Blumhouse Television Teams with Sundance TV for True Crime Series
SundanceTV and Sundance Now -- AMC Networks’ premium streaming service – announced today the greenlight of “No One Saw A Thing” (w/t), a new true crime documentary series from Blumhouse Television. Award-winning Israeli filmmaker Avi Belkin will direct and serve as executive producer of the six-episode series, which will also be executive produced by Alexandra Shiva. “No One Saw A Thing” examines an unsolved and mysterious death in the American Heartland and the corrosive effects of vigilantism in small town America. The case garnered international attention in the early 1980s after a resident was shot dead in front of almost 60 townspeople. These witnesses deny having seen anything, to this very day. Production is underway and will launch on SundanceTV and Sundance Now in 2019.
The announcement comes on the heels of the recent greenlight of SundanceTV’s new true crime docuseries “The Road to Jonestown” (w/t) from executive producers Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson of Appian Way and Emmy Award®-winning Stephen David Entertainment;“Ministry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Alamo” from Emmy Award®-winners Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, and Peacock Productions; and “The Preppie Murder” (w/t) with Emmy® Award- winner Robert Friedman’s Bungalow Media + Entertainment and the original prosecutor in the case, Linda Fairstein.
“Produced under the auspices of Blumhouse Television, with prestigious creative talent on board and a compelling mystery at its core, ‘No One Saw A Thing’ is the perfect project for SundanceTV’s and Sundance Now’s discerning audience,” said Jan Diedrichsen, general manager, SundanceTV and Sundance Now. “We have a robust fan base who revel in evocative storytelling, and this exploration will certainly satisfy their appetite for a thought-provoking - and unsolved - true crime story. What’s more, this project underscores SundanceTV’s commitment to working with top tier talent to explore infamous crimes and the impact of these stories on popular culture.”
“Stranger than fiction, ‘No One Saw A Thing’ is one of those unbelievable stories that requires the passion of a storyteller like Avi Belkin who will stop at nothing to get to the truth. We brought Alexandra Shiva on board to help shepherd the project because of our successful history together,” said Jeremy Gold co-president Blumhouse Television.
In addition to Belkin and Shiva, “No One Saw A Thing”is executive produced by Jason Blum, Jeremy Gold, and Marci Wiseman and co-executive produced by Mary Lisio.
Belkin’s projects include several short documentaries, including “Tunnel,” “Elephant Graveyard” and “Paddle Ball” as well as the feature documentary “Winding,” which won Best Documentary Feature at Haifa’s International Movie Film Festival.
Alexandra Shiva’s most recent project, “This Is Home,” which she produced and directed for Blumhouse Television, garnered the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for World Cinema Documentary. Shiva also produced and directed “Stagedoor” and the Peabody Award-winning film, “How to Dance in Ohio,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015.
“With its avid audience of fans who enjoy creative and smart entertainment, SundanceTV is the perfect platform. Fans will also have an opportunity to share their own conspiracy theories over social media,” added Marci Wiseman co-president Blumhouse Television.
Blumhouse Television has earned critical acclaim and numerous honors for its dark, edgy fare including Emmy awards for its productions of HBO's “The Normal Heart” and “The Jinx,” as well as the prestigious Peabody award for “The Jinx” and the documentary “How to Dance in Ohio.” “This is Home” garnered the World Cinema Documentary Competition’s Audience Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Blumhouse Television launched as an independent studio in 2017 with funding from ITV. Projects currently in production include “Secure and Hold,” a limited series for Showtime based on journalist Gabriel Sherman's reporting on former Fox News chief, Roger Ailes, with Tom McCarthy writing and executive producing; “Sharp Objects,” a limited series from Marti Noxon and Gillian Flynn for HBO based on Flynn's best-selling novel of the same name, starring Amy Adams and directed by Jean-Marc Valle; “The Purge,” from writer/director/producer James DeMonaco based on the popular film franchise of the same name for USA/SyFy; as well as “Run For Your Life,” a supernatural race on the final night of Dia de los Muertos; and the long-gestating “Tremors” reboot, headlined by original star Kevin Bacon, both of which have a pilot order from USA/SyFy. Blumhouse Television is the latest venture from Jason Blum, founder of Blumhouse Productions, which is widely-recognized for its pioneering model of producing high-quality micro-budget films including “The Purge,” “Get Out” and “Whiplash.”
Since its launch in 1996, SundanceTV has remained true to founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity and distinctive storytelling through unique voices and narratives found in the best independent films. From delivering critically acclaimed Emmy®, Golden Globe® and Peabody Award-winning television featuring some of the world's most talented creators and performers, to showcasing some of the most compelling and iconic films across genres and generations, SundanceTV is a smart and thought-provoking entertainment destination. SundanceTV is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.; its sister networks include AMC, IFC, BBC America and WE tv. SundanceTV is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile.
Sundance Now is AMC Networks’ premium streaming service, offering original and exclusive dramas, comedies, and true crime series, in addition to award-winning movies from every genre, including foreign-language and documentary features – all streaming commercial-free. Built on the Sundance legacy and curated by acclaimed filmmakers and cultural icons, Sundance Now is proud to present an extensive array of entertainment for a passionate and intellectually curious audience.
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