Magnolia Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to the HBO documentary “The Final Year,” which chronicles President Barack Obama’s foreign policy team during their last year in office.
Directed by Greg Barker, “The Final Year” was produced by Julie Goldman and John Battsek and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last month.
It will next screen as the Opening Night Selection of DOC NYC on November 9. Magnolia will then launch a multi-city theatrical release on Jan. 19, nearly one year after President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
HBO will then debut “The Final Year” on the network in the second quarter of the year.
The film offers a behind-the-scenes look at key members of Obama’s foreign policy team, including Secretary of State John Kerry, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, Deputy National Security Adviser and presidential confidant Ben Rhodes, as well as National Security Adviser Susan Rice and Obama himself.
“Many television series and films have attempted to capture the triumphs and failures that occur daily within the West Wing, but none have taken as humanistic an approach as ‘The Final Year,’” Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles said in a statement. “Greg Barker has crafted an essential, fly-on-the-wall account of one of the most consequential years of any presidential administration.”
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia co-EVP Dori Begley and Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden, with Josh Braun of Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers.
Magnolia Pictures International will be handling sales outside of the U.S.