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  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Netflix Make Documentary Deal

    Leonardo DiCaprio, Netflix Make Documentary Deal

    After a highly successful first date, Netflix and Leonardo DiCaprio have decided to take their relationship to the next level.

    The streaming company has inked a deal with the actor/producer and his production company Appian Way for a multi-year run of documentary films and series. According to Deadline, “DiCaprio’s goal is to mix philanthropy with film making and generate focus with topical and provocative environmental and conservation themes.”

    He will serve as producer or executive producer on all projects.

    DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Netflix have already team up once, with last year’s Virunga – a documentary about endangered gorillas at Virunga National Park in the eastern Congo. It was nominated for an Oscar.

    “Working with Netflix on Virunga has sparked a shared vision about projects that we want to develop and bring to viewers. There’s never been a more critical time for our planet or more of a need for gifted storytellers to help us all make sense of the issues we face. Through this partnership with Netflix, I hope to give documentary filmmakers doing urgent and important work the chance to have their films seen immediately by audiences all around the world,” said DiCaprio in a statement.

    Post by Leonardo DiCaprio.

    This makes the third high-profile deal Netflix has made for multiple years of content. First, it signed on Adam Sandler for a four-film deal. The first of those, Ridiculous 6, has a pretty impressive cast lined up. Netflix also signed the Duplass brothers to a four-picture deal.

    In terms of straight acquisitions, the company recently snagged a new series from Baz Luhrmann, a war drama starring Fifty Shades of Grey‘s Jamie Dornan, and Pee-wee Herman’s new film.

    Image via Leonardo DiCaprio, Facebook

  • Oscar Nominations: Netflix Scores One with ‘Virunga’

    Oscar Nominations: Netflix Scores One with ‘Virunga’

    The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences have just announced the Oscar nominations, and Netflix has grabbed itself one.

    Virunga, a film about endangered gorillas at Virunga National Park in the eastern Congo, has been nominated for Best Documentary Feature. It’ll be up against CitizenFour, Finding Vivian Maier, Last Days in Vietnam, and The Salt of the Earth.

    “All I can say is that we’re just humbled that people seem to like the film and seem to resonate with the issues at its heart. I think part of that is because there’s a few things at play – protecting this park isn’t just about protecting the last mountain gorilla, it’s also not just about protecting a part of eastern Congo that really is key to driving forward stability in the region, it’s an issue that everyone should care about, because Virunga is a world heritage site. Only a very small percentage of our planet is protected by these areas. These are parts of the world that humanity has come together and said that they’re so special that we can’t be exploring for oil or gas or coal, that we have to protect them. So if somewhere like Virunga, African’s oldest national park, falls in the face of business interests, what is left on out planet that is safe? And I think that resonates with people because they realize that this is really a line in the sand,” said director Orlando von Einsiedel last month when his film was shortlisted for the Oscar nom.

    Last year, Netflix’s original documentary The Square was nominated in the same category, but didn’t win. Netflix did score its first-ever Oscar, however, as The Lady in Number 6 won the Best Documentary Short Subject category.

    You can check out the full list of Oscar nominations here.

    Image via Virunga Movie, Twitter

  • Netflix Original Documentary ‘Virunga’ Getting Oscar Buzz

    Netflix Original Documentary ‘Virunga’ Getting Oscar Buzz

    Last year, Netflix Original documentary The Square was getting a lot of Oscar buzz, and it ultimately got a nomination, though it didn’t win the award. It did acquire The Lady in Number 6, which won the documentary short category.

    Now, another Netflix Original doc, Virunga, is getting Oscar buzz. The film is about endangered gorillas at Virunga National Park in the eastern Congo.

    The Hollywood Reporter reports that it has been chosen by the Academy as one of the 15 films to compete for a nomination in the best documentary feature category. They asked director Orlando von Einsiedel how he feels about the Oscar buzz, to which he replied:

    That’s out of my hands! All I can say is that we’re just humbled that people seem to like the film and seem to resonate with the issues at its heart. I think part of that is because there’s a few things at play – protecting this park isn’t just about protecting the last mountain gorilla, it’s also not just about protecting a part of eastern Congo that really is key to driving forward stability in the region, it’s an issue that everyone should care about, because Virunga is a world heritage site. Only a very small percentage of our planet is protected by these areas. These are parts of the world that humanity has come together and said that they’re so special that we can’t be exploring for oil or gas or coal, that we have to protect them. So if somewhere like Virunga, African’s oldest national park, falls in the face of business interests, what is left on out planet that is safe? And I think that resonates with people because they realize that this is really a line in the sand.

    The film, which counts Leonardo DiCaprio as an executive producer, is currently available to stream. Netflix acquired the rights to it back in July.

    Image via YouTube

  • Netflix Acquires Streaming Rights To Documentary ‘Virunga’

    Netflix Acquires Streaming Rights To Documentary ‘Virunga’

    Netflix has reportedly acquired exclusive streaming rights to another documentary – Virunga, which is about endangered gorillas at Virunga National Park in the eastern Congo.

    Variety shares comments from Netflix:

    “Combining compelling filmmaking with a captivating real-life subject, ‘Virunga’ will have viewers on the edge of their seats from its very first frame,” Lisa Nishimura, Netflix VP of original documentary and comedy, said in a statement. “Orlando has crafted a film of rare and raw beauty, an artful and thought-provoking documentary that demands to be seen around the globe.”

    According to von Einsiedel, “Netflix’s global reach is second to none and so was the obvious platform for us to share with the world the story of the park’s brave rangers and their David-and-Goliath battle.”

    Netflix will add the title to other exclusive documentaries like The Square, Mitt, The Battered Bastards of Baseball, Brave Miss World, Mission Blue, and The E-Team.

    The film was directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, and produced by von Einsiede and Joanna Natasegara. Executive producers include Howard Buffett, Jon Drever, Maxyne Franklin, and Jess Search.

    Netflix counts 5 Emmy nominations for its documentaries, including four for The Square and one for Brave Miss World. Netflix’s “original” or exclusive content is up for a combined 31 Emmys, mostly from House of Cards and Orange is the New Black.

    Image via YouTube