Sheila Nevins to Launch MTV Documentary Films

Sheila Nevins, who won dozens of Emmy and Peabody Awards as president of HBO Documentary Films, has been tapped to launch MTV Documentary Films.

As part of MTV Studios, the new division will develop documentary films and specials for third-party streaming services, premium networks and MTV platforms. The idea is for MTV Documentary Films to embrace a new generation of filmmakers exploring the social, political and cultural trends and stories important to young people.

Nevins’ projects have garnered 28 Academy Awards and 44 Peabody Awards, and she has personally won a record of 34 individual Primetime Emmy Awards. She is the executive producer of more than 1,500 series and films, including Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Paradise Lost, Taxicab Confessions and the Oscar-winning Citizenfour.

“MTV has always been at the forefront of youth culture, and the generation that is growing up now will change the world in ways we can’t even imagine,” said Nevins. “I’m excited to join MTV with electrifying stories that explore the crises and commitments that young people face every day.”

Nina L. Diaz, president of entertainment for MTV, added, “What we started two decades ago with MTV News and Docs continues to inspire today. As we relaunch our documentary division, it’s exhilarating to have Sheila at the helm.”