“Superpower,” the Sean Penn fronted and co-directed documentary following the Oscar-winner as he embeds himself with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky in the wake of Russia’s invasion, has scored new sales.
Ahead of the Berlinale, where “Superpower” first premiered in 2023 while still in production, Fifth Season — which financed the film alongside Vice Studios — has unveiled broadcast deals with streamer Stan and Nine Network (Australia), Movistar Plus (Spain), HBO (CEE and Baltics), PCCW for Now TV (Hong Kong and Macau), DPG Media (Belgium), A+E Networks/History Channel (Germany) and Kyivstar TV (Ukraine). These deals follow the company’s previous signing of deals with Paramount+ in the U.S., alongside Ukrainian broadcasters Inter, NTN, Mega and Sonce — which all had a day and date release of “Superpower” in September 2023.
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Fifth Season also made the film — co-directed by Penn and Aaron Kaufman — available to the Ukrainian people.
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“It’s a privilege to be involved with ‘Superpower’ — a profoundly moving and impactful project with incredible talent behind the camera, led by the formidable duo of Sean Penn and Aaron Kaufman,” said Prentiss Fraser, Fifth Season’s president of television distribution. “The documentary offers unprecedented access as it brings viewers onto the frontlines and shines a light on the strength, resilience and humanity of the Ukrainian people during their fight for freedom. Following the feature’s initial debut in the US and Ukraine, we’re now looking forward to bringing this remarkable and immersive project to new audiences, both in Ukraine and internationally.”
What started out in late 2021 as a project about Zelensky’s rise from TV comic to president soon turned into a documentary about a wartime president. In the early hours of Feb. 24, 2022, while the crew were preparing their first on-camera interviews with the Ukrainian leader, Russia invaded and attacked the capital of Kiev. Penn would go on to make seven trips to the country over a nearly two-year period, conducting a series of intimate interviews with Zelensky.
“Superpower” was produced by Vice Studios with Projected Picture Works also producing alongside Penn, Billy Smith, Sergei Bespalov, Danny Gabai and Lauren Terp. Kate Ward, Katie Peck, Andrew Freston, Bruce Dixon, Hozefa Lokhandwala, Subrata De, Susan Zirinsky, Terence Wrong, Anthony Gudas, Chad A. Verdi and Sasha Cherniavsky served as executive producers.