Latest in Chris Smith

While crafting the documentary Sr. chronicling the life of writer, director and actor Robert Downey Sr., filmmaker Chris Smith found himself, much like Downey’s films themselves, setting aside advance notions and following where the story took him. "It started as a portrait of an artist, and it…

It took a long, long time for Richard Branson to achieve his goal of blasting off into space, but it finally occurred last year after more than a billion dollars invested through his company Virgin Galactic.  "Nothing could prepare you for the view of Earth from space," he said upon landing. But in a…

EXCLUSIVE: We have your first look at Branson, HBO's upcoming four-part documentary series on highflying tycoon Richard Branson, who built an empire around the Virgin brand. Award-winning filmmaker Chris Smith directed the series, which premieres on HBO on Thursday, December 1, with new episodes…

Netflix has unveiled a trailer for its Robert Downey Sr. documentary Sr., from American Movie helmer Chris Smith, which debuts globally on the streamer on December 2nd. Downey Sr. was a renowned indie filmmaker who rose to prominence as a counterculture icon of the 1960s and ’70s with films like Putne…

EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has acquired U.S. rights to the 2022 SXSW award winner The Pez Outlaw, from directors Amy Bandlien Storkel and Bryan Storkel, with plans for a day-and-date release on October 21. The fish-out-of-water story follows the adventures of Steve Glew, a small-town Michigan man, who boards a plane…

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Smith, a 21-year ICM veteran, including the last 10 as a partner, has joined APA as SVP, Global Concerts & Talent. Smith will work alongside Max Burgos who heads APA’s comedy touring department. While he has strong background in comedy touring, at ICM Smith worked across departments on deals for his…

There are times when swiping right goes all wrong. Such was the case with a number of women who came across the Tinder profile of a man calling himself Simon Leviev. He was handsome, romantic, and apparently fabulously rich, the self-described son of a billionaire diamond broker. Norwegian beauty Cecilie Fjellhøy…

Surfer Garrett McNamara, star of the HBO documentary series 100 Foot Wave, is one of the few people on the planet who can truly describe what it's like to be chased by a massive wall of water. "It’s just so choppy and the wind is just going by your face and your whole body," McNamara said during a panel discussion of 1…

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Smith, the four-time Emmy nominee who directed and exec produced Netflix’s true-crime docuseries Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives., has signed with Cinetic Media for management, bringing his Library Films production shingle with him. Smith’s series Bad Vegan recently registered as a #1 hit on…

Netflix has announced that Chris Smith, the director behind the popular Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened film, is turning his attentions to the college admissions scandal for his latest documentary. Smith, who also executive produced Tiger King, will direct Operation Varsity Blues, which will premiere on…

A pair of documentaries in the Emmy race reveal how the notorious Fyre Festival went from a "you don't want to miss it" music event to a "get me out of here" catastrophe in the Caribbean. Hulu's Fyre Fraud earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Program. The Netflix documentary Fyre: The Grea…

Netflix said Monday it has acquired Chris Smith’s Fyre, a documentary about the uber-fail 2017 Fyre Festival in the Bahamas that spawned lawsuits over its poor organization and false claims. Smith, who directed Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, connected with the organizers to tell a behind the scenes tale. Netflix will…