Lifetime Greenlights Migrant Family Separation Movie ‘Torn From Her Arms’

EXCLUSIVE: Lifetime has given a green light to Torn From Her Arms, an original movie from Ozy Media, inspired by the separation of six-year-old Jimena Madrid from her mother at the U.S. border due to the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance family separation policy. The movie, which stems from Ozy Media’s development partnership with A+E Networks, is part of Lifetime’s Ripped from the Headlines franchise inspired by news and true events. Originally covered by Ozy’s reporting arm, Torn From Her Arms marks Ozy’s first foray into scripted programming and an expansion of its television catalog.

Per Lifetime, Torn from Her Arms is the timely story of Cindy and Jimena Madrid, a mother and daughter who fled violence in El Salvador, only to be separated at the U.S. border. Detained in different centers, Cindy and Jimena’s story gained national attention when the audiotape of Jimena crying for her mother was leaked, helping to alert the world to what was happening to undocumented immigrant families at the border. The movie shines a spotlight on the harsh child separation policies in place as part of the zero-tolerance policy and the struggle to reunite families.

Torn From Her Arms is written by Tawnya Bhattacharya and Ali Laventhol. Lifetime and Ozy Media are currently searching for a director and casting for the movie.

The 2020 Ripped from the Headlines winter slate was seen by over 25.1 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Live+7.

Lifetime’s 2021 Winter Ripped From the Headlines slate continues Saturday, February 20 with The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother’s Hunt for Justice with Kim Delaney and EP Deborah Norville; Girl in the Basement starring Judd Nelson, Joely Fisher and Stefanie Scott on February 27, Circle of Deception starring Diane Neal and directed by Ashley Williams on March 6 and A House on Fire starring Stephanie March on March 13.