TVREAL
Part one of the award-winning PBS documentary Eyes on the Prize is now available to stream on HBO Max, with the platform prepping a one-hour companion special for launch in August.
Sophia Nahli Allison (A Love Song For Latasha) is directing and executive producing Eyes on the Prize: Hallowed Ground, which will honor Henry Hampton’s landmark docuseries telling the definitive story of the civil rights movement from 1954 through the mid-1980s.
Patrisse Cullors, Field/House Productions’ Mervyn Marcano and De La Revolución Films’ Melina Matsoukas are executive producing alongside Anonymous Content’s Joy Gorman Wettels, Bedonna Smith, Blackside’s Judi Hampton and Sandra Forman are also executive producers.
HBO is also in production on a new documentary series reflecting on the legacy of the civil rights movement together with Cullors and Marcano, Blackside—the original producer of Eyes on the Prize—and Anonymous Content.
Casey Bloys, chief content officer for HBO and HBO Max, said, “We are very proud to be partnering with this dynamic team of activists and storytellers to bring this important work to our viewers. Across HBO and HBO Max, we are committed to providing a platform for authentic voices representing diverse, essential stories. We are honored to collaborate with our incredibly talented producing team to bring the legacy of Henry Hampton’s groundbreaking work to a new generation.”
Patrisse Cullors added, “I’ve watched the original Eyes on the Prize a thousand times. And every single time I’ve watched it, I’ve been moved to tears and moved to action. My organizing work and artistic practice was shaped by the hours of documentation I witnessed through Eyes. I am over the moon that I get to be a part of history by teaming up with Blackside, my producing partner, Mervyn Marcano, and the brilliant teams at Anonymous and WarnerMedia as we work to integrate the story of modern-day civil rights leaders for the new Eyes on the Prize: Hallowed Ground.”
Mervyn Marcano said, “I’m thrilled to be continuing the enduring legacy of Eyes on the Prize, which told a fuller and more complex story of the long fight for racial justice in our country. It’s why Hallowed Ground, helmed by our visionary director Sophia Nahli Allison, serves as the perfect start to a new chapter for Eyes—it is an emotional reflection on our journey through turbulent times and the truths we need to tell each other to forge new futures. There are indeed so many stories left to tell about who we are as a nation and where we are going, and we are lucky to have Eyes on the Prize continue to light the way.”
Joy Gorman Wettels, executive producer, said, “As a teenager watching Eyes on the Prize, I was shocked, ashamed and moved by what Blackside brought to light that wasn’t being taught in school. Witnessing truth on film can move people of all ages to action, which is why we banded together to bring Eyes back in a new way. We are all grateful that Judi entrusted this team of brilliant Black creatives who are shaping the culture like Sophia, Melina, Patrisse and Mervyn, and also thank Sarah Aubrey, Christy Haubegger and the entire WarnerMedia team for providing the perfect home for us.”
Judi Hampton, Blackside’s president and CEO, and executive producer, noted, “I remember watching the pilot of Eyes on the Prize with Henry when it was first created, and I immediately knew this film would be a life-changer for all who saw it. A special thank you to Joy Gorman and Anonymous Content for reaching out to me years ago with passion for the original series and a dream to help bring Eyes to a new generation. We are grateful for the stellar team of artists and activists who’ve come together to reimagine Eyes on the Prize in a way that will move and inspire a whole new audience.”
