Up-to-the-minute, hot-topic documentary wraps in time for MIPCOM. October Films production set to be the definitive documentary for the 2024 US presidential election race
(London, UK – October 10, 2024) – Blue Ant Studios today confirms that the explosive Donald Trump documentary, produced by October Films, has just wrapped production with the working title, President Trump: A Second Chance? Commissioned by BBC’s Panorama, and produced by October Films, this hotly anticipated and distinctive 1×60’ documentary will make its official international debut at MIPCOM, where attending buyers will have an exclusive preview. It will broadcast in the UK on BBC One and iPlayer on October 29. Blue Ant Studios oversees licensing of the title outside of commissioning territories.
President Trump: A Second Chance? will provide audiences with the most up-to-date and comprehensive look at Trump’s audacious run for the White House over the past 18 months and, in doing so, will ask how it has been possible for him, a now convicted felon facing 88 criminal charges across four trials, to be within striking distance of securing a second term as president.
The gripping film follows the 2024 US election campaign, detailing each twist and turn of a spectacular, eventful, and unpredictable race that has seen not only these courtroom trials but also two assassination attempts and Trump’s 81-year-old opponent stand aside for the new Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris. Combining a tapestry of on-the-ground filming, master interviews with those closest to Trump and his campaign, and a rich archive, this film provides a compelling narrative of events accompanied by expert analysis of what the future might hold as we approach the eve of this historic contest.
“We are thrilled to continue our relationship with October Films on this captivating new documentary. With the world’s attention fixed on Donald Trump, especially as we approach the November election, this film rises above the noise, offering a timely, in-depth analysis of Trump’s last 18 months. It sheds fresh light on his character and what may be the most extraordinary presidential campaign in history,” said Lilla Hurst, Global Head of Acquisitions & Content Strategy, Blue Ant Studios. “With this story evolving daily, October Films had the opportunity to constantly adjust the narrative and incorporate new footage on a regular basis. The final result is a brilliant achievement: current, insightful, and providing much-needed clarity amidst the chaos. President Trump: A Second Chance? should be an essential acquisition for any international broadcaster looking for the latest on Trump and the upcoming American election, and we are excited to preview it in Cannes.”
Neil Breakwell, Head of Topical Programmes at October Films, adds: “Following Donald Trump’s rollercoaster year was always going to be a challenge, but even we couldn’t have predicted the ups and downs, twists and turns that this past year or so has delivered. The result is a timely and impactful documentary, featuring a divisive yet compelling figure, set against the backdrop of the U.S. political and judicial systems, during what may be the most unusual presidential campaign in American history. Fresh from the edit, MIPCOM is the perfect timing for this documentary to launch, and we are anticipating a lot of keen interest.”
Blue Ant Studios has full international licensing rights for President Trump: A Second Chance?, excluding the UK. The documentary joins two other October Films titles on Blue Ant Studios’ MIPCOM slate: the nature series Walking with Elephants (3 x 60’), which follows explorer Levison Wood as he tracks the world’s largest elephant migration across Africa, and the history title Emperor: Rise and Fall of a Dynasty, investigating the turbulent years of the first five Roman Emperors and the women behind them.
Blue Ant Studios is an international production studio and rights business with offices in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, London, Singapore and Sydney. The company’s diverse production slate spans scripted comedy and drama, unscripted entertainment, formats, high-impact documentaries, live-action kids + family, and animation. The studio is anchored in original storytelling, with award-winning series that include Blown Away (Netflix), Canada’s Drag Race (Crave), the scripted teen comedy series, Davey and Jonesie’s Locker (Hulu and Prime Video), Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies (Peacock), Drink Masters (Netflix), Race Against the Tide (CBC), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks (Prime Video), 9/11 Kids (CBC), See No Evil (Investigation Discovery US), and the adult-animated series, Gary and His Demons (Prime Video, Amazon Freevee). The company’s recent feature-length documentary, Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe (Prime Video), was awarded the Toronto International Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary in 2023. Blue Ant Studios’ distribution arm has a vast catalogue of over 7,000 hours of premium programming from the studio and third-party, top-tier producers around the world. Blue Ant Studios is a subsidiary of the global media company, Blue Ant Media. staging.blueantmedia.com⼁Instagram⼁LinkedIn⼁X⼁
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