Fremantle adds Tulsa massacre doc to slate

The distribution arm of Fremantle has acquired international rights, excluding the US, to a feature documentary about the Tulsa race massacre from basketball player LeBron James’ prodco SpringHill Company.

Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street

Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street explores the tragic events of 1921 which saw mobs of white residents, many of them deputised and given weapons by city officials, attack black residents and businesses in the Greenwood District of Tulsa.

Coproduced by CNN Films, the 1×120’ feature doc is directed and produced by Salima Koroma (Bad Rap) and executive produced by James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson and Philip Byron of The SpringHill Company, and Amy Entelis and Courtney Sexton of CNN Films.

CNN Films will be the linear television distributor for the doc throughout North America, and it will premiere on cable news network CNN on May 31.

Harry Gamsu, VP of non-scripted content acquisitions at London-based Fremantle, said: “Told via the local Tulsa residents themselves, this film shines a light on what has until now been a largely hidden piece of American history.”