Obamas target YAs with Netflix drama

Michelle and Barack Obama

Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions has unveiled a slate of programmes to be produced under the company’s deal with streamer Netflix.

Among the series is an adaptation of an upcoming young-adult novel called Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. The story follows an 18-year-old native American girl who goes undercover in a police investigation on her reservation.

Mickey Fisher (Reverie, Extant) is the showrunner and will co-write with Wenonah Wilms (Horsehead Girls), who will also executive produce. Boulley’s novel is due to be published in the spring via Henry Holt & Co.

Great National Parks, meanwhile, is a natural history series exploring some of the best national parks on Earth. Higher Ground is producing the series with Wild Space Productions and wildlife filmmaker James Honeyborne (Blue Planet II).

The two series come after Higher Ground’s animated preschool series Ada Twist Scientist (40×12′), announced last year, and comedy The G Word with Adam Conover, based on The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy by author Michael Lewis.

Among the other Netflix projects announced by Higher Ground are the SVoD movies Exit West, adapted from Mohsin Hamid’s critically acclaimed novel, sci-fi feature Satellite and a biopic based on the life of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.

“We created Higher Ground to tell great stories. This group of projects builds upon that goal and the incredible path forged by films like Crip Camp, Becoming and the Oscar-winning American Factory,” said the Obamas in a statement.

“From science fiction to the beauty of our natural world to the relationships that define us, Higher Ground continues to strive for fresh perspectives, compelling characters, and a healthy dose of inspiration.”

“It has been thrilling to watch President Obama, Michelle Obama and the Higher Ground team dive into original programming and produce incredible stories,” said Ted Sarandos, co-CEO and chief content officer at Netflix.