Cable News Network Films (known as CNN Films) is a motion picture division of CNN Worldwide, originally launched in 2012. Its first film, Girl Rising premiered in spring 2013 in the United States.
History On October 8, 2012, CNN announced the creation of CNN Films. CNN says that it will acquire and commission original feature-length documentaries that will "examine an array of political, social, and economic subject matters." It also signed development deals with documentary directors Alex Gibney and Andrew Rossi. Since its creation, it already acquired the rights for Girl Rising, a 100-minute documentary narrated by Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, and Selena Gomez.
While the documentaries will initially air on CNN, the network reportedly plans to enter them in film festivals and distribute them to theaters as well.
At the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, CNN announced the acquisition of three documentaries. It acquired the rights to air Life Itself, a film adaptation of Roger Ebert's 2011 memoir, in television. The project will be directed by Steve James and executive produced by Martin Scorsese and Steven Zaillian. It is scheduled to air in 2014. The two other untitled projects are expected to air on CNN in 2013. One, from directors Michael Tucker and Petra Epperleini, centers on 9/11 and reconstructs the events at Ground Zero; the other, from director Andrew Rossi, focuses on the transformation of higher education, examining the costs and relevance of college.
CNN Films bought the television rights of Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare which premiered on March 10, 2013, on CNN. The film was directed by Matthew Heineman and Susan Froemke. The film premiered on January 19, 2012, at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released on October 5, 2012.
CNN Films acquired Penny Lane's Our Nixon, and CNN premiered the film in August 2013, while Cinedigm released it theatrically. The network has also then acquired the domestic television broadcast rights of the Sundance film selection Robert Stone's Pandora's Promise and aired it on CNN in November 2013 while it was theatrically released five months before.
On December 10, 2020, CNN Films teamed up with the BBC to produce a documentary about the development and manufacturing of vaccines for the COVID-19 pandemic. The documentary that is not a film is produced by British virologist-turned-filmmaker Catherine Gale who also directs with American independent filmmaker and medical journalist Caleb Hellerman, and will air in 2021 on CNN in the United States under the title Race for the Vaccine and BBC Two in the United Kingdom under the title Vaccine: The Inside Story.
Filmography TitleRelease dateDirector(s)Writer(s)Producer(s)Ref(s)Évocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. MovieJune 7, 2013Seth KramerDaniel A. MillerJeremy NewbergerDaniel A. MillerSeth KramerDaniel A. MillerJeremy NewbergerGirl RisingJune 16, 2013Richard E. RobbinsAminatta FornaEdwidge DanticatMaaza MengisteZarghuna KargarMarie AranaMona EltahawyManjushree ThapaSooni TaraporevalaLoung UngMartha AdamsRichard E. RobbinsTom YellinBlackfishJuly 19, 2013Gabriela CowperthwaiteGabriela CowperthwaiteEli B. DespresManny OteyzaGabriela CowperthwaiteEscape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American HealthcareMarch 10, 2013Matthew HeinemanSusan FroemkeMatthew HeinemanSusan FroemkeMatthew HeinemanSusan FroemkeThe FlagSeptember 4, 2013Michael TuckerPetra EpperleinOur NixonAugust 1, 2013Penny LaneBrian L. FryePenny LanePandora's PromiseNovember 7, 2013Robert StoneTBAJim SwartzSusan SwartzAn Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton StoryDecember 5, 2013Al ReinertSole SurvivorJanuary 9, 2014Ky DickensKy DickensSusan AurinkoAlexis JaworskiAmy McIntyre41ON41June 15, 2014Lisa LaxNancy Stern WintersLisa LaxNancy Stern WintersWhitey: United States of America v. James J. BulgerJune 27, 2014Joe BerlingerJoe BerlingerCaroline SuhLife ItselfJuly 4, 2014Steve JamesTBAGarrett BaschDocumentedJune 29, 2014Jose Antonio VargasAnn LupoJose Antonio VargasJose Antonio VargasLady Valor: The Kristin Beck StorySeptember 4, 2014Mark HerzogSandrine OrabonaMark HerzogChristopher CowenMore than a GameOctober 24, 2014Kristopher BelmanKristopher BelmanBrad HoganKristopher BelmanHarvey Mason, Jr.Kevin MannMatthew PerniciaroIvory TowerNovember 20, 2014Andrew RossiAndrew RossiAndrew RossiKate NovackDinosaur 13December 11, 2014Todd Douglas MillerTBATodd Douglas MillerSunshine SupermanMay 22, 2015Marah Strauch Marah Strauch Marah StrauchEric BruggemannGlen Campbell: I'll Be MeJune 28, 2015James KeachJames KeachTrevor AlbertFresh DressedSeptember 3, 2015Sacha JenkinsSacha JenkinsNasir JonesMarcus A. ClarkeSteve Jobs: The Man in the MachineSeptember 4, 2015Alex GibneyAlex GibneyAlex GibneyThe Hunting GroundNovember 22, 2015Kirby DickKirby DickAmy ZieringHoly HellSeptember 1, 2016Will Allen Will AllenTracey HarnishAlexandra JohnesWe Will RiseOctober 12, 2016 Enlighten Us: The Rise and Fall of James Arthur RayDecember 3, 2016Jenny Carchman Allyson LuchakNow More Than Ever: The History of ChicagoJanuary 1, 2017Peter Pardini ChicagoUnseen EnemyApril 7, 2017Janet TobiasJanet TobiasJanet TobiasPeter KleinRogger LopezMichael ErhenzweiEliánAugust 24, 2017Ross McDonnellTim GoldenTim GoldenAlex GibneyTrevor BirneyThe Reagan ShowSeptember 4, 2017Pacho VelezSierra PettengillFrancisco BelloJosh AlexanderDan CoganAmy EntelisHouston KingRegina ScullyLegion of BrothersSeptember 24, 2017Greg Barker Amy EntelisVinnie MalhotraJeremiah Tower: The Last MagnificentNovember 12, 2017Lydia Tenaglia Susan PorrettaTrophyJanuary 14, 2018Shaul SchwarzChristina Clusiau Lauren HaberJulia NottinghamRBGMay 4, 2018Betsy WestJulie CohenBetsy WestJulie CohenThree Identical StrangersJune 29, 2018Tim WardleBecky ReadGrace Hughes-HallettAmerican JailJuly 1, 2018Roger Ross WilliamsRoger Ross WilliamsRoger Ross WilliamsFemke WoltingBruno FelixLove, GildaSeptember 21, 2018Lisa DapolitoBronwyn BerryLisa DapolitoJames TumminiaApollo 11March 1, 2019Todd Douglas MillerTodd Douglas MillerThomas PetersenEvan KraussScandalousNovember 15, 2019Mark LandsmanLinda Ronstadt: The Sound of My VoiceJanuary 1, 2020Rob EpsteinJeffrey FriedmanJames KeachMichele FarinolaRob EpsteinJeffrey FriedmanJohn Lewis: Good TroubleSeptember 27, 2020Dawn PorterErika AlexanderBen Arnon Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street May 31, 2021 Salima Koroma Salima Koroma LFG June 24, 2021Andrea Nix FineSean FineAndrea Nix FineSean FineAbby Greensfelder Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins StoryJune 27, 2021 Laura Fairrie John BattsekLizzie GillettStuart FordAmy EntelisCourtney SextonMark BellBonnie VolandAndrew Ruhemann Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain July 16, 2021 Morgan Neville Morgan NevilleCaitrin Rogers The Lost Sons September 26, 2021 Ursula Macfarlane Amy EntelisCourtney SextonRoss M. DinersteinLiesel EvansGagan Rehill JuliaNovember 5, 2021 Julie CohenBetsy West Julie CohenBetsy WestJustin WilkesSara BernsteinRon HowardBrian GrazerAlex Prud'hommeBob Spitz The Hunt for Planet BNovember 20, 2021 Nathaniel Kahn Nathaniel KahnBonnie HlinomazSandra Evers-ManlyCarleen BesteMatt MountainLawrence B. BenensonGerry OhrstromAlberto Conti Citizen Ashe December 3, 2021 Rex MillerSam Pollard Rex MillerSteven CantorAnna GodasJamie SchultzBeth HubbardJeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe Carole King & James Taylor: Just Call Out My Name January 2, 2022 Frank Marshall Frank Marshall Navalny April 11, 2022 Daniel Roher Daniel Roher Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down July 15, 2022 Julie CohenBetsy West Lisa EspramerSam Jinishian Glitch: The Rise & Fall of HQ Trivia March 5, 2023 Salima Koroma Ken DruckermanBanks TarverAmy EntelisCourtney SextonDylan AbruscatoBrandon TeitelOlivia Snyder-SpakKevin Vargas Little Richard: I Am Everything April 21, 2023 Lisa Cortés Lisa CortésRobert FriedmanLiz Yale MarshCaryn CaputostoMike PowersGus WennerJason Fine Blue Carbon: Nature’s Hidden Power April 21, 2024 Nicolas Brown Carville: Winning Is Everything, Stupid! October 5, 2024 Matt Tyrnauer Matt TyrnauerRyan RothmaierCorey ReeserSusan MccueGraham High Luther: Never Too Much January 1, 2025 Dawn Porter Trish D ChettyGed DohertyJamie FoxxDatari TurnerLeah Smith Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story February 2, 2025 Ian BonhôtePeter Ettedgui Ian BonhôtePeter EttedguiOtto Burnham Robert FordLizzie GillettIan Bonhôte Prime Minister June 13, 2025 Lindsay UtzMichelle Walshe Cass AveryLeon KirkbeckGigi PritzkerRachel ShaneKatie PeckClarke Gayford I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not January 1, 2026 Marina Zenovich P. G. MorganIsabel San VargasAustin Wilkin Top of the World September 7, 2026 Julie CohenBetsy West Ryan BiegelVicky LiuHolly Siegel
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