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“We created Higher Ground to tell great stories,” the Obamas said in a written statement. “This group of projects builds upon that goal and the incredible path forged by films like
Crip Camp,
Becoming, and the Oscar-winning
American Factory. From science fiction to the beauty of our natural world to the relationships that define us, Higher Ground continues to strive for fresh perspectives, compelling characters, and a healthy dose of inspiration. We couldn’t be more proud to team up with the brilliant artists behind each of these stories. Each of them has something important to say.”
“It has been thrilling to watch President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, and the Higher Ground team dive into original programming and produce incredible stories,” said Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO, and Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “
Participant Partners With NEON to Co-Distribute Sundance Winner Flee
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Participant has partnered with NEON on the North American distribution of Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s documentary, “Flee,” after its Sundance debut.
The film, a largely animated documentary about the life of a gay Afghan refugee, earned the grand jury prize in the World Cinema Documentary Competition category on Tuesday night, just hours after the new partnership was announced.
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“We were awestruck by Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s beautiful and intimate Flee and are so proud to join with NEON in co-distributing this film,” Diane Weyermann, Participant’s Chief Content Officer, said in a statement announcing the partnership.
Jonas Poher Rasmussen finds remarkable means to unearth the memories of his protagonist,
Amin, congealing them into something akin to a classic suspense tale, yet one still rooted in documentary credibility. A 2020 Cannes Label selection,
Flee waited half a year to have its full premiere in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at this year’s Sundance, where it has been one of the most admired films at the whole festival, as well as at the Göteborg Film Festival.
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One of the most subtle of this film’s many great flourishes comes in the opening minutes, as Amin (a pseudonym, as with all the other main characters, to protect his anonymity) lies down on a plush couch as he prepares to narrate his grand tale to Rasmussen. Then, just as we in the audience are similarly settling down, a film clapperboard hovers in the corner of the frame; the two main characters giggle and restart the scene. And this is all rendered in han
Sundance ’21: Jonas Poher Rasmussen opens up about his animated doc “Flee”
Danish filmmaker Jonas Poher Rasmussen has made a name for himself in the documentary space by incorporating vibrant physicality within his work.
Rasmussen’s third film, Flee, brings exactly that to the 2021 . January 29, 2021
Danish filmmaker Jonas Poher Rasmussen has made a name for himself in the documentary space by incorporating vibrant physicality within his work.
Rasmussen’s third film,
Flee, brings exactly that to the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, which runs Jan. 28 to Feb. 3. The animated documentary, whose North American rights were acquired Friday (Jan. 29) by New York-based distributor Neon, tells the story of 36-year-old Amin Nawabi (a pseudonym) as he contends with revealing a “painful secret” kept hidden for more than two decades that threatens to ruin the life he and his soon-to-be husband have built.