HBO welcomes Chechnya doc

HBO Documentary Films has acquired the North American television and streaming rights to David France’s doc Welcome to Chechnya.

Lisa Heller

Directed by France, Welcome to Chechnya shadows a group of activists fighting for LGBTQ rights in the Russian republic of Chechnya.

The doc will have its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, which is taking place in January and February. It will debut on HBO in June.

Welcome to Chechnya is a Public Square Films production, produced by Alice Henty, Joy A Tomchin, Askold Kurov and France. Igor Myakotin and Tyler H Walk are co-producers, while Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller are exec producing for HBO.

“I am thrilled to have partnered with HBO to help shed light on this ongoing humanitarian crisis,” said France. “Welcome to Chechnya needed a distributor that is fearless and believes in the power of social justice filmmaking.”