The Obama's programming slate released
The first project from the Obamas Higher Ground Productions, "American Factory" has been released on Netflix. The documentary film deals with a cultural clash in an Ohio plant that is failing. In post-industrial Ohio, a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant, hiring two thousand blue-collar Americans. Early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.
"Father you know these are tough times, so we are asking you for your guidance," a pastor prays at a public event in the opening of the story. Workers struggle to survive as the plant, which is the economic heart-beat of the community works out its issues. "American Factory" won the Directing Award for U.S. Documentary at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.
The Obamas have named 6 other projects in various stages of development that will also air in the future including a Frederick Douglas biopic. Higher Ground is offering a colorful, informative slate of content for all ages:
- “Bloom” is an upstairs/downstairs drama series set in the world of fashion in post-WWII New York City that depicts barriers faced by women and by people of color in an era characterized by both hurdles and progress. It is written and executive produced by Khouri (“Nashville,” “Thelma and Louise”), from an idea developed by Khouri, writer-director Clement Virgo (“The Book Of Negroes,” “The Wire,” “Empire”) and novelist and producer Juliana Maio (“City of the Sun”). Higher Ground Productions, Khouri, Virgo and Maio will executive produce the series.
- Higher Ground is producing a feature film adaptation of author David W. Blight’s “Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom,” for which he won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in History.
Adapted from the New York Times’ obituary column Overlooked, telling the stories of remarkable people whose deaths were not reported by the newspaper, Higher Ground is developing the concept as a scripted anthology series with producers Liza Chasin of 3dot Productions and Joy Gorman Wettels of Anonymous Content.
Adapted from the New York Times’ obituary column Overlooked, telling the stories of remarkable people whose deaths were not reported by the newspaper, Higher Ground is developing the concept as a scripted anthology series with producers Liza Chasin of 3dot Productions and Joy Gorman Wettels of Anonymous Content.
- For family programming, “Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents” will be a half-hour preschool series from creators Jeremy Konner (“Drunk History”) and Erika Thormahlen. The show will take young children and their families around the globe on an adventure that tells us the story of our food.
From Lewis, the author of “The Big Short” and “Moneyball,” and based on his book “The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy,” “Fifth Risk,” a non-fiction series, will portray the importance of unheralded work done by everyday heroes guiding our government and safeguarding our nation.
From Lewis, the author of “The Big Short” and “Moneyball,” and based on his book “The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy,” “Fifth Risk,” a non-fiction series, will portray the importance of unheralded work done by everyday heroes guiding our government and safeguarding our nation.
- “Crip Camp” is a feature-length documentary film in production that is supported by the Sundance Institute and acquired earlier this year by Higher Ground and Netflix. Just down the road from Woodstock, in the early 1970s, a parallel revolution blossomed in a ramshackle summer camp for teenagers with disabilities that would set in motion the disability rights movement. The film is directed by former camper Jim LeBrecht and Nicole Newnham. Producers include Newnham, LeBrecht and Sara Bolder, with executive producer Howard Gertler.
