The Cranes Call doc on GATHR
March 17, 2025
HiddenLight Productions, co-founded by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sam Branson and Chelsea Clinton, has announced the international release of its real time feature doc The Cranes Call via GATHR.
The GATHR partnered release is timed for the film’s screening at the Cinema for Peace World Forum in Berlin on March 17th hosted by Hillary Clinton.
The documentary is available to buyers globally with WME representing the film in North America and rest of world sales handled by Sphere Abacus. The film was commissioned by U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 in association with Minderoo Pictures and Cinema for Peace. It had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival in 2024.
GATHR, the creator of the Direct To Audience distribution window, empowers filmmakers and impact-driven organizations to connect with audiences through Theatrical On Demand, non-theatrical engagements, Virtual Event Cinema℠, private label TVOD, and strategic coalition-building campaigns. By leveraging its innovative approach, GATHR is facilitating the global release of the feature documentary, ensuring it reaches the right audiences in the most meaningful way.
In this real time crime thriller set in a warzone, director Laura Warner embeds with war crimes investigator Anya Neistat and her team as they track down a group of survivors bold enough to take a stand against those who committed the most heinous crimes of rape, torture and murder against themselves and their families.
Anya joins forces with Solomiia Stasiv, a young Ukrainian woman just entering the field after witnessing the brutal invasion of her homeland. Together, they document evidence of human rights abuses in the fight to bring Russian commanders and soldiers to trial, and justice to the Ukrainian people.
The Clooney Foundation for Justice granted HiddenLight access to the high-risk work of Neistat, its lead investigator, and her team of researchers as they collect evidence on the ground in Ukraine.
The documentary is a testament to the atrocities and acts of war committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine. At a time when the world is following the high-stakes brinkmanship between Russia and the West, Ukraine remains at the fault line of a battle not just for territory, but for truth, justice, and accountability.
The Cranes Call is directed by Laura Warner and produced by Evan Williams. The film is executive produced by HiddenLight’s Co-Creative Directors Siobhan Sinnerton and Amy Flanagan and Evan Williams, together with Liev Schreiber.
The Cinema for Peace Foundation raises awareness of humanitarian issues by collaborating with international film communities, global human rights networks, and influential decision-makers and opinionated leaders in media, politics, business, and society.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, co-founder of HiddenLight Productions, commented: “This special screening and global release of The Cranes Call could not be more timely. The film brings to life the brutality of Vladimir Putin’s aggression and the resolve of the Ukrainian people. It’s a story told so richly that you will be convinced that Ukraine’s fight is a fight for democracy itself, and it is therefore the fight of all freedom loving people.”
Siobhan Sinnerton, Co-Creative Director of HiddenLight and EP, said: “We are very happy that more people will get to see this film which documents so compellingly what the reality of the war in Ukraine is for people living there. The determination of our main characters not to let these crimes go unpunished feels more important to highlight now than at any time during the conflict.”
Johnny Webb, CEO of HiddenLight, added: “One of the biggest challenges for broadcasters is awareness and ensuring that a film stands out in a crowded landscape. Cutting through the noise and reaching the right audience at the right time is crucial, and solutions like GATHR benefit both producer and broadcaster by building audience data, engaging viewers directly, and, most importantly, generating awareness ahead of the TV window. We’re looking forward to extending the film to more buyers worldwide at this critical time.”
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