Fremantle signs first look deal with Amy Berg

Fremantle has signed an exclusive first look agreement with Oscar and Emmy nominated documentary filmmaker, Amy Berg.“We are delighted to be partnering with Amy on this landmark deal, which further demonstrates Fremantle’s commitment to the documentaries genre and our ambition within it," Jennifer Mullin, Global CEO, Fremantle said. "Amy and her team at Disarming Films share the same passion and ambition to tell compelling and diverse stories from across the globe and we look forward to working closely with them.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Berg’s Disarming Films and Fremantle will work together to create a global slate of documentaries with Berg, working in close collaboration with Fremantle’s, Global Head of Documentaries, Mandy Chang, to produce premium projects. The deal is the first of its kind to be executed by Fremantle’s Documentaries unit. It will also see Fremantle provide editorial and production expertise along with distribution to support Berg’s creative talent. The deal will see Disarming Films and Fremantle working collaboratively to develop new projects, the first of which will soon be announced. “We’re delighted to be joining forces with the incredibly talented team at Fremantle," Amy Berg, Founder of Disarming Films said. "Led by Mandy (Chang), we know Fremantle will not only offer fantastic support, and creative freedom, their extensive international infrastructure and expertise will provide Disarming Films with the platform to have our work seen around the world.”

Berg's company, Disarming Films, has been producing long form documentary features and docuseries for more than a decade, including "The Case Against Adnan Syed" for HBO. The series was released in April of 2019,a dn Berg currently working has a special follow-up episode in the making, set to premiere Fall 2023. Other projects include We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix), Dogs (Netflix), Keep This Between Us (Freeform). Her latest film, Phoenix Rising premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2022 and on HBO and HBO Max.  “It is a thrill and an honour having this opportunity to work with Amy, whom I have long admired and respected," Mandy Chang, Global Head of Documentaries at Fremantle said. "She is a hugely regarded and talented filmmaker with a great body of work behind her. I’m excited about the collaborations between Fremantle Documentaries and Amy and the team at Disarming Films. We’re already in discussions about some brilliant projects so watch this space…”

The first look agreement with Berg follows Fremantle’s acquisitions of majority stakes in several acclaimed international documentary companies, including 72 Films, Silvio Productions and Wildstar Films. Most recently, Fremantle’s Original Productions entered into a first-look deal with Hudlin Entertainment, led by Academy Award-nominated producer/director, Reginald Hudlin and producer Byron Phillips. Fremantle is credited with feature documentaries "Mrs. America," produced in collaboration with Anonymous Content and Spinning Nancy and "Kim's Video," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Additionally, the company is launching a new fashion series called "Kingdom of Dreams," developed by Misfits Entertainment, the team responsible for the hit show "McQueen." These projects are all part of Fremantle's broader expansion strategy, which involves investing in production companies and creatives worlwide.