Award-winning factual label Arrow Media, has optioned a duo of high-profile books about two of Hollywood’s most controversial figures - Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski. The prodco is developing Chasing Cosby: The Downfall of America’s Dad and The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski into documentary series.
Award-winning journalist and author of Chasing Cosby: The Downfall of America’s Dad, Nicole Weisensee Egan, doggedly investigated the Bill Cosby case, developing ties with entrenched sources and discovering incriminating details that would ultimately come to influence his prosecution. In her debut book, Chasing Cosby, Egan shares her first-hand account of Cosby’s 13-year run from justice. Arrow’s series will hear powerful testimony from survivors and uncover the web of enablers, a key factor in Cosby being able to abuse women for many years. Featuring interviews with detectives, lawyers, journalists and jury members, this documentary series tells the full 3600 story of Cosby’s 13-year run from justice and what it took to finally put him behind bars.
A searing and surprising memoir from ‘the girl’ at the centre of the infamous Roman Polanski sexual assault case, The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski is being developed in conjunction with Alan Handel from Handel Productions. The film sees Samantha Geimer telling her story in full for the first time, reflecting on the events of that day and their lifelong repercussions. With exclusive access to Samantha Geimer, her mother Susan Gailey, their family lawyer as well as access to Samantha’s archive of photographs and personal diaries, this film will give voice to the one person who has largely been missing in the coverage of the Polanski case – Samantha Geimer.
Anna Davies, Executive Producer, Development, Arrow Media, says: “Both of these stories are ultimately about the abuse of power and the power of celebrity. Arrow Media’s reputation is built on getting exceptional access. From our award-winning feature film adaptation of the book Under the Wire, Paul Conroy’s untold story about his last, tragic assignment in Syria with Marie Colvin; to our ratings-winning Mind of a Monster feature doc strand for Investigation Discovery, we have a huge range of personal profiles to our credit. Bringing these stories alive in a new way, with never-before heard voices and new evidence, is one of our greatest passions. We are thrilled to have secured access to two such important and timely stories, which are bound to have huge international appeal.”
Samantha Geimer, author of The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski, says: “Arrow Media has a fantastic ability to unpack multi-faceted stories, particularly stories that need to be told. I’m delighted to be partnering with them on this project and am very much looking forward to my story being told onscreen for the first time.”
Arrow Media is renowned for taking a fresh look at some of recent history’s most iconic crimes. In its recent feature-length documentary OJ & Nicole: An American Tragedy, Arrow Media re-wrote the infamous story of OJ Simpson and Nicole Brown with a new perspective, hearing first-hand accounts from Nicole’s closest family and friends, telling her side of the story, in her words, for the first time.
The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski by Samantha Geimer is published by Atria Books. Chasing Cosby: The Downfall of America’s Dad by Nicole Weisensee Egan is published by Seal Press.
(Photo credit of Bill Cosby - Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo.)