Steven Zeitchik of Variety:
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.
...Danny Strong, who has had roles in pics including "Seabiscuit " and "Pleasantville," wrote the script.
..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 Callendar 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.
... 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," [producer Paula Weinstein] said.
...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.
Here's the complete story...
Even though Weinstien assures that Recount won't have an agenda, the cynic in me has to wonder, given how tinseltown loves Al Gore at the moment...
I have always been a fan of Strong as actor--especially when he had a recurring role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV Series (1997-2004).
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