Nonfiction Unlimited, the commercial production company that works with accomplished documentary filmmakers, has signed Abby Fuller, who directs for the award-winning Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table created by David Gelb, another Nonfiction roster director. Fuller is the youngest filmmaker and the only woman on the Netflix Original series. The documentary director got her start producing the Emmy Award-winning series True Life for MTV and since then has directed, produced and edited documentaries for: Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment, Sundance Channel, MTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, Netflix and National Geographic.
“I’m happy that David introduced her to us,” said Loretta Jeneski, executive producer at Nonfiction Unlimited. “She’s insightful and smart and knows how to weave a beautiful story; for example, her Chef’s Table episode about Ana Ros, the Slovenian chef who’s spent 16 years revolutionizing her country’s food. Abby sets the table for Ana in such a way that you not only smell and taste what the great chef is cooking, but you feel and embrace her down-to-earth personality. Abby brings a fresh face and perspective to Nonfiction and we love that.”
Fuller’s feature documentary Do You Dream In Color? examines the injustices in the education system suffered by blind students. It has won awards at festivals across the nation and was screened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Fuller is currently directing a documentary featuring heroic woman athletes from around the globe. In June 2017 these women will climb Mount Kilimanjaro to set the world record for the highest altitude soccer match ever played in an effort to inspire unprecedented awareness in the fight for gender equality.
With Fuller’s addition, half of the directors at Nonfiction Unlimited are now women. The roster includes Barbara Kopple, Rory Kennedy, Tracy Droz Tragos, Chai Vasarhelyi and Jessica Yu. The 22-year old company is also woman-founded and owned.
“It’s not that I set out to hire women specifically,” said Jeneski. “I was just looking for great directors, and what do you know? Half of them turned out to be women. Interesting what can happen when you aren’t wearing blinders. Great talent is great talent.”
“Challengers” Earns Actor-Producer Zendaya 2024 Gothams Spotlight Tribute
Emmy Award-winner Zendaya will receive the Gotham Film & Media Institute’s Spotlight Tribute for her performance as Tashi Donaldson in the Luca Guadagnino-directed film Challengers, at the 34th edition of The Gothams, taking place live and in person on Monday, December 2, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
The Spotlight Tribute was created by The Gotham in order to recognize phenomenal efforts by individuals in film and television who captivated global audiences with the biggest projects of the year. With the Spotlight Tribute, The Gotham will honor Zendaya’s remarkable work as leading-actress and producer on the Amazon MGM Studios box-office hit that broke into the cultural zeitgeist, and was celebrated by critics and audiences worldwide.
“Zendaya’s magnetic portrayal of Tashi Donaldson in Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers exemplifies the creative excellence that The Gotham celebrates,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of The Gotham. “Her performances in Dune: Part One, Dune: Part Two, and Euphoria have made her one of the most captivating actors of her generation. Her multi-layered performance at the heart of Challengers earned widespread acclaim, including a nomination for Best Feature at this year’s Gothams. We look forward to honoring her work with our Spotlight Tribute.”
From Academy Award nominated visionary filmmaker Guadagnino, Challengers stars two-time Emmy winner Zendaya as Tashi Duncan (who becomes Tashi Donaldson after marrying Art Donaldson), a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to Art Donaldson (BAFTA nominee Mike Faist), a champion on a losing streak,... Read More