“Colette” and Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace” are in good company. Betsy West and Julie Cohen’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg documentary “RBG” is one of the latest flicks to get a deal at Sundance, Variety confirms. Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media acquired the project’s worldwide distribution rights, including those pertaining to theatrical release, home video, and streaming platforms. CNN Films, which produced “RBG,” still holds U.S. broadcast rights.
“RBG” examines Ginsburg’s lengthy career, from her early days as a lawyer to her present position on the Supreme Court. It also delves into why exactly Ginsburg is nicknamed “Notorious RBG.” (Hint: it has to do with her being a feminist.)
Ginsburg herself appeared at “RBG’s” Sundance premiere. In a post-screening interview with NPR’s Nina Totenberg, Ginsburg discussed the #MeToo movement. “It’s about time. For so long women were silent thinking there was nothing you could do about it,” she said. “But now the law is on the side of women or men who encounter harassment and that’s a good thing.”
West and Cohen told Women and Hollywood they made “RBG” due to “a longstanding commitment to the fight for women’s equality, combined with a fascination for how this soft spoken, featherweight 84-year-old has developed a cult following among millennials.” “RBG” shows how “a single woman, if she’s smart enough and tough enough, can change the world,” the directors stressed.
Ginsburg is also the subject of Mimi Leder’s upcoming biopic “On the Basis of Sex.” Felicity Jones portrays Ginsburg at the beginning of her law career. The film is expected to hit theaters sometime this year.
