George C. Wolfe To Direct Biopic On Gay Civil Rights Activist Bayard Rustin For Netflix With The Obama’s Higher Ground Productions Producing

George C. Wolfe (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) will direct ‘Rustin’ for Netflix with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions onboard as producers. 

Written by Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black (Milk), Rustin tells the story of charismatic, gay, civil rights activist Bayard Rustin,  who overcame an onslaughts of obstacles, and altered the course of American history by organizing the 1963 march on  Washington.

Higher Ground Productions’ Priya Swaminathan and Tonia Davis will produce along with Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen and Black. Higher Ground Productions recently released their upcoming slate of films and series in partnership with Netflix which include Exit West, Satellite, Tenzing and The Young Wife.  Current documentary films on Netflix include Academy Award Winner American Factory, Emmy Award nominee Becoming, and Crip Camp, which was just named to the Oscars Documentary Shortlist.

Wolfe has been garnering attention for his masterful direction of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, placing the film as a player in the awards race and most recently leading the charge for SAG nominations. A previous DGA and NBR winner (Lackawanna Blues), Wolfe is a five-time Tony Award winner, and known as one of America’s most important and influential cultural voices.