SundanceNow Doc Club, AMC Networks' boutique, ad-free streaming video on demand service, today announced the debut of Take 5, a new original series of five short documentaries on some of today's highly relevant issues. The premiere collection, Take 5: Justice in America, will be viewable for free, to both Doc Club members and the general public, on May 17, 2016.
Take 5: Justice in America features commissioned work from a group of carefully selected, talented filmmakers with a passion for impactful, socially conscious storytelling.
"We believe short form documentaries have tremendous untapped power," said Paul Rehrig, EVP Digital & Business Development, AMC Networks. "They are fast becoming the op-eds of the future – an accessible, shareable and provocative way of getting to the heart of issues that affect us all."
Marcus Lee, General Manager of SundanceNow Doc Club, added: "Thanks to our group of talented filmmakers, Take 5 is off to a great start, focusing on tough issues that are highly relevant to this year's Presidential election. We look forward to tackling other important and thought-provoking topics in the future, contributing to the conversation and honoring diverse points of view."
The premiere collection Take 5: Justice in America is executive produced by Joyce Deep and consists of five short films:
A HUG FROM PAUL RYAN, from the team of Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce(The Art of the Steal), follows Tianna Gaines-Turner, one of America's working poor and a member of Witnesses to Hunger, after her testimony at the 2014 House Budget Committee's "War on Poverty" hearing. Sharing a personal moment with Congressman Paul Ryan, then House Budget Committee Chairman, Tianna hoped her voice, representative of millions of Americans, would be a call to action. One year post-hug, has anything really changed?
THE NEW FIGHT FOR VOTING RIGHTS from Rachel Lears (The Hand That Feeds)turns the spotlight on North Carolina's new voting law. One of the most restrictive in the nation, it disproportionately affects minorities, young people and the elderly. Why are so many states making it harder to vote, and what are the consequences for our democracy?
LIMBO exposes and questions an element of America's criminal justice system, focusing on problematic bail regulations that discriminate against the poor and destroy young people's futures. With pretrial defendants making up 60% of today's prison population, America is spending $14 billion a year on keeping 500,000 people incarcerated. Film maker Razan Ghalayini (Entrapped) meets some of those caught in limbo and a surprising advocate for bail reform.
WHO WILL SURVIVE AMERICA follows film maker Sheldon Candis (LUV). Unable to understand his country's love affair with guns which results in a death every 17 minutes, he sets out to buy a handgun in a state with the some of the toughest guns laws in America. It proves to be an easy process. Too easy….
Finally, as gentrification changes the nature of cities across America, DEGENTRIFY AMERICA, from film maker Nelson George (A Ballerina's Tale), examines this national trend and its impact on Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The film explores the growing displacement of the working class as activists battle to stem the tide.
About SUNDANCENOW DOC CLUB:
SundanceNow Doc Club is the only member-based, advertising-free streaming video service dedicated to documentaries and independent film. Doc Club takes the experience of the independent video store digital, providing a destination for consumers who are overwhelmed by content and are looking for a more tailored approach to streaming video. Overseen by resident curator Thom Powers (DOC NYC, Toronto International Film Festival), Doc Club films are handpicked by experts (including programmers from the Sundance Institute) and guest curators like Ira Glass, Susan Sarandon, Dan Savage and Anthony Bourdain.
Doc Club satisfies all types of documentary enthusiasts, providing access to classics and hard-to-find documentaries as well as many of the most exciting documentaries of the last decade. Membership benefits include special screenings, free movie tickets, events with filmmakers and behind-the-scenes looks at film festivals. Recent releases include the exclusive digital premiere of the Sundance hit A GAY GIRL IN DAMASCUS: THE AMINA PROFILE, the seminal true crime docuseries THE STAIRCASE and a collection of favorites guest curated by the minds behind Documentary Now! – Fred Armisen, Seth Meyers and Bill Hader.
Memberships for SundanceNow Doc Club begin at the low monthly price of $4.99 for an annual subscription or $6.99 per month for a month-to-month subscription, and a new gift subscription option is now available. Viewers can watch via web, iPhone, iPad, Android, Roku, Chromecast and Apple TV (via Airplay). SundanceNow Doc Club is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.
