HBO MAX ACQUIRES CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED DOCUMENTARY
ON THE RECORD FROM IMPACT PARTNERS AND JANE DOE FILMS
Award-Winning Filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
Give Spotlight to Russell Simmons' Accusers
Film Marks The Streaming Service's First Festival Acquisition
LOS ANGELES, CA - Feb. 3, 2020 - HBO Max has acquired U.S. rights to Impact Partners' and Jane Doe Films' widely acclaimed On The Record following the film's premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival, marking the streamers first festival acquisition. The film received high praise from critics across the board, enjoyed three standing ovations following its premiere screening, and has been lauded by The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and multiple outlets as one of the top films coming out of this year's festival.
"The fierce determination of Drew Dixon and all of the women who bravely chose to share their stories in On The Record moved us profoundly," says Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max. "I've been impressed with Amy and Kirby's work over the years covering this complex subject matter, and look forward to this film finding the widest possible audience."
Directed and produced by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Hunting Ground, The Invisible War), and first reported by The New York Times, On The Record presents the haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon (producer of hit records by Method Man and Mary J. Blige, Estelle and Kanye West, and Whitney Houston) as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color, in the wake of #MeToo, to come forward and publicly accuse hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual misconduct. The film chronicles not only Dixon's story, but that of several other accusers - Sil Lai Abrams, Sheri Hines, Jenny Lumet, Alexia Norton Jones - delving deeply into the ways women of colors' voices are all too often silenced and ignored when reporting these crimes; as well as the various cultural forces that conspire to make them reluctant to do so.
"Kirby and I are so proud to be teaming with HBO Max to give this film the outstanding platform it deserves and can't wait for the public to see and hear the voices of these courageous women," said Ziering.
"Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering are national treasures," said Dan Cogan and Jenny Raskin of Impact Partners. "We are honored that HBO Max has decided to embrace this highly-anticipated film as their first festival acquisition ever, and we are thrilled for them to share it with their new audience."
On The Record is produced by Dick and Ziering's Jane Doe Films with Dan Cogan for Impact Partners, Regina K Scully for Artemis Rising, Ian Darling for Shark Island and Abigail Disney for Level Forward serving as executive producers. The creative team includes producers Jamie Rogers and Amy Herdy.
UTA Independent Film Group brokered the deal of On The Record.
About HBO Max
HBO Max is WarnerMedia's direct-to-consumer offering debuting in spring 2020. With 10,000 hours of curated premium content anticipated at launch, HBO Max will offer powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from WarnerMedia's rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. Sign up for updates at HBOMax.com.
About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).
About Jane Doe Films
Jane Doe Films (fka Chain Camera Pictures) is a prestigious, award-winning production company, home to the most groundbreaking investigatory documentaries today, headed by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering. Their film, "The Invisible War," broke the story of the epidemic of rape in the US military and led to five congressional hearings and the passing of 35 reforms through Congress. Their follow up film, "The Hunting Ground," about campus sexual assault, ignited a national discussion and led to policy changes at hundreds of schools. Their most recent film, "The Bleeding Edge," about the fast-growing medical device industry's corruption and malfeasance, has already compelled industry giant Bayer to remove one harmful device from the market, and is catalyzing a worldwide debate about regulation and patient safety.
Throughout their filmography, notable accolades they have amassed include: two Oscar nominations, two Emmy awards, an Independent Spirit Award, a Peabody, the Producers Guild of America's Stanley Kramer Award, and the George Polk Award for Special Achievement in Investigative Journalism.
Other hailed productions from the filmmakers include the Oscar-nominated "Twist Of Faith," the story of a man confronting the trauma of his past sexual abuse by a Catholic priest; closeted anti-gay politician documentary "Outrage," nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism; "This Film Is Not Yet Rated," a breakthrough investigation of the MPAA's secretive film ratings system; and "Derrida," a complex portrait of the world-renowned French philosopher Jacques Derrida.
About Impact Partners
Impact Partners is dedicated to funding independent documentary storytelling that entertains audiences, engages with pressing social issues, and propels the art of cinema forward. Over the span of 13 years, Impact Partners has been involved in the financing of over 100 films, including: "Icarus," which won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; "Won't You Be My Neighbor?," which won the 2019 Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary; "Dina," which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was named Best Feature by the International Documentary Association; "The Eagle Huntress," which was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary; "The Cove," which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; "How To Survive A Plague," which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature; "The Queen Of Versailles," which won the US Directing Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival; and "Hell And Back Again," which won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize and Cinematography Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
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