Showtime Takes Ramin Bahrani’s Documentary ‘2nd Chance’ – Sundance

Showtime Documentary Films has acquired North American rights to the Sundance Film Festival documentary 2nd Chance, from director and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Ramin Bahrani.

Bahrani’s feature-length documentary debut, is an exploration of the life and legacy of Richard Davis, the charming and brash inventor of the modern-day bulletproof vest who shot himself 192 times to prove his product worked. The film juxtaposes Davis’ actions with those of his righteous right-hand man, Aaron Westrick. Unwilling to passively present questionable truths, Bahrani instead lays bare the complexities of one man’s supposed virtue while speaking to the nature of power and impunity in America.

The pay cable channel is planning a theatrical release ahead of a network premiere later his year, leading into awards season.

Pic is written, directed, and produced by Bahrani. Daniel Turcan & Johnny Galvin of Vespucci, Charles Dorfman and Jacob Grodnik also serve as producers. The film is executive produced by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer (The Act of Killing, The Look of Silence), Myles Estey, Bahareh Azimi and Marlon Vogelgesang. Endeavor Content and Samuel Marshall Films produced and financed the film.

Bahrani is the Iranian-American writer, director and producer of films such as Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo, 99 Homes and The White Tiger. His two short documentaries, Life You Up and Blood Kin, screened at Venice, Telluride and Toronto. Bahrani is a Guggenheim Fellowship winner, and his cinematic oeuvre is housed in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.