MSNBC Films Acquires Errol Morris’ ‘Separated,’ Officially Entering Into the Doc Oscar Race (EXCLUSIVE)

As a film critic who has spent decades immersed in the world of cinema and witnessed the evolution of documentaries from a distance, I must say that “Separated” stands out as a poignant and powerful piece of work. Errol Morris, with his proven prowess in storytelling and ability to shed light on crucial issues, has once again delivered a compelling narrative that transcends politics and bureaucracy, focusing instead on the human element. The film’s timeliness and relevance cannot be overstated, especially as we approach another pivotal moment in our nation’s political landscape.


MSNBC Films has acquired Errol Morris‘ immigration control documentary “Separated.”

As a cinema enthusiast, I’ve been deeply moved by the powerful documentary that shines a spotlight on the heart-wrenching Trump administration policy of separating children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. This poignant film made its debut at the prestigious Venice Film Festival in August, and later graced the screens at the Telluride Film Festival in September.

The 93-minute film by director Morris, titled “Separated: Inside an American Tragedy,” draws upon interviews with U.S. officials and follows the story of a single migrant family, as detailed in Jacob Soboroff’s 2020 book of the same name. According to data from the Department of Homeland Security, over 3,800 children were separated from their families between 2017 and 2021. This film explores how U.S. government policies have led to more than a thousand children being separated from their parents up until the present day.

According to Morris, who won an Oscar for best documentary feature in 2004 with “Fog of War,” the aim is to narrate a tale that we can all empathize with emotionally. This isn’t just a story of political wrongdoing or bureaucracy, but one about individuals – people like us. It’s not about some distant others; it’s about us.

As a follower, I’m sharing some insights about “Separated,” a production collaboratively created by Participant, Fourth Floor, Moxie Pictures, and NBC News Studios. During the production phase, I didn’t witness any distribution agreement being established with NBC Universal-owned Peacock or Focus. The intriguing part is that the film eventually found distribution. In recent years, significant U.S. distributors like Netflix and Apple have shown less interest in contentious material related to politics, which could explain why “Separated” doesn’t have a streaming deal yet.

Starting October 4th, “Separated” commences a one-week run for Academy Award consideration at the IFC Center in New York City. The movie will be distributed theatrically by Submarine Deluxe.

In Venice, Morris emphasized during a news conference his desire for the document to be published before the U.S. Presidential election, which is scheduled for November 5th.

“(I) hope that it will make a difference,” the director said.

During that same press conference Morris described the doc as “an essay on fascism.”

Morris expressed his deep convictions towards numerous Trump administration policies, but the notion that such policies would intentionally harm children was inconceivable to him. It simply felt immoral. Such actions should never occur, and we must take every measure possible to prevent them from happening ever again.

This marks the third time a feature documentary by MSNBC Films has been eligible for an Oscar nomination. Following the qualification of “Paper & Glue” in 2021 and “Periodical” in 2023, this latest film is now in contention for the award.

Amanda Spain, MSNBC Films’ Vice President of Longform Acquisitions, notes that Jacob Soboroff has immersed himself in immigration matters for over a decade, providing firsthand insights at the border, and his work has been recognized with top-tier journalism accolades. Additionally, Errol is a highly acclaimed director known for shedding light on significant issues often overlooked by the media in an exceptionally captivating cinematic manner. We are thrilled to present this film to the public, supporting these visionary storytellers and the brave individuals involved.

Greenwich Entertainment is handling TVOD distribution for “Separated.”

MSNBC will start broadcasting the docu on Dec. 7.

Watch the trailer for “Separated.”

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2024-10-01 16:19