or


[05/13/15 - 12:09 PM]
"The Lion's Mouth Opens," The Story of One Courageous Woman's Journey to Discover If She Has Inherited Huntington's Disease, Debuts June 1, Exclusively on HBO
In the acclaimed documentary, Lucy Walker follows courageous young filmmaker and actress Marianna Palka as she gathers her friends to find out if she has inherited Huntington's from her father.

[via press release from HBO]

"THE LION'S MOUTH OPENS," THE STORY OF ONE COURAGEOUS WOMAN'S JOURNEY TO DISCOVER IF SHE HAS INHERITED HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE, DEBUTS JUNE 1, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

Two-Time Oscar(R) Nominee Lucy Walker Directs

Huntington's disease is an incurable hereditary degenerative brain disorder that results in the progressive loss of mental faculties and physical control.

In the acclaimed documentary THE LION'S MOUTH OPENS, two-time Academy Award(R) nominee Lucy Walker (HBO's Emmy(R)-winning "The Crash Reel") follows courageous young filmmaker and actress Marianna Palka as she gathers her friends to find out if she has inherited Huntington's from her father. The intimate film debuts MONDAY, JUNE 1 (9:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, as Huntington's Disease Awareness Month comes to a close.

Other HBO playdates: June 1 (5:10 a.m.), 4 (11:30 a.m., 5:00 p.m.), 6 (11:30 a.m.), 8 (2:30 p.m.) and 14 (3:45 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates: June 2 (11:30 p.m.), 10 (8:30 p.m.), 12 (2:00 p.m.) and 20 (10:00 a.m.)

Featuring interviews with Palka, her mother and her friends, including actors Jason Ritter and Bryce Dallas Howard, as well as home movies from her childhood, haunting videos of people suffering from the illness, and footage of the moments before, during, and after she gets the news, THE LION'S MOUTH OPENS chronicles one woman's decision to face her demons and receive this potentially life-altering information.

Around 30,000 Americans have been diagnosed with Huntington's disease, and approximately 200,000 more, whose parents were diagnosed with the disorder, have a 50% chance of developing it. Less than 10% of those at risk choose to take the test that reveals if they have inherited Huntington's. Today, there is no cure.

Only eight years old when her father began showing signs of the disease, Palka watched him deteriorate over the years as, in her mother's words, "each brick from the castle was just falling out." Discovering that the gene mutation could be traced back to Palka's paternal grandmother, she has a 50% chance of being affected.

Palka decides to take the test at age 32. The night before her doctor's appointment to get the results, she gathers her closest friends together for a dinner party. Preparing for this monumental moment, she reflects on what led her to this point and what the future holds. Her friend (and former boyfriend) Jason Ritter asks if she is afraid of the results, but reassures her, adding, "I don't think you would ever let something as simple as fear stop you from doing anything."

The next day, Bryce Dallas Howard and Moet Hashimoto accompany her to the doctor. In the waiting room, they discuss the vastly different realities that could come from the test. As Palka notes, "It's this road or that road, there's no middle."

THE LION'S MOUTH OPENS was nominated for a Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and received a Special Jury Award at Aspen Shortsfest and an award for Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking at Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US.

Lucy Walker previously directed the Oscar(R) nominees "Waste Land" and HBO's "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" (also nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy(R)), as well as HBO's "The Crash Reel," which won a News & Documentary Emmy(R) in the category of Outstanding Informational Programming - Long Form. Her other credits include the feature documentaries "Countdown to Zero" and "Blindsight," and the HBO presentation "Devil's Playground," which was nominated for four News & Documentary Emmys(R).

THE LION'S MOUTH OPENS was directed and produced by Lucy Walker; producers, Marianna Palka and Julian Cautherley; shot and co-produced by Nick Higgins; co-producer, Sabrina Doyle; editor, Joe Peeler.





  [may 2015]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[11/22/24 - 01:31 PM]
Video: "Suits LA" Arrives February 2025 - NBC
The all-new spinoff of the beloved legal drama, starring Stephen Amell, Lex Scott Davis, Josh McDermitt, and Bryan Greenberg, lands on the West Coast.

[11/22/24 - 12:11 PM]
Video: Peacock Releases First Look at the Third Season of Emmy Award-Winning Reality Competition Series "The Traitors" Returning January 9 with Alan Cumming as Host
Last season, "The Traitors" became the #1 unscripted series in the U.S. across all streaming platforms during launch week, according to Nielsen.

[11/22/24 - 10:15 AM]
Apple's Drama "Your Friends & Neighbors" Lands Early Season Two Renewal
Starring and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Jon Hamm, "Your Friends & Neighbors" will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 11 with two episodes, followed by one new episode weekly through Friday, May 30.

[11/22/24 - 09:01 AM]
Apple Original Films' "Fly Me to the Moon" to Premiere December 6, 2024
Since its debut in theaters worldwide, the film has received the Verified Hot certification on Rotten Tomatoes by fans.

[11/22/24 - 08:03 AM]
Peacock Exclusively Streams Blumhouse's "Speak No Evil" Beginning December 6
The psychological horror thriller stars James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough, Scoot McNairy, and more!

[11/22/24 - 07:35 AM]
2024 "Emirates NBA Cup" Championship Game Exclusively on ABC and ESPN+ December 17
In addition, ESPN platforms will exclusively present a semifinal game and a quarterfinal game as part of its 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Round coverage.

[11/22/24 - 07:12 AM]
Peacock and Sky's Original Hit Drama Series "The Day of the Jackal" Scores Second Season Renewal
In the US it ranked #1 on Peacock's Top 10 TV Shows on its platform and was a Top 5 streaming original in the US for its opening weekend (according to preliminary Nielsen data).

[11/22/24 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Chef's Table" Volume 7 - Official Teaser - Netflix
Meet five world-class chefs who redefine culinary boundaries with delicious, innovative dishes honoring their diverse cultures and personal philosophies.

[11/22/24 - 05:41 AM]
"They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce" Set for January 2025 on ESPN
Airing on Friday nights/early Saturday mornings, the new personality-driven, one-hour program will take its inspiration from traditional late-night television, emphasizing a comedic approach throughout all five scheduled episodes which run in conjunction with the finale of the NFL regular season and playoffs.

[11/22/24 - 03:01 AM]
Video: "Ad Vitam" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After escaping an attempted murder, Franck Lazarev (Guillaume Canet) must find his wife Léo, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious group of armed men.

[11/21/24 - 04:01 PM]
"Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die" Premieres December 10: A Battle for Supremacy Begins
In the shadows of Korea's rugby world, seven teams engage in a fierce battle of strength, strategy, and teamwork - all vying to be crowned champion.

[11/21/24 - 04:00 PM]
ABC Presents a Two-Night Special Event To Commemorate the Diamond Anniversary of "Mary Poppins"
First, "The Untold Story of Mary Poppins: A Special Edition of 20/20," a two-hour special from ABC News Studios chock full of rarely seen footage, photos and stories from the film's living legends, airs Wednesday, November 27 on ABC and streams next day on Hulu and Disney+.

[11/21/24 - 01:32 PM]
2024 International Emmy Nominees on Hulu
Check out these Emmy-worthy international series streaming on Hulu.

[11/21/24 - 01:12 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Semifinals Is Top Program of the Night in Adults 18-49 and All Key Women Demographics
The spectacular season 33 penultimate episode grew over the previous week's 500th episode celebration in both Total Viewers (5.19 million vs. 5.13 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.75 rating vs. 0.71 rating), hitting a season high in Total Viewers.

[11/21/24 - 01:05 PM]
NBC Orders Five Additional Episodes of Its Friday Night Comedy Hit "Happy's Place"
The "Happy's Place" premiere has hit 14 million viewers across all platforms.