Film to follow events of 2000 election By STEVEN ZEITCHIK
HBO Films has greenlit "Recount," a scripted movie about the 2000 presidential election, and has attached Sydney Pollack to direct. Pic will follow the Florida recount from Election Day through the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of George W. Bush five weeks later. No stars are attached yet. Pic will place an emphasis on what execs say is the "human drama" that permeated news events. Movie will be produced by HBO Films in association with Spring Creek/Mirage Prods. Danny Strong, who has had roles in pics including "Seabiscuit" and "Pleasantville," wrote the script. Spring Creek's Paula Weinstein, HBO Films' Len Amato and Pollack are exec producing.
Pic goes into production in spring or summer. It will air on HBO, probably next spring, as the country finds itself in the heat of another presidential election. HBO Films is opting to air "Recount" on the net and not release it via theatrical arm Picturehouse because, execs said, airing it on the pay net will guarantee millions of viewers. Strong's script was a hot commodity when it first made the rounds. HBO Films topper Colin Callender said the movie would focus on many of the smaller players in the drama. "It boils the story down to individuals, men and women and husbands and wives, caught up in events slightly beyond their control," Callender said.
Activists, strategists, politicians and even voters will figure into the storyline. Weinstein said the movie would elaborate on the recount saga in meaningful ways. Locations haven't been chosen yet, but it's likely production will at least be partially shot in Florida. Project is aiming for the widest possible audience and will steer clear of a partisan point of view, according to execs. "It's about a major event in American history, but it has no particular agenda or ax to grind," Weinstein said.
HBO Films is in production on "John Adams," a miniseries that explores similar questions about democracy and a country at a crossroads. Pollack has previously directed films with political themes including "Three Days of the Condor" and "Absence of Malice," the latter of which also tussled with Florida politics.
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