Abramorama Acquires ‘A Storm Foretold,’ Roger Stone Doc Containing Explosive Footage That Wound Up In Middle Of January 6 Investigation
EXCLUSIVE: Abramorama has acquired North American distribution rights to A Storm Foretold, a documentary about Trump adviser Roger Stone that becomes more urgent as the 2024 presidential election inches closer with every passing day.
Danish filmmaker Christoffer Guldbrandsen directed the documentary, which is based on intimate access he gained to Stone over a sustained period beginning in 2018, in the middle of Trump’s presidency. He was with Stone right up through the 2020 election and he documented the self-described political dirty trickster’s attempts to sow doubts about the election results.
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Interestingly, while that footage was screened in the context of the Jan. 6 committee hearings, A Storm Foretold has yet to be seen by American audiences. Guldbrandsen’s U.S. premiere, set for this past September at the Camden International Film Festival, was canceled after Hurricane Lee rolled up the Atlantic coast and knocked out power to the venue in Maine where the film was going to be shown.
His footage was so explosive Guldbrandesen wound up being subpoenaed by the House committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Among other things, the committee took keen interest in a moment the director captured where Stone, in the days before the 2020 vote, said, “I really do suspect [the election] will still be up in the air [as final returns come in]. When that happens, the key thing to do is to claim victory. Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
Guldbrandsen also recorded encounters between Stone and Joe Biggs, a leader of the Proud Boys, establishing visual proof of the connection between Stone and the neo-fascist group that took a leading role in the insurrection.
Abramorama, through its acquisition, will be the first to share the documentary with the audience most closely affected by the story. Limited screenings will be held beginning this Sunday, December 3, at the Cinelounge Sunset in Los Angeles, followed by a North American theatrical rollout kicking off in New York City and Washington D.C. in early 2024.
“Shot in the verité style, A Storm Foretold captures not just the raw intensity and unpredictability of the current political landscape in America, but also the complexity of Stone’s character,” notes a release from Abramorama. “In an era where truth seems shrouded in layers of deception, director Christoffer Guldbrandsen chronicles Roger Stone’s pivotal role over two years – from orchestrating the ‘Stop the Steal’ campaign to laying the groundwork for the January 6th assault on the Capitol. This documentary offers an unfiltered view, allowing audiences to witness firsthand the human catalysts of the epic divide we see today.”
In a statement, Abramorama CEO Karol Martesko-Fenster said, “Christoffer Guldbrandsen has crafted an illuminating and very entertaining documentary that at times makes the audience feel they are touring on an active crime scene. We are pleased to be able to bring this film to theaters to give the American public an observational and insightful view of the political feuds that brought about a watershed moment in the history of American democracy. These events are still reverberating across the country as we approach 2024 and round 2.”
The film, which Deadline saw on a screener at the Camden International Film Festival, reveals how Guldbrandsen almost lost his life in the middle of making the documentary. He suffered a heart attack in Denmark during a brief period when Stone pulled out of the project. Doctors attributed the near fatal incident to stress brought up by the project.
Gulbrandsen remains shaken by the experience of witnessing the exploits of Stone, whose deeds go back to devising dirty tricks on behalf of Pres. Nixon. “I’m dumbfounded, about the situations we were able to capture on film,” Guldbrandsen said in a statement. “The entire rollercoaster ride, up until the acrimonious, aftermath of January 6, capturing Roger Stone and his consorts being astoundingly candid — or astoundingly reckless — still rattles me.”
A Storm Foretold held its world premiere at CPH: DOX in Copenhagen, going on to be featured at the Zurich Film Festival, Dokufest in Kosovo, and the New Zealand International Film Festival.
Abramorama In association with Theorem Media presents A Storm Foretold. Executive produced by Peter Frithjof Bang and Mette Hoffmann Meyer. Director of Photography Frederik Marbell. Edited by Malene Lykke Dreyer and Andreas Jonsson Hay. Original score by Mikkel Maltha, Anthony Lexi, and Flemming Nordkrog. Produced by Christoffer Guldbrandsen, Peter Engel, and Herik Veileborg. Narrated, written and directed by Christoffer Guldbrandsen.
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