Sundance Channel Blog

The Power of Failure dream_school_preview_560x340

What You Need to Know About DREAM SCHOOL the_returned_560x340

Sundance Channel acquires zombie sensation THE RETURNED revealing_release_560x340

Sundance Channel to examine luxury with fashion expert Joe Zee

Series

Article: The Power of Failure

Posted October 08th, 2013, 12:10 PM by Sundance Channel

This episode starts on a low note. The grades are posted from the students’ first test – and almost everyone’s failed.

A moment later, Ellie says, “People said I was stupid… I started believing it. I started becoming it.”

In Episode One, almost every kid in the school said they didn’t study or that they didn’t care – in effect striving for failure… to be the person that they think everyone thinks they are.

They were reaffirming themselves as stereotypical dropouts. Ironic as Soledad O’Brien, their teacher this week, immediately digs into the question of, what do people assume about you when they look at you? And then she asks, “who are you really?” – and the answers are diametrically different from the previous ones.

Article: What You Need to Know About DREAM SCHOOL

Posted October 04th, 2013, 11:10 AM by Sundance Channel

When I first heard about DREAM SCHOOL – I’m not going to lie – I was skeptical. I might have even rolled my eyes. I mean, high school dropouts being taught by celebrities? “What will be taught – and who will be the teachers?” I wondered. Would Britney Spears teach an auto-tune music class? Would Professor Kim Kardashian teach elocution or videography? Or would Miley Cyrus hold court on sex education? My mind boggled.

Article: Sundance Channel acquires zombie sensation THE RETURNED

Posted September 10th, 2013, 11:09 AM by Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel announced today that it has acquired US broadcast rights to the supernatural drama THE RETURNED from Music Box Films. The eight-part French series distributed by Zodiak Rights was created by Fabrice Gobert and is based on the feature film Les Revenants by Robin Campillo. It will premiere on Sundance Channel on Halloween, Thursday, October 31st at 9PM ET/PT. It will air every Thursday night at 9PM.

The critically received series was a smash hit for France’s Canal+ and the UK’s Channel 4. The New York Times recently profiled outstanding foreign drama series and pronounced it “fresh and unexpected.” The Independent wrote “THE RETURNED…is actually one of the greatest, creepiest, most compelling shows brought to…TV screens in 2013,” and The Daily Telegraph commented, “Probably the most stylish thing you’ll see on TV this year.”

Article: Sundance Channel to examine luxury with fashion expert Joe Zee

Posted August 27th, 2013, 12:08 PM by Sundance Channel

New York, NY – August 27, 2013 –Sundance Channel takes a fresh look at the fashion industry in four all-new specials featuring ELLE Creative Director Joe Zee, beginning with REVEALING: EXTRAVAGANCE, airing Friday, September 20th at 10 pm ET/PT. In the first installment, Zee examines how an obsession with luxury has become an addiction for modern society. Through a compelling and in-depth investigation of a real life Bling Ring, a gang of high-end thieves (‘The Rainbow Girls’), insider interviews and consumer experiments, Zee uncovers what our fixation with luxury brands means.

Accessorized with commentary from a high-end list of fashion contributors including: model, actress and entrepreneur Iman; fashion designers Zac Posen, Narciso Rodriguez and Carolina Herrera; Editorial Director of nymag.com’s The Cut Stella Bugbee; models Kiara Kabukuru, China Machado and Andrej Pejic; historians David Eisenbach and Valerie Steele; psychologist April Benson; and luxury market expert Pamela Danziger, the first hour-long special stages three amusing yet revealing social experiments that place subjects at the mercy of luxury items and exposes their impact both physically and emotionally.

Article: Sundance Channel sets October 7 premiere for DREAM SCHOOL

Posted August 20th, 2013, 12:08 PM by Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel announced today an impressive list of innovators and leaders from a cross section of professions including music, politics, film, science, journalism and more who will come together to create a DREAM SCHOOL for 15 troubled students in the network’s new six-part unscripted series premiering on October 7 at 10:00pm et/pt.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Oliver Stone to astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, these instructors will have one mission – to excite young minds and reignite their students’ desire to learn. An ambitious project where the best and the brightest in our culture teach kids who have been falling through the cracks, DREAM SCHOOL is designed to motivate troubled teenagers to turn their lives around. Pregnant, neglected, bullies or bullied; the kids all have one thing in common — they are dropouts. Now Sundance Channel is giving them a once in a lifetime chance to start over, but overcoming past failures and future obstacles will prove to be no easy task for both the students and their instructors.

Article: Lying Game Star Joins THE RED ROAD

Posted August 13th, 2013, 3:08 PM by Sundance Channel

We’re happy to announce that Allie Gonino has joined the cast of THE RED ROAD, our upcoming original dramatic series.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Article: Tom Sizemore joins the cast of THE RED ROAD

Posted August 07th, 2013, 5:08 PM by Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel announced today that Golden Globe® nominee and critically acclaimed actor TOM SIZEMORE (Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, Heat) has been cast in the network’s next original scripted series, THE RED ROAD.

Tom Sizemore plays JACK KOPUS, a terrifying and unpredictable drug dealer and the father of Native American ex-con Phillip Kopus (Jason Momoa). Phillip (Momoa) returns home to run Jack’s (Sizemore) small-town drug ring in the mountains of northern New Jersey.

THE RED ROAD is a hard-hitting drama that revolves around a local cop struggling to keep his family together while simultaneously policing two clashing communities: the small town where he grew up and the neighboring mountains, home of a Native American tribe. After a terrible tragedy and coverup occurs involving the cop’s wife, an unholy alliance is forged between the cop and Phillip Kopus (Momoa), a dangerous member of the tribe that will come back to haunt all involved.

Article: Sundance Channel announces casting for THE HONOURABLE WOMAN

Posted July 29th, 2013, 2:07 PM by Sundance Channel

Cameras start rolling this week for eighteen weeks on Sundance Channel’s upcoming fast paced, labyrinthine thriller written and directed by BAFTA® winner Hugo Blick, THE HONOURABLE WOMAN. A stellar international cast join Academy Award nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal, playing the titular role (Nessa Stein) in the eight part mini-series. The production will shoot throughout the UK and Morocco.

Article: Sundance Channel Taps Award Winning Director James Gray for THE RED ROAD, Episode 1

Posted July 24th, 2013, 3:07 PM by Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel announced today that award winning director James Gray (“The Immigrant,” “Two Lovers,” “We Own The Night”) will direct the first episode of the network’s next original scripted series The Red Road (formally The Descendants). Today’s news comes on the heels of the recent announcement that Jason Momoa (“Wolves,” Game of Thrones) was cast in a lead role in the series.

Article: Sundance Channel to marathon Emmy nominated TOP OF THE LAKE and RESTLESS

Posted July 22nd, 2013, 11:07 AM by Sundance Channel

On the heels of receiving a record 10 Prime Time Emmy® nominations for its miniseries TOP OF THE LAKE and RESTLESS, Sundance Channel is offering viewers an opportunity to enjoy back-to-back episodes of both critically-acclaimed series. The seven-part, TOP OF THE LAKE marathon will air on July 28th from 1pm -8pm ET/PT, and the two-part RESTLESS marathon will begin with the first two-hour installment airing July 31st at 8pm ET/PT, followed immediately by part two beginning at 10:00pm ET/PT.

Article: Sundance Channel taps Jason Momoa for THE RED ROAD

Posted July 22nd, 2013, 10:07 AM by Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel announced today that Jason Momoa (Wolves, Game of Thrones) has been cast in a lead role in the network’s next original scripted series THE RED ROAD (formerly THE DESCENDANTS). Today’s news comes on the heels of Emmy® announcements in which Sundance Channel received a record ten PrimeTime Emmy® nominations for its miniseries TOP OF THE LAKE and RESTLESS.

Article: Chapter Nine: The Push Girls Go There

Posted July 03rd, 2013, 10:07 AM by Sundance Channel

There always comes a time in an interviewer’s piece when she realizes, “Dangit – that was good. But It just doesn’t fit…” And with the Push Girls there’s always more good stuff. So we decided to give you a bonus chapter if you will – full of fun facts and random answers to questions that may or may not have even been (verbally) asked.

Article: Chapter Eight: Push It Real Good

Posted July 03rd, 2013, 10:07 AM by Sundance Channel

Let’s not muck around, shall we? No one wants a little Lord Fauntleroy in the sack, gingerly prancing about. Remember, just because a Push Girl can’t walk doesn’t mean she’s a flimsy little flower.
“Most guys who are with us for the first time don’t want to ‘break’ us again, so they’re really delicate,” says Auti, rolling her eyes. “They think we’re fragile – so we have to be like, ‘No, dude – watch what I can do,’ and then they’re like, ‘Oh, okay. I got it from here.’”

Article: Chapter Seven: SEXY TIME

Posted July 03rd, 2013, 10:07 AM by Sundance Channel

Oh, my little duckies, I promised you we’d get to the good part, didn’t I? Let’s dim the lights, grab a glass of wine, light some candles, put on the Walrus of Love (Barry White, for the uninitiated) and start your engines, because our Push Girls are about to knock your (black) socks off. But before we can get down and dirty, let’s start slow, shall we?

Article: Sundance Channel to co-produce THE HONOURABLE WOMAN

Posted June 28th, 2013, 4:06 PM by Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel announced today it has signed a co-production deal with BBC Worldwide, North America on the original mini-series THE HONOURABLE WOMAN starring Academy Award nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal (Crazy Heart, The Dark Knight, Secretary). The announcement comes following Sundance Channel’s recent renewal of critically acclaimed original series “Rectify,” and as it prepares for its next original drama series “The Descendants” (working title). The eight part mini-series is a suspenseful thriller written and directed by BAFTA® winner Hugo Blick (The Shadow Line) and executive produced by Drama Republic’s Greg Brenman (“Low Winter Sun,” Billy Elliot) and produced by Abi Bach (Small Island).

Article: Chapter Six: Dealbreakers

Posted June 28th, 2013, 2:06 PM by Sundance Channel

So you got the girl – good going! Seriously, it’s not easy to land a relationship with a Push Girl so lean back, enjoy the rarified air and congratulate yourself… oh, wait. What are you doing? No. Nonono… don’t do that. Don’t you know this by now? Those crazy personal peccadillos, those things your mother told you were so cute, so adorable… Well, frankly my friend, to many of us (not just Push Girls), they are dealbreakers.

Article: Chapter Five: Tales From The Darkside

Posted June 28th, 2013, 2:06 PM by Sundance Channel

So, you charmed your way in, and now you got a date with your dream Push Girl. Good for you, Stan! And don’t worry, we’re going to help you out here too by guiding you into what to do and more importantly what not to do. But this time, instead of telling you, we’ll just show you as, well, who doesn’t love a good dating story?

Article: Chapter Four: Wining and Dining

Posted June 28th, 2013, 2:06 PM by Sundance Channel

So you made it past the gate and got yourself a date – good for you! Now, to quote my spirit animal RuPaul: Don’t Fuck It Up!

The Push Girl Rules
No, we’re not talking about that silly book which told women everywhere how to act like a lobotomized, manipulative ninny in order to score a husband. We’re talking about the Push Girls Rules, which will teach you how to score a fun, fabulous dude without putting up with any crap!

Article: Chapter Three: What A (Push) Girl Wants

Posted June 17th, 2013, 4:06 PM by Sundance Channel

Don’t get freaked out by the title of this chapter – it’s not everyday that Christina Aguilera and a pre-wigged out Amanda Bynes can be referenced at the same time! But seriously, with the exception of Auti, who is married to the perfectly be-dimpled Eric, our girls are all looking for that special someone who will knock their wheels off.

And you don’t have to be a Calvin Klein model to catch their eye. Grab your chemistry set, put some Aretha Franklin on and have some R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Article: Chapter Two: Watch Me Pull A Rabbit Out Of My Hat…

Posted June 17th, 2013, 4:06 PM by Sundance Channel

A Push Girl is in demand everywhere, be it in the club, at a bar, during a pool party, at work, at a dinner, or in the aisles of the grocery store – but they do like to go out at night with an eye for the hotties. But when a Push Girl rolls in, you need to be ready because, trust me, there’s always a line to get an audience with our girls. They’re in control – and if you can’t give her what she needs, she can always get it herself…

Article: Chapter One: Before We Go Any Further, Let’s Get Some Shizz Straight

Posted June 17th, 2013, 4:06 PM by Sundance Channel

Unlike some of you out there (you know who you are), Push Girls aren’t sitting around on a Saturday night in their jammies cramming their mouth full of Mallo-Mars and drunkenly crooning Barry Manilow tunes to their cats while applying zit masks to their faces (those apartment walls are real thin girl, real thin). Instead, our heroines are more likely to be found rolling around a local hotspot in heels, a pencil skirt and sizzle-me-till-Sunday lipstick with a trail of drooling suitors in their wake.

“How do they do it?” you ask, lowering your voice so no one can hear you. “I mean, for Chrissake – they’re in a wheelchair! Okay, so their wheels are custom hot, but… what the hell? Can they even feel it down there?”

Oh, you silly girl. Can they feel it? Ha! Ladybird, they rock it. And trust: you could learn some tricks from them that’ll get you out of that fuzzy onesie and onto the Push Girls’ dance floor.

Article: The Push Girls’ Guide To Getting Your Groove On: Introduction

Posted June 17th, 2013, 4:06 PM by Sundance Channel

Ladies and gentlemen, stop chewing your nails to the quick and turn on your boob tubes – what you’ve been waiting for for months has finally arrived: the second season of Push Girls is back and holy hell, Batgirl, is it a doozy! This season our heroines are hotter than ever as they roll on the sexy side of life: making out, making up and well, you’ll have to watch to see the rest.

Article: Elisabeth Moss and “Push Girls” take home Critics’ Choice Awards for Sundance Channel!

Posted June 11th, 2013, 12:06 PM by Sundance Channel

SUNDANCE CHANNEL WINS AT THE 3RD ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE TELEVISION AWARDS

Elisabeth Moss and “Push Girls” Take Home Awards

LOS ANGELES, June 10, 2013 – Sundance Channel received top honors tonight at the 3rd Annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards for both its original scripted and unscripted programming, winning two awards for TOP OF THE LAKE and PUSH GIRLS. The honors were handed out by the Broadcast Television Journalists Association at The Beverly Hilton.

Article: Sundance Channel Greenlights Original Series DREAM SCHOOL

Posted June 06th, 2013, 12:06 PM by Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel announced today the greenlight of a new original non-fiction series “Dream School.” Multi-platinum award-winning musician and entrepreneur Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will executive produce under his G-Unit Films and Television banner and appear in the show. The series format was created by Jamie Oliver who will also executive produce under his Fresh One shingle. The announcement was made today by Sarah Barnett, Sundance Channel President. The series is slated to premiere in fall 2013.

Article: Sundance Channel greenlights THE WRITERS’ ROOM, premiering July 29th

Posted May 23rd, 2013, 12:05 PM by Sundance Channel

SUNDANCE CHANNEL AND ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY SET TO PREMIERE ‘THE WRITERS’ ROOM’ ON MONDAY, JULY 29, HOSTED BY ACADEMY AWARD©-WINNING SCREENWRITER AND ‘COMMUNITY’ STAR JIM RASH

PREMIERE SEASON TO FEATURE STELLAR LINE-UP OF HIT SCRIPTED SERIES ‘BREAKING BAD’, ‘DEXTER’, ‘GAME OF THRONES’, ‘AMERICAN HORROR STORY’, ‘PARKS AND RECREATION’ AND ‘NEW GIRL’

Presented by Sundance Channel and Entertainment Weekly, THE WRITERS’ ROOM is set to premiere on Monday, July 29 and will be hosted by Academy Award©-winning screenwriter (THE DESCENDANTS), comedian and actor Jim Rash (Community). The six episode half-hour series will spotlight an array of scripted television shows – from today’s pioneering cable dramas, including BREAKING BAD, Dexter, Game of Thrones and American Horror Story to the most critically acclaimed and popular network sitcoms, including Parks and Recreation and New Girl. The roundtable talk show will delve deep into the world of TV’s creative masterminds, divulging inside details about their smartest choices, toughest decisions and biggest mistakes. The announcement was made today by Sarah Barnett, Sundance Channel President and General Manager.