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The made-for-tv movie was a programming staple for the broadcast networks in the 1970s and 1980s. While it fell out of favor in the 1990s and was even dropped as an Emmy Awards category for three years beginning in 2011, it has been on an upswing as of late. This year, 28 telefilms are in contention for the five nominations that will be revealed on July 28; last year only 21 TV movies were submitted.

All 22,000 plus voting members of the TV academy have until July 13 to cast their 2020 Emmy Awards nominations ballots for their favorite TV movies. In the past, voters were limited in the number of telefilms that they could put forth. In 2017 that cap (which was usually 10 per category) was lifted. And, as opposed to the Oscars, voters for the Emmys do not rank their choices and nominees are determined by a simple tally.

See 2020 Emmy nominations ballot: 767 programs vie for...

Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Laura Nix was supposed to board a flight to Copenhagen today, en route to the Cph:dox festival to pitch her latest project. But the Covid-19 pandemic abruptly forced that event to shift online only, one of countless ways the coronavirus emergency is impacting the documentary space.

Nix tells Deadline, “I was working on that pitch, honestly, preparing to give it and then that all went upside down.”

More from DeadlineKew Media: How The Production Group Behind 'The Inventor' & 'Dance Moms' Collapsed After One Acquisition Too ManyAmblin Television & Alex Gibney To Adapt The Washington Post's 'Afghanistan Papers' Into Limited Documentary Series & Drama"There Was Whooping And Shouting": 'Walk Run Cha-Cha' Director Laura Nix On Reaction To Earning Oscar Nomination

Doc makers, most of whom are based in California or New York—two states now under lockdown—are scrambling to keep projects, and careers, going under dramatically altered circumstances.

In today’s film news roundup, Kino Lorber has started a VOD platform, Tony Todd is starring in a horror-comedy, the Red Nation International Film Festival sets its lineup and ballet dancer Kirsten Bloom Allen starts a production company. VOD Distribution Arthouse distribution specialist Kino Lorber is launching VOD platform Kino Now with more than 600 new releases, classics and international films. Kino Now, announced Monday, will offer exclusive early access to new theatrical releases, festival hits and exclusive titles not available on other streaming platforms or not yet available on home video.

The platform will also include special “bundle” offerings of selected hard-to-find titles as well as collections from renowned filmmakers including international TV series such as “Deutschland 83” and “Bad Banks”; documentary series including Joseph Campbell’s “The Power of Myth”; auteur collections built around Jean-Luc Godard, Lina Wertmüller and Fritz Lang; and pioneers of cinema restorations of the...

In this trailer for Love, Gilda, an awed Amy Poehler, Bill Hader and Melissa McCarthy hold Gilda Radner’s handwritten letters as if they’re treasures that could turn to dust with the slightest breeze. “I can’t believe this is her handwriting,” says Poehler.

Directed by Lisa D’Apolito, the documentary, which debuted at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, chronicles the beloved Saturday Night Live cast member – one of the original Not Ready For Prime Times Players – and was put together with the blessing of the Radner estate, which provided D’Apolito a collection of diaries, personal audio and videotapes documenting Radner’s childhood, her comedy career, her relationships and ultimately, her struggles with cancer. The never-before-seen-or-heard footage and journal entries form the narrative spine of the documentary, allowing Gilda to tell her own story.

In addition to Hader, McCarthy and Poehler, the friends and admirers making appearances include Anne Beatts,...

Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to the Gilda Radner documentary “Love, Gilda,” which opened last month’s Tribeca Film Festival.

CNN Films, which began its collaboration with director Lisa D’Apolito more than a year ago, retains North American broadcast rights to the film.

Along with interviews from those closest to her, including her brother Michael Radner and “Saturday Night Live” alumni Chevy Chase, Lorne Michaels, Alan Zweibel, Laraine Newman and Martin Short, Radner’s writings are read by modern day comedians inspired by her such as Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Cecily Strong, and Bill Hader. Magnolia is targeting a 2018 theatrical release.

Working with the Radner estate, D’Apolito unearthed a collection of diaries and personal audio and video tapes documenting her childhood, her comedy career, her relationships and ultimately, her struggles with cancer. These never-before-seen-or-heard footage and journal entries form the narrative spine of the documentary.

Owen Gleiberman...

Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to Love, Gilda, the documentary about comic icon and Saturday Night Live original Gilda Radner that is coming off its world premiere as the opening-night film of the Tribeca Film Festival. A 2018 theatrical release is in the works.

Director Lisa D’Apolito used rare personal recordings and journal entries to tell Radner’s story in her own voice. Interviewees includes Michael Radner and SNL alumni Chevy Chase, Lorne Michaels, Alan Zweibel, Laraine Newman and Martin Short. Radner’s writings are read by the likes of Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Cecily Strong and Bill Hader.

CNN Films, which collaborated with D’Apolito on the project, has North American broadcast rights to the film that documents her childhood, her trailblazing comedy career, her relationships and ultimately the cancer that killed her. Apolito, Bronwyn Berry and James Tumminia produced the pic, which was exec produced by Edie Baskin,...

Festival set to run in New York City from April 18-29.

The world premiere of Love, Gilda will open the 17th edition of the Tribeca Film Festival on April 18, festival brass announced on Tuesday (February 6).

The CNN Films documentary follows the career and impact of Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian Gilda Radner and is produced by 3 Faces Films in association with Motto Pictures.

Radner was an original cast member on Saturday Night Live (SNL) who famously poked fun at television presenter stereotypes. She was married to Gene Wilder until her death from ovarian cancer in 1989 at the age of 42.

Director Lisa D’Apolito uses audiotapes, home movies, diary entries, and interviews with those who knew Radner, among them SNL alumni Bill Hader, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, and Cecily Strong. Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, Paul Shaffer, and Lorne Michaels also feature in the documentary. Submarine handles sales.

“As a festival that has always supported women’s voices and is largely...