but you can read my essay on Volume 1 here.
We've got three copies to give away to three lucky, random winners. To enter all you need to do is...
We've got three copies to give away to three lucky, random winners. To enter all you need to do is...
- 5/13/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
Tribeca: Welcome back to Tribeca! You were here in 2009 with your film Lost Son of Havana, and also in 2005 with Through the Fire, which was your first feature documentary. Jonathan Hock: It's always great to be a part of Tff! Tribeca: So you are certainly not a first-timer when it comes to sports documentaries: Streetball, This is the NFL, The Streak, and Michael Jordan to the Max. What drew you to this genre of documentary filmmaking? Jonathan Hock: My two great loves were always sports and movies, and I went to NFL Films after college because I felt that was the best place to combine them. They were making real films there and not just putting highlights of action together. They were telling stories, which is really what I like to do. So when I went out on my own, the part of the world I was very...
- 4/5/2011
- TribecaFilm.com
The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday announced its lineup for the 2011 Special Events and Tribeca Talks panel series. The full press release follows.
New York, NY [March 23, 2011] – The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express®, today announced its lineup for the 2011 Special Events and Tribeca Talks® panel series. The component programs are “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie,” “Tribeca Talks: Industry,” “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, hosted by Barnes & Noble,” the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival panel, and new this year, in celebration of the tenth Festival, the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” featuring one-on-one conversations with acclaimed filmmakers, plus the premiere of five new documentary films and a one-of-a-kind videogame-film event.
This year, Tribeca’s annual panel series, a collection of special events, conversations and audience Q&A’s designed to spark a richer dialogue about film, has expanded to include the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series.” The series invites audiences to...
New York, NY [March 23, 2011] – The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express®, today announced its lineup for the 2011 Special Events and Tribeca Talks® panel series. The component programs are “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie,” “Tribeca Talks: Industry,” “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, hosted by Barnes & Noble,” the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival panel, and new this year, in celebration of the tenth Festival, the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” featuring one-on-one conversations with acclaimed filmmakers, plus the premiere of five new documentary films and a one-of-a-kind videogame-film event.
This year, Tribeca’s annual panel series, a collection of special events, conversations and audience Q&A’s designed to spark a richer dialogue about film, has expanded to include the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series.” The series invites audiences to...
- 3/23/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday announced its lineup for the 2011 Special Events and Tribeca Talks panel series. The full press release follows.
New York, NY [March 23, 2011] – The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express®, today announced its lineup for the 2011 Special Events and Tribeca Talks® panel series. The component programs are “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie,” “Tribeca Talks: Industry,” “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, hosted by Barnes & Noble,” the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival panel, and new this year, in celebration of the tenth Festival, the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” featuring one-on-one conversations with acclaimed filmmakers, plus the premiere of five new documentary films and a one-of-a-kind videogame-film event.
This year, Tribeca’s annual panel series, a collection of special events, conversations and audience Q&A’s designed to spark a richer dialogue about film, has expanded to include the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series.” The series invites audiences to...
New York, NY [March 23, 2011] – The 2011 Tribeca Film Festival (Tff), presented by American Express®, today announced its lineup for the 2011 Special Events and Tribeca Talks® panel series. The component programs are “Tribeca Talks: After the Movie,” “Tribeca Talks: Industry,” “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper, hosted by Barnes & Noble,” the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival panel, and new this year, in celebration of the tenth Festival, the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series,” featuring one-on-one conversations with acclaimed filmmakers, plus the premiere of five new documentary films and a one-of-a-kind videogame-film event.
This year, Tribeca’s annual panel series, a collection of special events, conversations and audience Q&A’s designed to spark a richer dialogue about film, has expanded to include the “Tribeca Talks: Directors Series.” The series invites audiences to...
- 3/23/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Chicago – With all the depth and nuance of a Nike commercial, “Michael Jordan to the Max” probes into the mind of its titular subject, a man as infamous for his astonishing achievements in basketball as he is for his spectacular success as a corporate spokesperson. This 46-minute feature is not about Jordan the person, but Jordan the marketable icon: family man, mentor, role model, eternal optimist.
For someone who grew up in Chicagoland during the six unforgettable championship triumphs of the Chicago Bulls, any footage of Jordan from the 1990s is guaranteed to evoke nostalgic memories. Yet this once popular, decade-old IMAX picture appears to have been made primarily for elementary school field trips. There’s very little substance to be gleaned from Jordan’s inspirational soundbites, and writer/editor Jonathan Hock’s workmanlike assemblage of game highlights.
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0
Viewed today, “Max” instantly dates itself with a trendy swirling pan around an airborne Jordan,...
For someone who grew up in Chicagoland during the six unforgettable championship triumphs of the Chicago Bulls, any footage of Jordan from the 1990s is guaranteed to evoke nostalgic memories. Yet this once popular, decade-old IMAX picture appears to have been made primarily for elementary school field trips. There’s very little substance to be gleaned from Jordan’s inspirational soundbites, and writer/editor Jonathan Hock’s workmanlike assemblage of game highlights.
Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0
Viewed today, “Max” instantly dates itself with a trendy swirling pan around an airborne Jordan,...
- 3/14/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Marcus Dupree was pegged to win three Heismans before he got chewed up in the college system. How did the high-school sensation make peace with life after football? Buzz Bissinger reports.
Marcus Dupree watched the Super Bowl last Sunday in the place where he grew up, the town of Philadelphia, Mississippi. If there was anyone in the history of football who I thought would be glued to the television, playing the athlete's lament of could-have-should-have, it would have been him.
Related story on The Daily Beast: The Gop's Race Backslide
Because it should have been him. But it wasn't. Because of the college meat grinder that mangles so many players. Because of too much attention for a simple homespun kid whose world revolved around his mother and grandmother and younger brother Reggie, born with cerebral palsy. Because of the pressure of becoming, at 17, the black and white hope who would...
Marcus Dupree watched the Super Bowl last Sunday in the place where he grew up, the town of Philadelphia, Mississippi. If there was anyone in the history of football who I thought would be glued to the television, playing the athlete's lament of could-have-should-have, it would have been him.
Related story on The Daily Beast: The Gop's Race Backslide
Because it should have been him. But it wasn't. Because of the college meat grinder that mangles so many players. Because of too much attention for a simple homespun kid whose world revolved around his mother and grandmother and younger brother Reggie, born with cerebral palsy. Because of the pressure of becoming, at 17, the black and white hope who would...
- 2/11/2011
- by Buzz Bissinger
- The Daily Beast
By the time its final episode premieres on December 11, "30 for 30" will have aired thirty films on the last thirty years of sports. Nine were about football, six about baseball, five about basketball, two about boxing, two about running, and one each about BMX, hockey, Nascar, rugby, soccer, and tennis. The series, designed to celebrate Espn's thirtieth anniversary, featured the work of thirty different directors, but through its entire range of filmmakers and topics, one theme dominated the year of "30 for 30": money's insidious effect on the purity of sports.
Consider its very first episode, "King's Ransom," about the trade of Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers' motivation? Money. Or "The Two Escobars," about the destructive impact of drug money on the Columbian national soccer. The pursuit of money was the obvious subject of some of the films, like "Small Potatoes: Who Killed the Usfl?...
Consider its very first episode, "King's Ransom," about the trade of Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers' motivation? Money. Or "The Two Escobars," about the destructive impact of drug money on the Columbian national soccer. The pursuit of money was the obvious subject of some of the films, like "Small Potatoes: Who Killed the Usfl?...
- 11/19/2010
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
A week after arguably the weakest "30 for 30" film yet, we got one of the series' strongest installments with "The Best That Never Was." A few quick thoughts coming up just as soon as I give you my power of attorney... It's been a while since a "30 for 30" film got a two-hour running time (most had to come in at an hour, and a handful got an hour and a half to two hours), and "The Best That Never Was" absolutely merited the longer slot. Jonathan Hock took a story I knew nothing about (as someone who doesn't...
- 11/10/2010
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
Jonathan Hock's documentary, The Lost Son of Havana, premiered to great acclaim at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. In honor of this year's Festival, and the new baseball season, the film has been made available exclusively on Amazon. Hock recounts one of the important lessons he learned while making his film about pitching legend Luis Tiant. I'm a nervous director. So being in Cuba, with only seven days to shoot a feature-length documentary, with the knowledge hanging over us that the Cuban authorities could shut us down at any moment (they know we're on the island but think we're there to play a baseball game, not to make a movie), I'm feeling particularly nervous. We don't have a moment to lose. On our first morning, we have a 9 am call time. At 9:15, Luis Tiant, the Boston Red Sox pitching legend whose return from exile to Cuba is the subject...
- 4/19/2010
- TribecaFilm.com
Having premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, Jonathan Hock’s documentary, “The Lost Son of Havana,” is being released this month, exclusively on Amazon VOD. Executively produced by the Farrelly Brothers ("There's Something About Mary"), the film is a portrait of major league baseball legend Luis Tiant, as he returns to his native Cuba for the first time in 46 years. The Havana sun casts a golden, late afternoon light, lending ...
- 4/16/2010
- indieWIRE - People
Having premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, Jonathan Hock’s documentary, “The Lost Son of Havana,” is being released this month, exclusively on Amazon VOD. Executively produced by the Farrelly Brothers ("There's Something About Mary"), the film is a portrait of major league baseball legend Luis Tiant, as he returns to his native Cuba for the first time in 46 years. The Havana sun casts a golden, late afternoon light, lending ...
- 4/16/2010
- indieWIRE - People
Having premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, Jonathan Hock’s documentary, “The Lost Son of Havana,” is being released this month, exclusively on Amazon VOD. Executively produced by the Farrelly Brothers ("There's Something About Mary"), the film is a portrait of major league baseball legend Luis Tiant, as he returns to his native Cuba for the first time in 46 years. The Havana sun casts a golden, late afternoon light, lending ...
- 4/16/2010
- Indiewire
Indie Roundup is your guide to what's new and upcoming in the wonderful world of independent film. Pictured above: Made in Dagenham, Rivers Wash Over Me, The Lost Son of Havana.
Deals. To get your mind off tax day, why not think about strong British women walking out of a automobile plant in the 1960s to demand equal pay? Made in Dagenham dramatizes the true story, with Rosamund Pike, Sally Hawkins, Miranda Richardson, and Bob Hopkins in starring roles. Nigel Cole (Calendar Girls) directed. Sony Classics has acquired distribution rights, according to our friends at indieWIRE. Release plans have not yet been announced.
A Brooklyn teen moves to rural Alabama and causes a sensation! Or, gets quickly embroiled in domestic turmoil, if you prefer the official wording, in John G. Young's Rivers Wash Over Me, which has been picked up by Strand Releasing. The film will receive a limited release beginning in late May.
Deals. To get your mind off tax day, why not think about strong British women walking out of a automobile plant in the 1960s to demand equal pay? Made in Dagenham dramatizes the true story, with Rosamund Pike, Sally Hawkins, Miranda Richardson, and Bob Hopkins in starring roles. Nigel Cole (Calendar Girls) directed. Sony Classics has acquired distribution rights, according to our friends at indieWIRE. Release plans have not yet been announced.
A Brooklyn teen moves to rural Alabama and causes a sensation! Or, gets quickly embroiled in domestic turmoil, if you prefer the official wording, in John G. Young's Rivers Wash Over Me, which has been picked up by Strand Releasing. The film will receive a limited release beginning in late May.
- 4/15/2010
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
Movie mogul Steven Spielberg has signed on to make a documentary series about construction on the site of the World Trade Center for America's Science Channel.
The filmmaker will executive produce Rebuilding Ground Zero, a six-part, 3-D documentary which will air next year.
Architect Danny Foster will star in the project, which will be directed by Jonathan Hock.
According to Daily Variety, the film will "examine the partnership of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, politicians and various construction crews and engineers in putting the pieces together for a project of such a large magnitude".
The World Trade Center was destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York. Plans for the site include a memorial tower, a park and a museum.
The filmmaker will executive produce Rebuilding Ground Zero, a six-part, 3-D documentary which will air next year.
Architect Danny Foster will star in the project, which will be directed by Jonathan Hock.
According to Daily Variety, the film will "examine the partnership of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, politicians and various construction crews and engineers in putting the pieces together for a project of such a large magnitude".
The World Trade Center was destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York. Plans for the site include a memorial tower, a park and a museum.
- 1/15/2010
- WENN
By Josef Adalian
Steven Spielberg has signed on to produce "Rebuilding Ground Zero," a six-part documentary series about the construction of a new World Trade Center for Science Channel.
Danny Forster and Jonathan Hock will be in charge of the series, which is expected to premiere in 2011. Each episode will look at one aspect of the rebuilding project, from the One World Trade Center tower to various memorials.
DreamWorks Television and Kpi are producing for Science Channel.
Steven Spielberg has signed on to produce "Rebuilding Ground Zero," a six-part documentary series about the construction of a new World Trade Center for Science Channel.
Danny Forster and Jonathan Hock will be in charge of the series, which is expected to premiere in 2011. Each episode will look at one aspect of the rebuilding project, from the One World Trade Center tower to various memorials.
DreamWorks Television and Kpi are producing for Science Channel.
- 1/14/2010
- by Adalian
- The Wrap
Festival Films Picked Up: The Eclipse After a bidding war, you will be getting gothic with Conor McPherson's spooky tale and Ciaran Hinds' Best Actor-winning performance via Magnolia Pictures. [indieWIRE] Defamation Yoav Shamir's thought-provoking (and Special Jury Prize-winning) documentary has been picked up by First Run Features for a theatrical release in the fall. [Screen Daily] Fish Eyes After starting out with some gorgeously curated DVD releases (Lol, The Guatemalan Handshake), the cineastes over at Benten/Watchmaker proudly announced their first theatrical pickup, the debut feature from Chinese director Zheng Wei. [Benten] Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi Set your DVRs for August, because that's when HBO plans to premiere Festival award winner (Best New Documentary Filmmaker) Ian Olds' stirring work. [The Hollywood Reporter] The Lost Son of Havana The first acquisition of the Festival, Jonathan Hock's documentary is set to air on Espn. [Variety] Festival Films with a Summer Release: Make it...
- 5/6/2009
- TribecaFilm.com
New York -- Espn Films continues to pile up the names for its "30 for 30" program.
The network on Thursday announced 10 new directors who will be making hourlong docs that will air on the net in the coming two years.
Among the more notable names, "The Kid Stays in the Picture" helmer Brett Morgen will direct "June 17, 1994," a film about the day just before the O.J. Simpson chase when the Rangers had won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, the Knicks were on the brink of a title and other seminal sports events had collided.
"Hancock" and "The Kingdom" helmer Peter Berg, meanwhile, will direct "#99," the story of Wayne Gretzky's trade to the Los Angeles Kings at the peak of his career. "Hoop Dreams" director Steve James has also been added to the roster; he'll direct a pic about Allen Iverson's legal troubles as a high school star --...
The network on Thursday announced 10 new directors who will be making hourlong docs that will air on the net in the coming two years.
Among the more notable names, "The Kid Stays in the Picture" helmer Brett Morgen will direct "June 17, 1994," a film about the day just before the O.J. Simpson chase when the Rangers had won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, the Knicks were on the brink of a title and other seminal sports events had collided.
"Hancock" and "The Kingdom" helmer Peter Berg, meanwhile, will direct "#99," the story of Wayne Gretzky's trade to the Los Angeles Kings at the peak of his career. "Hoop Dreams" director Steve James has also been added to the roster; he'll direct a pic about Allen Iverson's legal troubles as a high school star --...
- 4/28/2009
- by By Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
My, my, the Tribeca Film Festival (Tff) has certainly grown up. It seems like it was born only yesterday, and already it's celebrating its eighth edition. This year's festivities got started on Wednesday evening with a "by invitation only" screening of Woody Allen's Whatever Works, the director's first NYC-based film in five years. Only a few members of the press were allowed to attend: three of the four reviews linked at Rotten Tomatoes were negative. Coincidence?
Deals. Espn picked up TV rights to Jonathan Hock's documentary The Lost Son of Havana, according to indieWIRE, and will broadcast the film in August. The doc follows Luis Tiant, a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1964 to 1982, as he returns to his homeland of Cuba after 46 years of exile. Tiant once said: "We should never forget what has happened to the people in Cuba for forty years."
First Run Features acquired Yoav Shamir's Defamation,...
Deals. Espn picked up TV rights to Jonathan Hock's documentary The Lost Son of Havana, according to indieWIRE, and will broadcast the film in August. The doc follows Luis Tiant, a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1964 to 1982, as he returns to his homeland of Cuba after 46 years of exile. Tiant once said: "We should never forget what has happened to the people in Cuba for forty years."
First Run Features acquired Yoav Shamir's Defamation,...
- 4/26/2009
- by Peter Martin
- Cinematical
Spike Lee's "Kobe Doin' Work," a documentary look at Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, will have its world premiere at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.
An Espn Films production, the film will screen April 25 as the gala entry in the fest's Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival sidebar.
Featuring a score by Bruce Hornsby, "Kobe" was shot during last year's NBA playoffs when Lee and cinematographer Matthew Libatique spent a day with the Lakers standout.
Following its Tribeca bow, "Kobe" will be televised May 16 on Espn.
Now in its third year, the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival showcases independent films about sports and competition. This year's lineup of eight titles includes films devoted to the Little League of Nascar, a Swedish men's synchronized swimming team, a baseball hero's return to his Cuban home for the first time in more than 45 years and a teenage debate team from Qatar that travels...
An Espn Films production, the film will screen April 25 as the gala entry in the fest's Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival sidebar.
Featuring a score by Bruce Hornsby, "Kobe" was shot during last year's NBA playoffs when Lee and cinematographer Matthew Libatique spent a day with the Lakers standout.
Following its Tribeca bow, "Kobe" will be televised May 16 on Espn.
Now in its third year, the Tribeca/Espn Sports Film Festival showcases independent films about sports and competition. This year's lineup of eight titles includes films devoted to the Little League of Nascar, a Swedish men's synchronized swimming team, a baseball hero's return to his Cuban home for the first time in more than 45 years and a teenage debate team from Qatar that travels...
- 3/17/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
And here's the rest, including the Midnight Section, all after the break.
Encounters
This collection of engaging and entertaining narrative features and documentaries, a mixture of dark comedies and lighter fare, offers work from returning filmmakers, established talent, and popular subjects, and includes 10 World Premieres. Included in Encounters are performances from Academy Award®-nominated actors Thomas Haden Church, Melissa Leo, Elisabeth Shue; directorial debuts from both Eric Bana and Cheryl Hines (from a screenplay by Adrienne Shelly); stories ranging from an ill-fated man's discovery of inspiration and happiness, dysfunctional families, and unrequited high school crushes to a doc on the emergence of New York’s independent film scene.
• Blank City, directed by Celine Danhier. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Celine Danhier’s kinetic doc mirrors the urgent, anything-goes energy of her subject: the Diy independent film movement that emerged in tandem with punk rock in late ‘70s downtown New York.
Encounters
This collection of engaging and entertaining narrative features and documentaries, a mixture of dark comedies and lighter fare, offers work from returning filmmakers, established talent, and popular subjects, and includes 10 World Premieres. Included in Encounters are performances from Academy Award®-nominated actors Thomas Haden Church, Melissa Leo, Elisabeth Shue; directorial debuts from both Eric Bana and Cheryl Hines (from a screenplay by Adrienne Shelly); stories ranging from an ill-fated man's discovery of inspiration and happiness, dysfunctional families, and unrequited high school crushes to a doc on the emergence of New York’s independent film scene.
• Blank City, directed by Celine Danhier. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. Celine Danhier’s kinetic doc mirrors the urgent, anything-goes energy of her subject: the Diy independent film movement that emerged in tandem with punk rock in late ‘70s downtown New York.
- 3/11/2009
- QuietEarth.us
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