A&E’S REVEALING TWO-PART NONFICTION BIOGRAPHY SPECIAL ‘ELIZABETH SMART: AUTOBIOGRAPHY’ PREMIERES SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12 AND MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13 AT 9PM ET/PT
ORIGINAL LIFETIME MOVIE ‘I AM ELIZABETH SMART’
STARRING SKEET ULRICH, DEIRDRE LOVEJOY AND ALANA BODEN
PREMIERES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18 AT 8PM ET/PT
New York, NY—July 28, 2017—Marking the 15th anniversary of Elizabeth Smart’s harrowing childhood abduction, A&E and Lifetime will premiere a cross-network event that allows Smart to tell her story in her own words. A&E’s Biography special “Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography” premieres in two 90-minute installments on Sunday, November 12 and Monday, November 13 at 9PM ET/PT. Lifetime’s Original Movie “I Am Elizabeth Smart” starring Skeet Ulrich (Riverdale, Jericho), Deirdre Lovejoy (The Blacklist, The Wire) and Alana Boden (Ride) premieres Saturday, November 18 at 8PM ET/PT.
“With Lifetime as the leading movie brand in cable and A&E at the forefront of long form documentary storytelling, we have the unique opportunity to utilize the combined power of our portfolio to tell critical stories like this one and connect with a wider audience in original and powerful ways.” said Rob Sharenow, President of Programming, A+E Networks.
In A&E’s intimate two-part Biography special “Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography,” Smart explains her story in her own words and provides previously untold details about her infamous abduction and nine-month nightmare in the grasps of her cruel captors. Now 29 years old, she shares the perspective she gained through the ordeal and how she has moved past it to focus on marriage, motherhood and advocating for others. Smart’s family, along with law enforcement involved with investigating the disappearance and eyewitnesses, reveal new information about the case and reflect on her remarkable recovery and perseverance.
“I Am Elizabeth Smart” chronicles the June 2002 abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth Ann Smart (Boden) from her home in Salt Lake City by a religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell (Ulrich). Mitchell brought her to a hilly encampment where, alongside his twisted accomplice Wanda Barzee (Lovejoy), he held Elizabeth captive. Over the course of her nine-month captivity, she was starved, drugged, raped and subjected to bizarre religious rituals until she enabled her own rescue. In “I Am Elizabeth Smart,” Elizabeth herself serves as a producer and on-screen narrator in order to explore how she survived and confront the truths and misconceptions about her captivity.
“Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography” is produced by Asylum Entertainment in association with Marwar Junction Productions. Executive producers for Asylum Entertainment are Steve Michaels and Jonathan Koch along with David Michaels and executive producers for Marwar Junction are Allison Berkley and Joseph Freed. Executive producers for A&E are Elaine Frontain Bryant, Amy Savitsky and Brad Abramson.
“I Am Elizabeth Smart” is executive produced by Steve Michaels, Jonathan Koch and Joan Harrison of Asylum Entertainment and Allison Berkley and Joseph Freed of Marwar Junction Productions. Tom Patricia and Barbara Lieberman also executive produce the movie with Elizabeth Smart serving as producer. Sarah Walker directs from a teleplay by Tory Walker.
A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for “I Am Elizabeth Smart” and “Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography.”
About A&E Network
A&E leads the cultural conversation through high-quality, thought provoking original programming with a unique point of view. Whether it’s the network’s distinctive brand of award-winning disruptive reality, groundbreaking documentary, or premium scripted drama, A&E always makes entertainment an art. The A&E website is located at aetv.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/aetv and Facebook at facebook.com/AETV. For more press information and photography please visit us at press.aenetworks.com.
About Lifetime
Lifetime is a premier entertainment destination for women dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning scripted series, non-fiction series and movies. The critically acclaimed UnREAL, Project Runway, Dance Moms, Bring It!, The Rap Game and Little Women franchises anchor the network’s programming, in addition to its over 25 original movies annually that continue to define the TV movie genre. In 2015, Lifetime launched Broad Focus, a major global initiative dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers and producers to make its content which totals over 450 original hours. Lifetime’s Fempire positions the network as a curator of feminist content and conversations, as well as a place where women connect, learn and are entertained. Lifetime Television®, LMN®, Lifetime Real Women® and Lifetime Digital™ are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.
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