The Movie Network commissions Weinstein doc

The Movie Network has commissioned a documentary based on Miramax founder Harvey Weinstein.

The Astral Media-owned Canadian specialty network is financing the documentary Unauthorized: The Harvey Weinstein Project, which is produced by Canadian filmmaker Barry Avrich, who has produced Lew Wasserman film The Last Mogul as well as television series including CTV’s One x One Gala and Caesar and Cleopatra.

The project has drawn controversy as Weinstein, who currently runs The Weinstein Company with his brother Bob, has tried to have production on the US$1 million doc stopped. He reportedly initially tried to persuade Avrich to instead produce a doc on former Orion Pictures boss Arthur Kim and then told him Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino was considering a competing project. 

The move is also significant because The Movie Network, which is a sister channel to HBO Canada, airs a number of movies from The Weinstein Company catalog as well as TV series including The Weinstein Company-produced The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.