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John Battsek

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battsek at the Montclair Film Festival, May 2015

John Saul Adrian Battsek (born September 1963)[1] is a British film producer of documentary films. In 2020, Battsek co-founded[2] production company Ventureland with producers Kerstin Emhoff, Ali Brown, and director Paul Hunter.[3]

He has produced[4] a number of feature documentaries, including One Day in September and Searching for Sugar Man, both winners of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film. He also produced the Peabody Award-winning documentary film Bobi Wine: The People's President.[5]

Career and awards

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Battsek is the son of Micha Battsek, a godson of Albert Einstein. He attended Highgate School until 1977.[6][1] In 1999 he conceived and produced Academy Award winning One Day in September.[7]

He served as an executive producer on Academy Award-winning Searching For Sugar Man, Academy Award nominated Restrepo & Winter On Fire and BAFTA award-winning documentaries Hillsborough and The Imposter.[2]

In 2013 Battsek produced Greg Barker's Emmy Award-winning documentary Manhunt: The Search For Bin Laden. In 2016 Battsek produced Peabody Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated Listen to Me Marlon. In 2017 Battsek produced Eric Clapton: Life In 12 Bars which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Music Film. In 2018 Battsek produced Emmy Award-winning documentary Forever Pure.[8]

Battsek was nominated for a PGA Award in 2010 and in 2011 for Sergio and The Tillman Story, respectively. He was also nominated in 2015 for The Green Prince. In 2013 he received the Grierson Trust Trustees' Award.

In 2019, he produced the AACTA Award-winning Australian feature-length documentary, The Australian Dream.

Under the Ventureland banner as Managing Director/Producer, John received an Academy Award nomination for the documentary Bobi Wine: The People’s President. The film later received a Peabody Award at the 84th ceremony in June of 2024.[9] He also produced Emmy Award winners The Rescue and BECKHAM, BAFTA nominee Wham!, Sports Emmy winner The Deepest Breath, and Critics Choice nominee If These Walls Could Sing. He also served as a producer on the two-time Emmy-winning Rising Phoenix, and biopics Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker, Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In and Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story.

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ a b Hughes, Patrick; Davies, Ian F (1988). Highgate School Register (7th ed.). p. 394.
  2. ^ a b "John Battsek".
  3. ^ Docs Supremo John Battsek Exits Passion Pictures After 20 Years To Set Up LA & London-Based Ventureland With Prettybird Trio. Deadline.
  4. ^ Morfoot, Addie (27 April 2023). "Documentary Filmmakers Turn to Non-Traditional Distribution to Get Their Films Seen". Variety. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  5. ^ https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/bobi-wine/
  6. ^ McLaren, Stuart. Saving Einstein. p. 104. ISBN 978 1 909796 89 8.
  7. ^ "Team America". Future Movies. 3 February 2000.
  8. ^ "Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars". 24 November 2017.
  9. ^ https://peabodyawards.com/award-profile/bobi-wine/
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