Higher Ground Productions

Higher Ground Productions is an American independent entertainment production company founded by United States president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama. It specializes in film production.

Higher Ground Productions
Private
IndustryEntertainment
Founded2018
Founder
Headquarters
United States
Services

As of 2020, the company has received and won one Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for American Factory.[1]

History

In May 2018, Barack and Michelle Obama launched Higher Ground Productions signing a multi-year deal with Netflix to produce, scripted and unscripted film and television projects, with the goal of the company to lift up diverse voices in the entertainment industry.[2] Michelle Obama stated "I have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire us, to make us think differently about the world around us, and to help us open our minds and hearts to others."[3] In February 2019, Priya Swaminathan, Tonia Davis, and Qadriyyah “Q” Shamsid-Deen joined the company, with Swaminathan and Davis serving as co-heads, and Shasid-Deen serving as a creative executive.[4]

In June 2019, Higher Ground signed a deal with Spotify to produce podcasts under Higher Ground Audio.[5]

The company's first produced film, American Factory, won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2020.[6] In May 2020, Netflix released Becoming a documentary following Michelle Obama on her book tour promoting her memoir of the same name Becoming[7]

Higher Ground has multiple projects in development including a feature film adaption of Frederick Douglass's biography, a drama series set in New York City set after post-WWII following the world of fashion, a scripted anthology series of the New York Times obituary column highlighting deaths of remarkable people not reported, a documentary series adaption of “The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy” by Michael Lewis and a half-hour preschool series Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents[8]

Films
Release date Title Notes
August 21, 2019 American Factory
March 25, 2020 Crip Camp
May 6, 2020 Becoming

References
  1. Carey, Matthew (February 9, 2020). "'American Factory' Reaches Highest Ground With Oscar Documentary Feature Win". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  2. Neuman, Scott (May 22, 2018). "Obamas Sign Deal With Netflix, Form 'Higher Ground Productions'". NPR.org. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  3. Neuman, Scott (May 22, 2018). "Obamas Sign Deal With Netflix, Form 'Higher Ground Productions'". NPR.org. Retrieved September 17, 2018.
  4. Thorne, Will (February 26, 2019). "Barack and Michelle Obama Appoint Co-Heads for Higher Ground Productions". Variety. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  5. Hayes, Dade (June 6, 2019). "Spotify, Barack And Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Strike Exclusive Podcast Deal". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  6. Gonzalez, Sandra (January 13, 2020). "Barack and Michelle Obama's production company scores first Oscar nomination". CNN. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  7. Coleman, Nancy (April 27, 2020). "Michelle Obama's Memoir 'Becoming' Will Be a Netflix Documentary". The New York Times. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  8. Obenson, Tambay (April 30, 2019). "Barack & Michelle Obama's Production Company Reveals Initial Netflix Programming Slate". IndieWire. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
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