
Deadline announced today that WOW/HBO’s Liberty: Mother of Exiles, a documentary produced and directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato that explores the Statue of Liberty through the perspective of fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, will get premiere this fall.
The film tracks von Furstenberg’s exploration of the history and meaning of sculptor Auguste Bartholdi’s creation to people around the world. The designer, as an immigrant herself, also reflects on the personal resonance of the monument.
“Making this documentary on the history of the Statue of Liberty, and discovering the layers of passion that made it happen, has been an emotional journey,” she said in a press release. “She truly is the symbol of freedom and her torch is a magic wand!”
The film begins with the groundbreaking ceremony for the new museum at the base of the Statue of Liberty and then charts its history, interviewing the descendants of Édouard de Laboulaye and Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, along with almost 70 subjects whose lives have been touched by it.
“Lady Liberty, chains broken and striding forward, has become the symbol of the struggle for freedom all around the world” the filmmakers said. “As the Mother of Exiles, she welcomes millions of immigrants seeking a better life in America. This film could not be a more timely reminder of the values that the statue has always stood for.”
(Photo courtesy of HBO)