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Two weeks following the premiere of the second half of its fourth season, the documentary series Couples Therapy has been renewed at Paramount+ with Showtime. Per Variety, Season 4B launched on May 23, and its premiere garnered a 30% increase in multi-platform viewing when compared to Season 3.

Couples Therapy premiered in 2019 and currently has a 93% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.4/10 rating on IMDb.

“Real-Life” Therapy Sessions are the Focus of Couples Therapy

The show’s official description reads: Couples Therapy “follows world-renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik as she deftly guides couples through real-life therapy sessions. The series brings viewers into the intimate sessions to witness the conflicts and extraordinary breakthroughs typically hidden behind closed doors.”

Edgeline Films produces Couples Therapy, and Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, and Eli Despres are executive producers with Vinnie Malhotra. The second half of the fourth season is produced by Matt Parker,...

On the heels of the Season 4B premiere episode delivering a +30% increase on cross-platform viewership vs. prior season premiere, Paramount+ with Showtime today announced that the critically acclaimed documentary series Couples Therapy will return for a fifth season.

The second installment of season four recently debuted on May 23, 2025. All episodes are currently available to watch on Paramount+ with Showtime.

Couples Therapy follows world-renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik as she deftly guides couples through real-life therapy sessions. The series brings viewers into the intimate sessions to witness the conflicts and extraordinary breakthroughs typically hidden behind closed doors.

The series won the Television Critics Association (TCA) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming in 2021 and the American Cinema Editors (Ace) Award for Best Edited Non-Scripted Series in 2024.

The series has garnered additional award nominations from the International Documentary Association, 2023 TCA Awards, 2025 Ace Awards, Cinema Eye Honor Awards, and Critics Choice Real TV Awards.

On the heels of a 30% surge in viewership for the recent Season 4B premiere, Couples Therapy has been renewed for a fifth season by Showtime.

Featuring renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik, Couples Therapy follows Guralnik as she deftly guides couples through real-life therapy sessions. The docuseries takes the viewer inside Guralnik’s sessions as she gets people to discuss their differences, sympathize and make peace; while revealing real-life struggles and breakthroughs.

The May 23 Season 4B premiere of the docuseries was up 30% on cross-platform viewership vs. the prior season premiere, according to Showtime’s internal streaming data and Nielsen.

The critically acclaimed docuseries won the Television Critics Association (TCA) Award for Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming in 2021 and the American Cinema Editors (Ace) Award for Best Edited Non-Scripted Series in 2024. The series also has been nominated by the International Documentary Association, 2023 TCA Awards, 2025 Ace Awards, Cinema Eye Honor Awards...

“Couples Therapy” has been renewed for Season 5 at Paramount+ with Showtime.

The announcement comes two weeks after the premiere of the second half of the documentary series’ fourth season, which launched on May 23. Per Paramount, the Season 4B premiere was up 30% in multiplatform viewing compared to the prior season premiere.

The official description for the show states that it “follows world-renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik as she deftly guides couples through real-life therapy sessions. The series brings viewers into the intimate sessions to witness the conflicts and extraordinary breakthroughs typically hidden behind closed doors.”

“Couples Therapy” is produced by Edgeline Films. Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg, and Eli Despres serve as executive producers, along with Vinnie Malhotra. Matt Parker, Bennett Elliott and Carly Hugo are producers for the second installment of season four, with Pax Wassermann and Bennett Elliott serving as directors. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

“Couples Therapy” has been renewed for Season 5 by Paramount+ with Showtime, TheWrap has exclusively learned.

This decision comes after the documentary series saw a significant boost during its fourth season. The premiere episode for the second half of Season 4 delivered a 30% increase on cross-platform viewership compared to the premiere for the prior season. “Couples Therapy” scored its renewal as the series is in the middle of airing its fourth season, which returned on May 23. All episodes are currently available to watch on Paramount+ with Showtime with new episodes premiering on Fridays.

“Couples Therapy” first premiered in 2019 and follows the work of Dr. Orna Guralnik. Each season jumps between three or four different couples as they participate in a 20-week therapy program. Not all parts of these sessions are shown, but the point of the series is to chronicle the deep and often messy work that therapy requires rather than presenting...

Paramount+ with Showtime today announced that Couples Therapy, the TCA Award-winning documentary series, is returning for the second installment of season four, with nine new episodes and couples.

All episodes will drop simultaneously on Friday, May 23, on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan.

The first three episodes will debut on-air on Friday, May 23, back-to-back starting at 9 p.m. Et/Pt; the remaining new episodes will air weekly, with two episodes airing back-to-back on Fridays at 9 p.m. Et/Pt.

Couples Therapy follows world-renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik as she deftly guides couples through real-life therapy sessions. The series brings viewers into the intimate sessions to witness the conflicts – and extraordinary breakthroughs – typically hidden behind closed doors.

The second part of season four invites viewers back to the couch, where Dr. Orna Guralnik navigates a thorny brew of recriminations, conflict, and painful truths with four new couples.

Therapy is back in session.

The critically acclaimed documentary series “Couples Therapy” will return with the second installment of its fourth season on May 23, offering nine new episodes and four new couples. In the eligibility window, the series will be submitted for Emmy consideration for outstanding structured reality series.

All episodes will be available for streaming and on demand the same day for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers. On linear TV, the season will premiere with the first three episodes airing back-to-back starting at 9 p.m. Et/Pt on Friday, May 23. The remaining episodes will continue weekly in pairs, every Friday at 9 p.m. Et/Pt.

The series, which won the Television Critics Association Award for outstanding achievement in reality programming in 2021, once again features renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik. Known for her empathetic but unflinching approach, Guralnik guides couples through real-life therapy sessions, offering viewers rare insight into...

The first-ever Gotham TV Awards offered a stark contrast between the Gotham Film & Media Institute’s annual celebration of cinema. While both awards shows were founded to toast independent productions — that is, before the Gotham Awards increased their budget cap eligibility requirements in 2023 — the Gotham TV Awards felt like a strangely intimate gathering that was mostly populated by showrunners, network executives, and the Gotham TV Awards jurors, with a few actors and press sprinkled in.

Sure, it could be that it’s the first year for the awards show and thus a smaller turnout and even venue. Or perhaps the Gotham TV Awards will remain a coveted industry event, one that feels like it’s only for insiders.

The intimacy was most prominent during the Anniversary Tribute for “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” icon Mariska Hargitay. The award was presented by Hargitay’s former co-star Stephanie March, and...

After decades of honoring the best in independent film, the Gotham Awards have formally branched out into television. In recent years the Gothams have included a handful of TV awards alongside their film races, but 2024 marks the first time the Gothams have dedicated an awards show specifically to television. Held on June 4 at 7:00pm Eastern in New York City, the awards celebrated the best new comedies, dramas, limited series and nonfiction programs of the season. So how did the inaugural event go? Who were the big winners? And what were the biggest surprises at these juried awards? The complete list of winners is below, updated throughout the night.

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Breakthrough Comedy Series

“Bodkin”

Jez Scharf, creator; Tonia Davis, Nne Ebong, David Flynn, Paul Lee, Alex Metcalf, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Jez Scharf, executive producers; (Netflix)

X — “Colin from Accounts”

Patrick Brammall,...

For decades, the Gotham Awards have honored the best in independent film as decided by select committees of industry insiders, festival programmers, and media experts. In recent years they have expanded into TV, but in 2024, for the first time, they are holding a separate awards show dedicated to the best new television programs of the year. Scroll down for the complete list of inaugural nominees. Winners will be presented on Tuesday, June 4, in New York City.

Jeffrey Sharp, The Gotham’s Executive Director, said in a statement, “In a historic moment for The Gotham, we’re thrilled to recognize an extraordinary collection of TV series and the brilliant creators responsible for bringing them to the screen. As an organization dedicated to celebrating and nurturing independent media, we know the inaugural 2024 Gotham TV Awards will honor many truly deserving creatives while widening our reach and expanding our impact. We are enormously...

The Gotham Film & Media Institute announced today the nominations in seven competitive award categories for its inaugural Gotham TV Awards, recognizing a range of series, including Baby Reindeer, Ripley, The Curse, Shōgun, Bodkin, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Black Twitter: A People’s History as well as performances from Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder in The Curse, Andrew Scott in Ripley, Kristen Wiig in Palm Royale, Richard Gadd in Baby Reindeer, and Lily Gladstone in Under The Bridge, among others. The awards ceremony is set for June 4 in NYC.

“In a historic moment for The Gotham, we’re thrilled to recognize an extraordinary collection of TV series and the brilliant creators responsible for bringing them to the screen,” said Jeffrey Sharp, The Gotham’s Executive Director.

The longstanding Gotham Awards is focused on film but includes three television categories. From here on, they will migrate to the new event.

Paramount+ with Showtime has announced that Couples Therapy, the award-winning docuseries featuring acclaimed psychoanalyst Dr. Orna Guralnik as she guides couples through real-life therapy sessions, will return for a fourth season.

Nine episodes will drop for binge-viewing on Friday, May 31, on streaming and on-demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan before episodes 401 and 402 debut on air on Sunday, June 2, at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Et/Pt.

Two back-to-back episodes will continue to air on Sundays at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Et/Pt, with episode 409 airing on Sunday, June 30, at 10 p.m. Et/Pt. Couples Theory brings viewers into therapy sessions with Dr. Guralnik as she deftly guides couples through the conflicts – and extraordinary breakthroughs – typically hidden behind closed doors.

In the first installment of season four, Dr. Guralnik uncovers the past secrets and current blowups of four new couples: A polyamorous trio struggles...

The docuseries “Couples Therapy” from Paramount+ with Showtime has announced its fourth season, set to launch on May 31, Variety can exclusively reveal. It’s timed for the final day of the Emmy eligibility period, so fans and Television Academy voters can binge the entire season.

The new season, which spans nine episodes, will be available for streaming and on-demand for subscribers of Paramount+ with the Showtime package. Additionally, the season’s initial two episodes will premiere on linear cable on Sunday, June 2, at 10 p.m. Following, two episodes will air back-to-back each Sunday, culminating in the season finale on June 30.

With its fourth season, “Couples Therapy” has officially joined the Emmy race, vying for the outstanding structured reality program category. It faces stiff competition from the reigning champion “Queer Eye” on Netflix, along with long-standing contenders like “Shark Tank” from ABC and “Antiques Roadshow” on PBS.

The series provides an...

Stand-up comedy is a public performance that gives the illusion of intimate spontaneity. This is equally true of reality television, so it’s natural that a master at the former would try his hand at the latter. Such is the origin story of “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” a self-reflexive — and self-explanatory — HBO project that follows Carmichael’s award-winning special “Rothaniel” with an even more extended look at the comic’s later-in-life coming out and its effect on his closest relationships. Just don’t call the series unfiltered. “This is not truth,” a friend reminds Carmichael, and by extension, us. “This is narrative.”

“Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” is not the first time a professional jokester has blurred the line between entertainment and actual life. Carmichael himself cites “The Truman Show” as an inspiration; more recently, works like Nathan Fielder’s “The Rehearsal” and Bo Burnham’s “Inside” have called attention to their own artificial nature,...

One of the most intriguing aspects of Jerrod Carmichael’s Emmy-winning Rothaniel was the way it erased the already blurry line between comedy special and therapy session.

Seated in an uncomfortable-looking chair in the glare of a harsh spotlight that left the rest of the intimate venue entirely in the dark, Carmichael explored family trauma and his sexuality in a soft-spoken, introspective way that gave the impression of spontaneous self-discovery, occasionally assisted by responses from the unseen audience. What made the special so spectacular was how it used Carmichael’s inherent likability to pull viewers into his life — or at least into the version of his life that he felt prepared to confront at that moment.

HBO’s Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, created by Carmichael, Eli Despres and director Ari Katcher, isn’t precisely a sequel to Rothaniel, but it’s an extension of its genre-blurring tone and therapeutic approach.

“Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” can trace its origins back to at least one unlikely source: disgraced former U.S. representative Anthony Weiner.

Before the series from creators Carmichael, Ari Katcher, and Eli Despres, which premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival, Carmichael’s pie-in-the-sky idea was to play a version of Weiner in the project that ultimately became “Reality Show.” And that prospect was initially even more compelling to the creators than the series that resulted.

“Can we just make a movie of Jerrod trying to get ‘Weiner’ made?” Despres recalled onstage after the series’ SXSW premiere.

And while that premise isn’t without its intrigue, the “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show” that eventually came to be is something else entirely. It is, simply, a docuseries about the comedian’s life that dwells deeply, sometimes uncomfortably, on his relationships with love, sex, and loneliness. The three episodes shown were “Emmys,” “Mike,...

The 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival — which runs March 8–16 in Austin, Texas — has cooked up an eclectic spread of studio crowd-pleasers, enterprising TV premieres, and indie gems aiming to break through. Here is some of the most promising fare.

Babes

The canon of Ilana Glazer-led indies about childbearing expands. Following 2021’s “False Positive,” Glazer plays pregnant once again in “Babes,” this time from a film script she wrote with Josh Rabinowitz in Pamela Adlon’s feature directorial debut. The Neon comedy follows Eden (Glazer), who gets pregnant from a one-night stand and seeks help from Dawn (Michelle Buteau), a married mother of two. In other words, “Babes” lets the “Broad City” star do what she does best: lean heavily on the support of a best buddy.

Black Twitter: A People’s History

Come to “Black Twitter: A People’s History” for a who’s who of the funniest moments Black...

The HBO Original comedy docuseries Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show debuts Friday, March 29 (11:00 –11:30p.m. Et/Pt) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes of the eight-episode season will debut weekly. Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show is a darkly funny documentary series about Jerrod’s tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth. Jerrod Carmichael is an Emmy®-winning comedian from Winston-Salem, Nc. His most recent special “Rothaniel” can be streamed on Max. Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, starring Carmichael is created by and executive produced by Carmichael, Ari Katcher (who also directs), and Eli Despres. Executive produced by Susie Fox; executive produced by Josh ... Read more...

HBO is billing its unscripted series starring Jerrod Carmichael as following the comedian on a “tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth.” The trailer suggests that quest won’t be a smooth one.

The two-minute trailer for Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, which will have a premiere at SXSW Sunday before its on-air debut March 29, showcases a host of squirmy moments featuring Carmichael and his parents — including a gas station mishap with an Rv — and a conversation with someone who apparently didn’t want his face on camera and thus appears wearing a ski mask and goggles and with his voice altered.

The masked man also takes issue with Carmichael’s assertion that he wants to “maintain being truthful on camera.” “This is not truth,” the mystery man replies. “This is narrative that will be edited … that’s not true.”

Carmichael also says in the trailer that he’s “trying to self-Truman Show myself,...

Jerrod Carmichael is back on TV, but this time, it’s not NBC’s “The Jerrod Carmichael Show.” It’s the reality TV version of it.

Carmichael leads HBO docuseries “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” billed as a “darkly funny documentary series about Jerrod’s tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth.” The eight-episode series will debut weekly on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.

Directed by Ari Katcher, the series centers on the Emmy-winning comedian as he navigates his life living in New York City. Carmichael recently appeared in “Poor Things,” dropped comedy special “Rothaniel” on HBO in 2022, and served as the 2023 Golden Globes host. Carmichael made his feature directorial debut with “On the Count of Three,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021.

Carmichael created and executive produced “Reality Show” along with director Katcher and Eli Despres, who both also executive produce in addition to...

Updated, 10 Am: HBO has released the official trailer for Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show ahead of its debut later this month. Revolving around Carmichael’s personal life, the show is described as a darkly funny documentary series about Jerrod’s tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth. New episodes of the eight-episode series will debut weekly beginning Friday, March 29 (11 Pm). Check out the trailer above.

Previous, Feb. 1, 2023: HBO has handed a series order to a comedy documentary series about Jerrod Carmichael’s life. Carmichael will executive produce as part of his overall deal with HBO.

Per the network, the series will center on Carmichael’s personal life, following him through encounters with friends, family, and strangers, all in his quest for love, sex, and connection.

Ari Katcher and Eli Despres will also executive produce. Katcher is set to direct the series.

Carmichael inked a two-year overall deal with HBO last...

HBO has released a trailer for its new original comedy docuseries “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” which will premiere at the 2024 SXSW festival. Dubbed as his attempt at making a personal “Truman Show,” Jerrod Carmichael shows the world startlingly frank discussions with his family and intimate moments of his personal life. Come for the difficult conversations and stay for Carmichael explaining “twunks” to his father. The series will air on March 29 on HBO and be available to stream on Max, with new episodes of the eight-episode season debuting weekly.

Carmichael is an Emmy-winning comedian from North Carolina whose credits include the NBC sitcom “The Carmichael Show.” His recent comedy special, “Rothaniel,” directed by Bo Burnham, was met with rave reviews. The new docuseries is a “darkly funny documentary series about Jerrod’s tumultuous quest for love, sex and truth,” reads the show’s logline.

Burnham himself seems to make an appearance...

Bravo has unveiled a first look at the “Vanderpump Rules” spinoff series “The Valley,” premiering on March 19 after a new episode of “Vanderpump Rules.” In subsequent weeks, “The Valley” will air at the regular time of 9 p.m. Et and stream the following day on Peacock.

The official description for the spinoff explains that it “follows a group of close friends as they trade bottle service in West Hollywood for baby bottles in the Valley all while they navigate bustling businesses, rocky relationships and feisty friendships.”

The five couples featured this season include Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright, Kristen Doute and Luke Broderick, Danny and Nia Booko, Jesse and Michelle Lally, and Jason and Janet Caperna. Jasmine Goode and Zack Wickham join the series as friends.

Executive producers include Alex Baskin and Jeff Festa for 32 Flavors Entertainment; Aaron Rothman, Josh Halpert and Jessica Chesler for Haymaker East; and Barry Poznick...

FX has set a March 29 premiere date for Spermworld, a documentary feature on the unregulated online marketplace for sperm, produced by The New York Times and Edgeline Films.

Directed by Lance Oppenheim, inspired by the Times’ article “The Sperm Kings Have a Problem: Too Much Demand” by Nellie Bowles, Spermworld is described as a road movie set inside the new wild west of baby making – online forums where sperm donors connect with hopeful parents.

Per the synopsis: Against the landscape of roadside motels, abandoned shopping malls and suburban bathrooms across the country, the film follows intimate encounters between donors and recipients as they exchange more than just genetic material. Spermworld examines how our fantasies about partnership and parenthood shape our deepest desires. What emerges in this new feature-length documentary directed by Lance Oppenheim is an incisive portrait of the search for human connection in an increasingly alienating world.

Kathleen Lingo...

Over three seasons (and a pandemic special) on Showtime, “Couples Therapy” has quietly become a destination for healing for television watchers who are interested in the difficult work of digging into interpersonal relationships — or watching other people do that work, anyway. Through the empathetic, incisive probing of Dr. Orna Guralnik, executive producers Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman and Eli Despres have not only explored the complexity of couples’ shared and individual lives, but the essential, often painful and yet invariably revelatory therapeutic process that helps people understand themselves, their partners and the world around them.

Following the April 28 premiere of Part 2 of the show’s third season, Variety spoke to Steinberg, Kriegman and Despres about “Couples Therapy” as a mirror for the challenges that many relationship face. In addition to talking about the themes that emerged from the conversations shared with their selected couples this season, the filmmaking trio broke down the process,...

Showtime has successfully petitioned the Television Academy to switch its Emmy submission for the acclaimed docuseries “Couples Therapy” to outstanding structured reality program, Variety has learned exclusively.

During its two previous seasons, the series had been offered in the unstructured reality category, where it competed with shows such as National Geographic’s “Life Below Zero,” TLC’s “90 Day Fiancé” and Hulu’s “The Kardashians.” However, it failed to receive recognition during its respective years. Notably, the show did win a major prize from the Television Critics Association (TCA) Award in 2021 for outstanding achievement in reality programming.

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

“Couples Therapy” follows Dr. Orna Guralnik, a world-renowned psychologist and psychoanalyst, as she guides couples through real-life therapy sessions. This second installment of the third season follows four couples, with all nine episodes premiering on the Showtime app on April...

HBO has given a series order to a comedy documentary series starring Jerrod Carmichael and is executive produced by Carmichael, Ari Katcher (who also directs), and Eli Despres.

Logline: The series centers on Jerrod Carmichael’s personal life, following him through encounters with friends, family, and strangers, all in his quest for love, sex, and connection.

Nina Rosenstein, Executive Vice President, Programming for HBO quote: “We’ve loved working with Jerrod over the past 10 years, and to watch him discover new layers of both himself and his comedy. ‘Rothanial’ resonated with audiences in such a profound way, and his honesty and vulnerability are a perfect fit for this original format.”

About Jerrod Carmichael: Jerrod Carmichael currently has an overall deal with HBO. He made his debut on the network in 2014 with the stand-up special “Jerrod Carmichael: Love at the Store,” which was followed by “Jerrod Carmichael: 8” in 2017. Carmichael’s...

Comedian Jerrod Carmichael is set to star in an upcoming comedy documentary series on HBO, the network announced Wednesday. It’s been given a straight-to-series order by the premium cable giant.

The show has not been titled, but according to HBO, it will “center on Jerrod Carmichael’s personal life, following him through encounters with friends, family, and strangers, all in his quest for love, sex, and connection.”

Also Read:

Jerrod Carmichael Stuns Golden Globes With Shelly Miscavige Joke (Video)

Carmichael will also be one of the series’s executive producers, along with Ari Katcher (who also directs) and Eli Despres.

Nina Rosenstein, the Executive Vice President, Programming for HBO, said in a statement Carmichael is the ideal person for the series.

“We’ve loved working with Jerrod over the past 10 years and to watch him discover new layers of both himself and his comedy,” Rosenstein said. “‘Rothanial’ resonated with...

Jerrod Carmichael will shift gears a little with his next HBO project.

The comedian and Golden Globes host will star in and executive produce a “comedy documentary series” following his personal life. The show’s description brings to mind the low-key vibe of HBO’s How To With John Wilson: It will follow Carmichael “through encounters with friends, family, and strangers, all in his quest for love, sex, and connection.”

“We’ve loved working with Jerrod over the past 10 years, and to watch him discover new layers of both himself and his comedy,” said Nina Rosenstein, executive vp programming at HBO . Rothaniel resonated with audiences in such a profound way, and his honesty and vulnerability are a perfect fit for this original format.”

The currently untitled series will be directed by Ari Katcher, who has worked with Carmichael on Hulu’s Ramy, NBC’s The Carmichael Show and the feature...

HBO has given a series order to a documentary program starring and executive produced by comedian Jerrod Carmichael.

The project, which is currently untitled, follows Carmichael’s day-to-day life, exploring the comic’s relationships with his family, friends and strangers, all in “his quest for love, sex and connection,” as the logline describes.

Ari Katcher and Eli Despres executive produce alongside Carmichael, while Katcher will serve as director. Susie Fox also serves as executive producer for Range Media Partners, as will Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg for Edgeline Films.

Carmichael currently has an overall deal with HBO. His most recent stand-up special, titled “Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel,” debuted on the network in 2022. In the televised set, the comedian officially came out as gay. “Rothaniel” won the Emmy for outstanding writing for a variety special.

“We’ve loved working with Jerrod over the past 10 years and to watch him discover new layers...

After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, “The Fight,” is now looking to battle its way into the Oscar race for Best Documentary Feature. At Sundance, this Magnolia Pictures + Topic Studios release premiered to stellar reviews and took home the honor for U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Social Impact Filmmaking. The film, from Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, is currently available to stream on Hulu.

“The Fight” follows several lawyers who work for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who are each working on a specific case that challenges the policies of Donald Trump’s administration. Lee Gelernt is arguing cases for migrant parents who have been separated from their children and are desperate to have their family reunited. Joshua Block and Chase Strangio are representing a transgender man that’s currently enlisted in the military and challenging Trump’s ban on trans service members.

IndieWire and International Documentary Association have again partnered for the organization’s annual Screening Series. This year, due to the shifted awards calendar and stay-at-home guidelines, screenings will extend through January and all films will be available on demand for Ida members worldwide. Each screening will conclude with a moderated Q&a available for viewing by the general public. IndieWire and Krcw have returned again as exclusive media sponsors of the Screening Series. IndieWire will be posting written and video coverage of the screenings alongside Kcrw’s community support.

The lineup launches October 8 with Amazon Studios’ “Time,” directed by Garrett Bradley. The documentary, which debuted to raves at the Sundance Film Festival, follows Fox Rich, an entrepreneur, author, and mother of six. She has spent the last 21 years fighting for the release of her husband, Rob, who is serving a 60-year sentence for an offense they both committed.

The films...

From Brett Kavanaugh’s rise to the Supreme Court, to the Muslim ban, to the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Magnolia’s new documentary on the American Civil Liberties Union “The Fight” covers all these pivotal events.

Beginning with the protests over the travel ban from seven Muslim countries in early 2017, “The Fight” follows four cases and four lawyers dealing with LGBTQ rights, immigration, abortion and voting rights.

For editors, Eli B. Despres, Greg Finton and Kim Roberts, the key was telling character stories instead of providing a complete history of the ACLU. It was about telling a concise story in under 100 minutes without overwhelming the viewer and following the vérité experience of the lawyers.

Despres, Finton and Roberts talk to Variety about getting to the heart of the action despite all the twists and turns that the ever-changing news climate provided while editing “The Fight,” which is now available on-demand.

Formed in 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union, a.k.a. the ACLU, had been defending the rights of the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free for nearly a century when Donald Trump was sworn in to the presidency in January of 2017. The organization knew they would have their hands full when the former Reality TV star/failed real-estate mogul was granted the keys to the kingdom — and even they probably couldn’t have predicted just how many wars on numerous civil-liberty fronts they’d be combating.

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Black Is King (Beyoncé)

Four years ago, Beyoncé dropped the film version of Lemonade, which brought together directors Kahlil Joseph, Jonas Åkerlund, Mark Romanek, Melina Matsoukas, and more to deliver a visual album that, like many of her works, had an immense cultural impact. She is now returning with Black Is King, a film in production for an entire year that reimagines the tale of The Lion King through the perspective of the Black experience. Now available on Disney+, we imagine it’ll be the most-watched film of the weekend.

Where to Stream: Disney+

Bull (Annie Silverstein)

There’s not much to do around Kristyl’s (Amber Havard) hard...

Given the audience likely to see The Fight, I doubt Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman, and Elyse Steinberg’s documentary will change minds, and that’s okay. Not every political documentary should be judged on whether it’s a successful piece of agitprop. Instead, it’s better to view The Fight as a potent reminder of a mere glimpse of what America has endured over the past four years. Following just four of the 160 lawsuits the ACLU has filed since Donald Trump’s inauguration, The Fight shows how much the Trump Administration has attempted to obliterate civil liberties and …...

Anyone who cares about injustices committed by the Trump administration towards immigrants, women, the LGBTQ community, and other at-risk groups guaranteed civil liberties under the Constitution already knows about the court battles waged during the course of Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman, and Elyse Steinberg’s documentary The Fight. Anyone who doesn’t believe injustices have been committed—or worse, believe the White House’s actions were a response to injustices committed upon “true white Americans”—isn’t going to spend their money watching how those cases shook out beyond the scope of their privilege. So it was crucial that the filmmakers find a way into this important topic that allowed them to deliver something beyond headline sentiments. Rather than focus solely on the “fight” itself, they pivoted to highlight the “fighters.”

So while this film is about four cases seeking injunctions to block Donald Trump’s objectively hostile executive...

As of June 2020, the American Civil Liberties Union has filed 173 lawsuits against the current administration to protect the rights of people. These issues include the ability to have reproductive healthcare, fighting back against the administration’s attempts to ban transgender individuals from having equal opportunities, and, currently, still arguing for the release of immigrants in cages. Directors Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman, and Elyse Steinberg (Weiner) have shined a light on four of these lawsuits in The Fight, arriving this summer following a Sundance premiere.

Spanning from January 2017 to summer 2019, the directors explore the day to day proceedings of ACLU attorneys and case workers, who valiantly fight for the rights of the disenfranchised, such as for a mother who is separated from her child, a soldier on the brink of losing his career as a result of his transgender status, and a woman’s reproductive right to abortion, threatened by...

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed 173 lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration, four of which will be spotlighted in “The Fight,” an upcoming documentary directed by Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman, and Elyse Steinberg.

Distributors Magnolia Pictures and Topic Studios have released the trailer for the documentary, which hones in on the Aclu’s legal battle to protect abortion rights, a case regarding a census question on citizenship, immigrant family separations, and the transgender military ban. “The Fight” will premiere on July 31 and promises an inside look at the 100-year-old organization, which has rarely been covered in-depth by Hollywood.

Here’s the film’s synopsis: “Only days after the 2017 inauguration of Donald Trump, furious Americans gathered at airports across the country in protest of the Muslim ban. But it was the efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union, waging the fight in federal court, that turned the tide,...

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed 173 lawsuits against President Donald Trump’s administration, four of which will be spotlighted in “The Fight,” an upcoming documentary directed by Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman, and Elyse Steinberg.

Distributors Magnolia Pictures and Topic Studios have released the trailer for the documentary, which hones in on the Aclu’s legal battle to protect abortion rights, a case regarding a census question on citizenship, immigrant family separations, and the transgender military ban. “The Fight” will premiere on July 31 and promises an inside look at the 100-year-old organization, which has rarely been covered in-depth by Hollywood.

Here’s the film’s synopsis: “Only days after the 2017 inauguration of Donald Trump, furious Americans gathered at airports across the country in protest of the Muslim ban. But it was the efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union, waging the fight in federal court, that turned the tide,...

As Americans were increasingly forced into pandemic lockdown in March, Covid-19 restrictions began to ease in China. And in the aftermath of China’s loosened social distancing rules came reports of soaring divorce rates, a shot across the bows of any couple headed into isolation, a Trans-Pacific admonishment: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”

The lockdown has been difficult on everyone, but sheltering-in-place as a couple is a Sartrean nightmare all its own. Every quirk becomes an annoyance, every annoyance becomes a provocation, every provocation becomes a fight, and every fight ends with you reading Yelp reviews of divorce lawyers.

It’s lucky, then, that one of the best shows of 2019 was attuned specifically to the issues that couples face — even when not in mandatory lockdown — an incisive, revolutionary glimpse into what’s necessary to make a relationship work and how love isn’t enough to help another person thrive.

As Americans were increasingly forced into pandemic lockdown in March, Covid-19 restrictions began to ease in China. And in the aftermath of China’s loosened social distancing rules came reports of soaring divorce rates, a shot across the bows of any couple headed into isolation, a Trans-Pacific admonishment: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.”

The lockdown has been difficult on everyone, but sheltering-in-place as a couple is a Sartrean nightmare all its own. Every quirk becomes an annoyance, every annoyance becomes a provocation, every provocation becomes a fight, and every fight ends with you reading Yelp reviews of divorce lawyers.

It’s lucky, then, that one of the best shows of 2019 was attuned specifically to the issues that couples face — even when not in mandatory lockdown — an incisive, revolutionary glimpse into what’s necessary to make a relationship work and how love isn’t enough to help another person thrive.

Kerry Washington, who produced the Aclu documentary “The Fight,” called the lawyers chronicled in the film “our Avengers” because of their desire to fight for civil liberties threatened by the Trump administration.

“They really are heroes — they are our Avengers,” she told TheWrap’s Editor-in-Chief Sharon Waxman at the Sundance Film Festival. “Their day job is saving the world!”

The documentary follows five Aclu lawyers as they face legal battles against the Trump administration, such as the Muslim ban that Trump signed into effect on Jan. 27, 2017, which banned foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries from visiting the country for 90 days, as well suspending entry for all Syrian refugees.

Also Read: The Go-Go's on Being Brats and Fighting Rock 'n' Roll's 'Gender Boxes' (Video)

“The Fight” was directed by Eli B. Despres, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, the team behind the documentary “Weiner.” Steinberg told TheWrap that it was her...

Analyze this. Showtime has ordered a second season of Couples Therapy, its docuseries from Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg and Eli Despres.

Couples Therapy, whose freshman sessions air at 10 p.m. Fridays, unlocks a hidden world: other people’s relationships. Here’s the official logline: Far from reality-show caricatures, this is true documentary filmmaking that brings viewers into the authentic and visceral experience of weekly therapy with four couples.

Season 2 also will feature world-class therapist Dr. Orna Guralnik, who guides the couples through the minefield of honest confrontation with each other and with themselves, revealing the real-life struggles – and extraordinary breakthroughs – typically hidden behind closed doors.

The series is produced by Edgeline Films. Kriegman, Steinberg and Despres serve as executive producers and directors. Carly Hugo and Matt Parker are producers, and Dan Savage is a consulting producer.

The inaugural season of Couples Therapy launched September 6 on the premium cable outlet. Here...

Awards season keeps ticking right along, but tonight’s Cinema Eye Honors promised at least a tiny respite from narrative-based filmmaking, as the New York City-set ceremony is all about honoring the best in the year’s documentary filmmaking.

Big winners included Kirsten Johnson’s “Cameraperson,” which picked up Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking, along with editing and cinematography wins. Right behind it was Ezra Edelman’s “O.J.: Made in America,” which earned Edelman a directing win, along with a production win for Edelman and Caroline Waterlow. Best TV offering went to “Making a Murderer.”

Nominations were lead by Raoul Peck’s “I Am Not Your Negro” and “O.J.: Made in America,” which each pulled in five nominations apiece, though Johnson’s “Cameraperson” and Gianfranco Rosi’s “Fire at Sea” aren’t far behind, with four nominations each. Both Peck and Rosi’s features ultimately walked away without an award.

CAA has signed Edgeline Films, the production company behind Weiner, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned.

The banner comprises filmmakers Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, along with their co-writer and editor Eli Despres.

At Sundance in January, Weiner won top documentary honors from the Grand Jury, which said the chronicle of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner "unfolds like a modern Shakespearean tragedy."

The film was released in theaters by Sundance Selects in May and aired on Showtime in October. Its awards-season tally so far includes nominations for BAFTA, Gotham, the International Documentary Association and American Cinema Editors and a win...

The American Cinema Editors have announced the nominees for the 67th annual Ace Eddie Awards, with “Arrival,” “Moonlight,” “Manchester by the Sea” and “La La Land” among the contenders. On the comedy side, “Deadpool” and “The Lobster” continued their surprise awards-season runs by landing nods, while “Stranger Things” also had a strong showing in the TV category.

Final ballots will be mailed to Ace members on January 6, voting ends on January 17 and the ceremony takes place on January 27. Full list of nominees below.

Read More: 35 Directors Pick Their Favorite Movies of 2016

Best Edited Feature Film (Drama)

“Arrival” (Joe Walker)

“Hacksaw Ridge” (John Gilbert)

“Hell or High Water” (Jake Roberts)

“Manchester by the Sea” (Jennifer Lame)

“Moonlight” (Nat Sanders, Joi McMillon)

Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy)

“Deadpool” (Julian Clarke)

“Hail, Caesar!” (Roderick Jaynes)

“The Jungle Book” (Mark Livolsi)

“La La Land” (Tom Cross)

“The Lobster” (Yorgos Mavropsaridis)

Best Edited Animated Feature...

The nominees for the 10th annual Cinema Eye Honors have been announced, with “I Am Not Your Negro” and “Oj: Made in America” both receiving five each. They’re followed in short order by “Cameraperson” and “Fire at Sea,” which along with “Weiner” are all in contention for the top prize. A total of 37 features and five shorts will be in contention at the upcoming ceremony, which “Hoop Dreams” director Steve James will host from the Museum of the Moving Image on January 11. Here’s the full list of nominees:

Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking

“Cameraperson” (Kirsten Johnson)

“Fire at Sea” (Gianfranco Rosi)

“I Am Not Your Negro” (Raoul Peck)

“Oj: Made in America” (Ezra Edelman)

“Weiner” (Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg)

Outstanding Achievement in Direction

Kirsten Johnson, “Cameraperson”

Gianfranco Rosi, “Fire at Sea”

Raoul Peck, “I Am Not Your Negro”

Robert Greene, “Kate Plays Christine”

Ezra Edelman, “Oj:...

More often than not, a documentary tends to be about something you previously were not fully educated on or not even aware of. In this case, however, Weiner happens to be on a subject and about a person that already fascinates me. Somehow though, it managed to exceed expectations, so much so that I think it’s potentially a modern documentary classic. A look not just at a political scandal but at running a 21st century campaign in general, I think this is something pretty special. Anthony Weiner is a controversial politician, no doubt about it, but there’s no controversy here…this is a great doc. It’s hitting theaters this week and is a must see. The doc is a warts and all look at Anthony Weiner. It begins by bringing you up to speed on his congressional career, where he was a liberal Democrat and hero to the left.

In a mildly interesting turn of events, if below-the-line categories at the Oscars are your thing, occurred last night as Captain Phillips was named the Best Edited Feature Drama by the American Cinema Editors (Ace) at the 2014 Eddie Awards while American Hustle won in the comedy category. Now this doesn't mean anything in the Best Picture race at the Oscars as we're still looking at a battle between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity there, but this does make the Editing race a little more interesting. In the animated category it was Frozen taking the win and 20 Feet from Stardom won for Best Documentary Editing. I've listed the winners below, highlighted in bold red text and updated the Oscar Overture with the wins for American Hustle and Captain Phillips. Best Edited Feature Film (Dramatic): 12 Years a Slave - Joe Walker Captain Phillips - Chris Rouse, A.C.E. Gravity - Alfonso Cuar?...