Are you wondering why, how, the United States puts so much power into the hands of nine unelected officials? Well, Dawn Porter’s next project might shed some light on the subject. The prolific non-fiction director is set to helm and executive produce “Confirmed,” a Showtime docuseries about the U.S. Supreme Court. The four-part project will air next year, Deadline reports.
“From the right to privacy, to access to the ballot, and all rights protected by the Constitution, the nine unelected justices of the Supreme Court have the final word on issues that shape our democracy and daily lives,” the source synopsizes. “The series unfolds during a profoundly consequential year, from the historic confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the fallout of an unprecedented leak from inside the Court’s chambers, and a Supreme Court, remade by former President Donald Trump, in the wake of overturning Roe v. Wade.”
Deadline continues, “To understand this critical moment, the series looks back at the Court in the 1950s, when Chief Justice Earl Warren heralded an era of progressive legal decisions that set the zigzagging path the country is still walking today. As the Court’s role in American society becomes increasingly prominent and bitterly contested, ‘Confirmed’ reveals how much of the country’s story is wrapped up in the Supreme Court’s deliberations and considers what this means for America’s future.”
Porter’s Trilogy Films and Sony Pictures Television are producing “Confirmed.” Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman of the Sony-owned Industrial Media — where Porter has an overall deal — serve as exec producers.
“You can easily argue that more than any election or institution, the future of the U.S. will be dictated by the actions of the Supreme Court,” commented Vinnie Malhotra, Showtime Networks’ EVP of Non-fiction Programming. “’Confirmed’ will bring indispensable context to how we got to this moment in time, while also breaking down the maelstrom of activity that is altering the course of the nation this very year.”
Porter explained, “We’ve been working on this series for months now, but I’ve recently began to describe it as a thriller. We literally are trying to keep up with a seemingly never-ending story of change. Showtime had the presence of mind to commission this project well before we knew what monumental shifts would occur during production. We hope everyone will tune in to learn more about one of the most powerful influences in America. The Supreme Court determines our fundamental rights and privileges. We all need to know how it works,” she emphasized.
Porter has recently turned her camera to the Tulsa Massacre (“Rise Again”), the late congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis (“Good Trouble”), and Chief Official White House Photographer Pete Souza (“The Way I See It”). The Charles Guggenheim Symposium honoree also counts “Trapped,” a doc about restrictive abortion regulations, among her many credits. Porter is discussing her latest project, Title IX docuseries “37 Words,” with the Girls Club today, June 29, at 3 p.m. EST.
