Originally planning to debut the documentary on TV in March, the network announces that they will now air 'Bright Lights' next week.
- Dec 31, 2016
AceShowbiz - Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' documentary is coming to HBO earlier than expected. Days after the two legendary actresses' deaths, the network announced on Friday, December 30 that the film titled "Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds" is going to air on January 7, 2017 at 8PM ET.
Originally set for March, the critically-acclaimed documentary was directed by Alexis Bloom and Fisher Stevens. It was first premiered earlier this year at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, and has since been screened at other prestigious film festivals including the the Telluride Film Festival and the New York Film Festival.
According to HBO's press release, "Bright Lights" tries to capture Fisher and Reynolds' unique mother-daughter dynamic and bond over the course of six tumultuous decades through documentary footage, vintage performances and their own family films. Much of the footage was shot a year ago.
"It's a love story," HBO Documentary Films president Sheila Nevins told Variety after the news of Reynolds' death. "Carrie wanted to make 'Bright Lights' for Debbie and Debbie wanted to make it for Carrie."
Fisher died on Tuesday, December 27 after suffering a massive heart attack during a flight. Her mom passed away on the next day, shortly after rushed to the hospital for possible stroke.
Also in honor of Fisher, HBO will re-air her "Wishful Drinking" on January 1, 2017 at 9 P.M. First debuted in 2010, it chronicles "the intoxicating tale of Fisher's life, combining her raucous one-woman stage performance, interviews with family and friends and archival footage."
