Sundance: Netflix Buys Global-Warming Doc ‘Chasing Coral’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Netflix has bought worldwide rights for the documentary “Chasing Coral,” Variety has learned.
The film, about the destruction of coral reefs because of global warming, premieres on Saturday afternoon. It’s part of the U.S. documentary competition. The project is seen as being particularly newsworthy in light of Donald Trump’s election and his selection of advisors and cabinet members who are skeptical of climate change.
The movie was directed and produced by Jeff Orlowski. Larissa Rhodes also produced. David and Linda Cornfield served as executive producers.
Other distributors were interested in the project, but Netflix continues to show its financial clout on the film festival circuit. The company has more than a half-dozen projects at Sundance, including the opening night comedy “I Don’t Feel At Home in This World Anymore,” and already nabbed other buzzy titles such as the comedy “Fun Mom Dinner” and the documentary “Casting JonBenet.”
Global warming has been a topical subject at this year’s Sundance. On Thursday night, Al Gore was on hand for the premiere of “An Inconvenient Sequel,” a follow-up to the Oscar winning 2006 movie “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Netflix has success in the past with its documentary, scoring Oscar nominations for “Virunga” and “What Happened, Miss Simone?”
Submarine handled the rights.
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