From Washington to Hollywood

On Feb. 9, the 92nd Oscars premeried, and many fan favorite films and actors snagged the bronze man. Besides blockbuster hits, documentaries of many different themes were nominated for awards as well. American Factory, a film released on Netflix, won the Academy Award for best documentary. The documentary was produced by Higher Ground production company, which is owned by former President Barack and Michelle Obama. This film was the first project backed by Higher Ground and the Obama’s, allowing them to make a footprint in the media industry. 

American Factory, directed by Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar, tells the story of a Chinese billionaire in Ohio who opens a factory and hires two thousand American workers. However, working-class America and high-tech China begin to clash as the cultural differences begin to show in the workplace. The complex, realistic portrayal of the 21st century workplace may have been the reason this film snagged the Oscar.

President Obama tweeted regarding the win, “Congrats to Julia and Steven, the filmmakers behind ‘American Factory,’ for telling such a complex, moving story about the very human consequences of wrenching economic change. Glad to see two talented and downright good people take home the Oscar for Higher Ground’s release.” 

In 2018, the Obama’s and their production company signed a deal with Netflix, where they would release their films and shows on the streaming platforms. As well as Netflix, Higher Ground also landed a deal with Spotify. 

Besides it being a major win for the Obama’s and their production company, it was also an important win for Netflix, which only one two awards the whole night. 

Before the film was released, former President Barack and Michelle Obama created a following in the entertainment industry. Since leaving the white house, the former president has made it a tradition to tweet his favorite films, books and music after every year. As for Michelle Obama, she has written a memoir titled, “Becoming,” and it was on the bestselling list of 2018.

American Factory is not the only film on Netflix that was produced by Higher Ground, titled Crip Camp. This documentary is about the 1970’s summer camp for disabled youth and teenagers, allowing them to pursue prosperous lives and show them that they do have a purpose in the world. Their next project in the works is one series that will take place in the modern day fashion world in New York City. There is also a film adaptation based on the biography of Fredrick Douglass, abolitionist. 

Higher Power appears to be a production company whose goal is to produce movies that have an important purpose. Former President Obama explained, “We created Higher Power to harness the power of storytelling. That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects. Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights, and much more, we believe each of these productions won’t just entertain, but will educate, connect, and inspire us all.”

Source: U.S. Embassy New Delhi via Creative Commons