PARK CITY, Utah — Netflix continues to dominate the documentary landscape, making major acquisitions and premiering original films at the 40th Sundance Film Festival. The streaming giant, which played a pivotal role in bringing documentaries to a wider audience, is back with two diverse documentaries: Yance Ford’s “Power” and Bao Nguyen’s “The Greatest Night in Pop.”
Yance Ford, the filmmaker behind the critically acclaimed “Strong Island,” impressed Netflix with his deeply personal and wrenching investigation into his brother’s murder and the failures of the justice system. Following the success of “Strong Island,” which received an Oscar nomination, Ford’s latest film “Power” had its world premiere at Sundance. The film examines the evolution of policing in America, focusing on the exercise of state power over individuals rather than endorsing any specific political narrative.
Netflix has played a significant role in shaping the documentary landscape over the past decade, expanding its audience from 37 million to over 250 million worldwide. The platform’s appetite for documentaries has grown, allowing for experimentation in both series and feature films. The streaming giant has produced acclaimed documentaries like “Chef’s Table,” “Making a Murderer,” “Wild Wild Country,” “American Factory,” and “Crip Camp.”
One of Netflix’s early commissioned documentaries, “What Happened, Miss Simone?,” marked a turning point for the company. The film premiered at Sundance in 2015 and garnered international attention on social media, solidifying Netflix’s position as a global platform for documentaries. The collaboration between filmmaker Liz Garbus and Adam Del Deo, Netflix’s vice president of documentary, extended to subsequent projects like “Harry & Meghan” and “Power.”
Del Deo remains optimistic about Netflix’s future in the documentary genre. With recent festival acquisitions and upcoming titles, including “American Symphony,” “Black Barbie,” and “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa,” the platform continues to curate content that sparks global conversations and cultural moments.
“The Greatest Night in Pop,” produced by Lionel Richie, promises to be another crowd-pleaser for Netflix. The documentary features never-before-seen footage from the making of the iconic charity song “We Are The World,” which brought together legendary performers and had a lasting impact around the world.
Overall, Netflix has been instrumental in expanding the documentary landscape and providing filmmakers like Yance Ford and Bao Nguyen with a platform to reach diverse audiences. Its commitment to telling compelling stories across genres has shaped the industry and will continue to do so in the years to come.