Showtime set the premiere dates for a pair of documentaries on the Wu-Tang Clan and Chelsea Manning.
The pay cable will debut Sacha Jenkins’ four-part “Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men” on Friday, May 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, while “XY Chelsea” will premiere a month later on Friday, June 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Showtime acquired “Of Mics and Men” earlier this month and the docuseries premiered its first two episodes at the Sundance Film Festival. Watch a trailer for the doc above.
“Of Mics and Men” is tied to the 25th anniversary of Wu-Tang’s seminal debut album, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).” The series looks back on their career, combining intimate and reflective interviews from each of the nine living members with never-before-seen archival footage and performances.
The series follows the founding members – RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard (who died in 2004), Inspectah Deck, Raekwon, U-God, Ghostface, Method Man, Masta Killa and Cappadonna – many of whom were childhood friends in the hardscrabble world of ’70s and ’80s Staten Island and Brooklyn. Their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit brought them together to overcome the poverty, violence and oppression of their neighborhoods. But it was music and their shared lyrical genius that allowed them to form the most recognized musical movement in the world, all while walking the treacherous tightrope that links business with brotherhood.
“Of Mics and Men” is a Mass Appeal production in association with Endeavor Content. Peter J. Scalettar, Peter Bittenbender and Chris Gary serve as executive producers.
Directed by Tim Travers, “XY Chelsea” tells the story of whistle-blower Chelsea Manning, whose 35-year sentence in a maximum security prison was commuted by President Obama in 2017. Shot over two years and featuring exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes verité with Manning, the film begins on the day she leaves prison and follows her through her journey of discovery, while also examining her place in the conversation on national security and the fight of the transgender community for rights and visibility.
Travers Hawkins followed Manning and her legal team as they fought to get her out of prison, and for her to receive the necessary medical treatment for her gender dysphoria. Following two suicide attempts in 2016, Chelsea and her team tried to save her life with a long-shot request to President Obama for a commutation of her sentence before he left office. Cameras follow Manning’s fight for release and witness as she reveals herself to the world for the first time.
“XY Chelsea” is produced by Pulse Films and co-financed by the British Film Institute (BFI) and First Look Media’s Topic Studios and Field of Vision. Thomas Benski, Julia Nottingham, Lucas Ochoa and Isabel Davis of Pulse Films are producers. “CitizenFour” director Laura Poitras, Mary Burke, Michael Bloom, Lisa Leingang, Charlotte Cook, Sharon Chang, Blaine Vess, Christos V. Konstantakopoulos, Marisa Clifford and Ryan Harrington serve as executive producers.