HBO picks up 'Burma VJ'

Network nabs TV rights to documentary

By MICHAEL JONES

HBO has nabbed the U.S. TV rights to Anders Ostergaard's docu "Burma VJ" ahead of its North American preem at Sundance. A chronicle of the 2007 uprising of Burmese monks through underground video journalists, pic won top prizes at Int'l Documentary Festival Amsterdam and CPH: Dox fest.

Lisa Lense-Moller produced the docu through her Magic Hour Films.

Submarine Entertainment's Josh Braun and First Hand Film's Esther van Messel negotiated the deal with HBO.

Braun, who sold the doc "The Black List" early to HBO at last year's Sundance, will be looking for a theatrical distributor. "Burma VJ" will unspool at New York's Film Forum prior to its TV preem.