Acclaimed filmmaker Matt Wolf will direct the upcoming feature documentary Soaps, which delves into the family legacy behind the soap opera industry, with a special focus on the iconic daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful.
Soaps takes viewers behind the scenes of one of television’s most enduring genres, offering exclusive access to the production of The Bold and the Beautiful, which remains one of just five daytime soaps still in production. A unique family-run business,
The Bold and the Beautiful has been under the direction of Bradley Bell for more than three decades, following its creation by legendary duo William Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, also the creators of The Young and the Restless. The documentary serves as a tribute to this often overlooked art form and gives an in-depth look at the rapid and high-pressure process behind the making of these long-running serials. It will highlight the creative minds who have kept the world’s longest-running scripted television series captivating fans for almost 50 years.
Produced by Joe Lewis (HBO's 100 Foot Wave, Fleabag, Transparent) and Lauren Haber (HBO's Nuclear Family, CNN’s Trophy) for Amplify Pictures, the project also includes Wolf (Neon’s Spaceship Earth, HBO’s The Stroll) and Lindsay Panell (Netflix’s Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul). Executive producers include Rachel Eggebeen and Colin King Miller for Amplify Pictures, with the project currently in production in Los Angeles. Amplify Pictures is financing the documentary.
Amplify Pictures CEO Joe Lewis shared, “Soap operas have created universes that audiences have immersed themselves in for generations. The world behind the scenes is just as captivating as the drama on-screen. Matt’s ability to explore the intersection of creativity and legacy makes him the ideal person to tell this story about an often underappreciated cultural institution.”
Wolf, who is also directing HBO’s upcoming documentary Pee-wee as Himself, about the life and legacy of artist Paul Reubens and his alter ego Pee-wee Herman, commented, “When I first visited the set of The Bold and the Beautiful, I was amazed by the incredible effort that goes into creating these stories. It’s a unique and fascinating world that deserves to be explored in a documentary. I’m grateful to the Bell family and the entire cast and crew who welcomed me and helped bring the show to life. Amplify Pictures is the perfect partner for this project because of their deep understanding of the intersection between art and popular culture.”
Wolf’s previous works include Spaceship Earth (about the Biosphere 2 project), Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell (about the cult cellist and disco producer), Teenage (on the emergence of youth culture), and Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project (about an activist who recorded television continuously for 30 years). Additionally, he produced the Emmy-nominated The Stroll, a documentary about New York's Meatpacking District and its transgender sex worker history, which won several awards, including a Special Jury Prize at Sundance.
The documentary comes at a pivotal moment for Amplify Pictures, a studio known for producing both award-winning and commercially successful projects. The studio’s diverse slate includes Ryan White’s upcoming Sundance title Come See Me in the Good Light, which also premieres at the festival this week. With executive producers like Brandi Carlile, Sara Bareilles, Glennon Doyle, and Abby Wambach, the film explores the life and love story of poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley, facing an incurable diagnosis. Amplify also produces the Emmy-winning docu-series 100 Foot Wave, set to return for its third season, and the upcoming Bollywood Dance U and Game Changers series.
Comments