The Obamas announce first slate of upcoming Netflix projects

Priya? Swaminathan and Tonia Davis, co-heads of Higher Ground Productions, former US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company in partnership with Netflix, have announced the company’s initial slate of upcoming projects.

The content encompasses a wide range of fiction and non-fiction signature productions for all audiences including scripted, unscripted and documentary series, as well as full-length features and documentaries. 

 Among the forthcoming projects are American Factory, a documentary about the Chinese billionaire who opened a factory in an abandoned General Motors plant; Bloom, a post-World War II drama series that follows stories of struggles and success endured by women and people of color; Overlooked, an anthology series based on New York Times’ obituary section; a film adaption of biographer David W. Blight’s Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom; Fifth Risk, a series about those who protect and guide our government; and Listen to Your Vegetables & Eat Your Parents,?a series for preschoolers that tells a story about food. 

 “We ?created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling. That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects,” former US President Obama said in a press release. “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,” he added.  

“We love this slate because it spans so many different interests and experiences, yet it’s all woven together with stories that are relevant to our daily lives,” Michelle Obama said in a press release. She added: “We think there’s something here for everyone—moms and dads, curious kids, and anyone simply looking for an engaging, uplifting watch at the end of a busy day. We can’t wait to see these projects come to life — and the conversations they’ll generate”.