HBO Announces Documentary Lineup For First Half of 2018

From: broadwayworld.com

HBO has confirmed a diverse array of timely and thought-provoking documentaries for the first half of 2018, including: Judd Apatow's two-part, four-and-a-half-hour documentary THE ZEN DAIRIES OF GARRY SHANDLING; Peter Kunhardt's KING OF THE WILDERNESS, about the last years of Martin LUTHER King, Jr.; Rebecca Miller's ARTHUR MILLER: WRITER, an intimate portrait of one the greatest playwrights of the 20th century; and I AM EVIDENCE, produced by Mariska Hargitay, about the untested rape kit backlog in the U.S.

Upcoming HBO documentaries include (in chronological order):
THE NUMBER ON GREAT GRANDPA'S ARM (debuts Jan. 27). When ten-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, about the number tattooed on his arm, he sparks an intimate conversation about Jack's life that spans happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving Auschwitz, and finding a new life in America. Drawing on haunting historical footage, photos and hand-painted watercolor animation, the short film tells a heartbreaking story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before and during the Holocaust. Debuting on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, this gently powerful documentary centers on Elliott's love for his beloved great-grandfather and his wish to keep Jack's memories and lessons from that terrible time alive. Directed and produced by Amy Schatz.

MAY IT LAST: A PORTRAIT OF THE AVETT BROTHERS (Jan. 29). From longtime fans Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, and filmed with extensive access over the course of more than two years, this intimate portrait of the acclaimed North Carolina band charts their decade-and-a half rise, while chronicling the Avetts' present-day collaboration with famed producer Rick Rubin on the multi-Grammy-nominated album "True Sadness." With the recording process as a backdrop, it depicts a lifelong bond and unique creative partnership, as band members experience marriage, divorce, parenthood, illness, and the challenges of the music business. More than just a music documentary, the film is a meditation on family, love and the passage of time. An Apatow Production in association with RadicalMedia.

ATOMIC HOMEFRONT (Feb. 12
). This timely film shines an urgent light on the lasting toxic effects nuclear waste can have on communities. Focusing on a group of moms-turned-advocates in St Louis, it follows them as they confront the Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators and the corporations behind the illegal dumping of dangerous radioactive waste in their neighborhoods. Directed by Rebecca Cammisa.

ARTHUR MILLER: WRITER (March 19). This intimate portrait of one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century is told from the unique perspective of his daughter, Rebecca Miller, who filmed interviews with her father over decades. Drawing on a wealth of personal archival material, the film provides new insights into Miller's life as an artist and explores his character in all its complexity. Directed by Rebecca Miller.<