CNN announces creation of CNN films

CNN has announced the creation of a new acquisition division called CNN Films, which will secure feature-length documentaries for broadcast on CNN and CNN International, alongside theatrical distribution. The move is part of a wider strategy to acquire original non-fiction content to complement CNN’s news programs. The first CNN film to be broadcast in 2013 is Richard Robbins’s Girl Rising. The film inspired a global action campaign to promote girls’ education and tells the stories of several girls from around the globe, fighting to overcome impossible odds to realize their dreams. The film includes voice performances by Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, and Selena Gomez. CNN Films has also signed development deals with Academy Award Winning Director and Producer Alex Gibney and Director Andrew Rossi. Both will develop original documentaries for broadcast on CNN.