May 7, 2019 - Economy

Scoop: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in talks to do Green New Deal doc

Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is in talks with documentary filmmaker Rachel Lears about a new project that would chronicle the freshman Democrat's Green New Deal policy movement, according to two sources familiar with the project.

Between the lines: Lears is same filmmaker behind the new Netflix documentary called "Knock Down the House," which chronicles the campaigns of four women running in the 2018 midterms, including Ocasio-Cortez.

Yes, but: Sources say Lears is making the film independently, and it may or may not end up in Netflix's hands.

Netflix bought the rights to distribute Lears' "Knock Down the House" for $10 million earlier this year after the film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Deadline Hollywood Co-Editor-in-Chief Mike Fleming writes that it may be the biggest documentary sale ever brokered at a film festival.

The big picture: Netflix and other streamers have been instrumental in driving forward a resurgence of news documentaries.

For example, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's production company, Higher Ground Productions, unveiled an initial slate of programming last week in partnership with Netflix.

Our thought bubble: Audience demand for more documentary news programming on streaming services makes sense, given the fact that younger generations are tuning out traditional TV and thus long-form linear news programs like "Dateline" or "60 Minutes."

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Scoop: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in talks to do Green New Deal doc

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