Coming off from the critical success of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Tony-winning director George C. Wolfe has found his next project with Netflix as he officially signs on to helm the streamer’s newest biopic titled Rustin, centering around civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. According to Deadline, the film will be produced by former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, who recently put their six new Netflix projects in development.
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Rustin will follow the story of charismatic, gay, and civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who overcame an onslaught of obstacles and altered the course of American history by organizing the 1963 march on Washington. The film will be written by Oscar-winning scribe Dustin Lance Black (Milk), who will also be serving as a producer.
The film will be produced by Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davia for Higher Ground Productions along with Oscar winner Bruce Cohen.
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This project will be part of Higher Ground Productions’ first-look deal with Netflix which they’ve signed in 2018. The deal has previously produced two acclaimed documentary films: 2019’s American Factory which earned them their first Oscar win for Best Documentary Feature; and Crip Camp which recently been added to the 2021 Oscar shortlist for documentaries.
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