ACLU Sundance Doc ‘The Fight’ Headed to Magnolia Pictures

Matt Donnelly
·2 min read

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Magnolia Pictures is wrapping up a low-seven-figure deal for distribution rights to the moving documentary “The Fight,” insiders told Variety.

Premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the project is directed by Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, and Eli Despres. CAA and Submarine are brokering the deal on behalf of financiers. The directors also served as producers, alongside Maya Seidler, Peggy Drexler, and Kerry Washington.

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Reps for the film and Magnolia had no immediate comment on the matter.

The film looks at the contemporary landscape for attorneys championing the causes of the American Civil Liberties Union, picking up its narrative a week after Donald Trump was inaugurated and the chaos of his administration’s “Muslim ban.” “The Fight” offers front-row access to other pertinent cases in line with the group’s battle for equity, and the threats and consequences that the current political landscape represents to future generations of Americans.

The full synopsis reads as follows: “The Fight is an inspiring, emotional insider look at how these important battles are fought and the legal gladiators on the front lines fighting them. Directors Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, and Eli Despres capture the rollercoaster ride of the thrill and defeat in these deeply human battles. When a mother is separated from her child, a soldier is threatened to lose his career, a young woman’s right to choose is imperiled at the pleasure of a government official, and the ability to exercise our basic right to vote is threatened, the consequences can be devastating to us and to future generations. The Fight celebrates the unsung heroes who fiercely work to protect our freedoms.”

Deadline first reported the sale.

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