Source: The Washington Post / Getty
The Obama’s do anything but slow down. Although we wish our President and First Lady were still calling the White House home, it’s nothing short of inspiring to watch them pursue other passions. Just 11 months ago, the power duo struck a programming deal with Netflix. Their company, Higher Ground Productions, is now ready to set the streaming world on fire with seven projects in development. Apparently, we can expect several documentaries and films.
You might expect that a few of these projects would be politically charged, but ironically, the Obamas are staying away from the topic in favor of content that will cause less tension during the current political climate. After 8 years of talking policy, anyone would want a break from regularly scheduled programming. By now you’re probably wondering what’s coming down the pipeline for Higher Ground Productions. Courtesy of The New York Times we have a full list of what they’re cooking up.
- American Factory, a documentary that examines life in Ohio where a Chinese billionaire opened a factory in a former General Motors plant and hired 2,000 people. Higher Ground Productions described the film, produced by Participant Media and directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert, as “early days of hope and optimism give way to setbacks as high-tech China clashes with working-class America.” The documentary was already shown at the Sundance Film Festival, and Higher Ground Productions said it would be its first release.
- Bloom, a drama series set in post-World War II New York that will explore the “barriers faced by women and by people of color in an era marked by hurdles but also tremendous progress.” It will be produced by Callie Khouri, who wrote Thelma & Louise.
- A film adaptation of Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography by David W. Blight. Higher Ground did not announce a screenwriter or any producers.
- An adaptation of a New York Times series, called Overlooked, about people whose deaths were previously not reported by the newspaper. The obituaries have been published in a recurring feature in the paper. Higher Ground Productions said it would be a scripted anthology series.
- A series based on The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy, a book by Michael Lewis.
- Crip Camp a documentary film about the origins of the disability rights movement.
- Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents, a half-hour series for preschoolers that will “take young children and their families around the globe on an adventure that tells us the story of our food.”
We know, we know. You can’t wait to grab your popcorn and tune into the next episode of the Obama’s legacy. Be patient fellow Obama lovers, and for now rest assured that nothing is being created without the goal of creating productive dialogue.
“Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights and much more, we believe each of these productions won’t just entertain, but will educate, connect and inspire us all.” – Barack Obama
