DOCUMENTARY "LIBERTY: MOTHER OF EXILES," A REVEALING, UP-CLOSE LOOK AT ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED ICONS IN THE WORLD, DEBUTS THIS FALL ON HBO

The documentary LIBERTY: MOTHER OF EXILES, exploring the past and present of the iconic Statue of Liberty, will debut on HBO this fall. From Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato of World of Wonder (HBO's Emmy(R)-nominated "Carrie Fisher: Wishful Drinking,") the documentary follows legendary fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, "godmother" of the statue, in her quest to discover how sculptor Auguste Bartholdi's dream became a reality and what the statue means to people around the world.

LIBERTY: MOTHER OF EXILES casts a new light on one of America's greatest symbols of freedom and explores its surprising history, the challenges it has faced over the years and its impact on generations. Like most Americans, Lady Liberty has an immigrant story and over the course of the film, Diane von Furstenberg, herself an immigrant, realizes how intimately connected her background is with the statue.

"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," comments Diane von Furstenberg. "She truly is the symbol of freedom and her torch is a magic wand!"

"Lady Liberty, chains broken and striding forward, has become the symbol of the struggle for freedom all around the world" say directors and producers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato. "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."

LIBERTY: MOTHER OF EXILES begins with the groundbreaking ceremony for the new museum at the base of the Statue of Liberty and goes on to reveal its dramatic history. The film spotlights the descendants of édouard de Laboulaye and Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, who also played key roles in the creation of the statue, along with almost 70 subjects whose lives have been touched by it, from street artists and factory workers to the families who lived on Liberty Island until their homes were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.

Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato are the founders of World of Wonder Productions. In addition to the Emmy(R)-nominated "Carrie Fisher: Wishful Drinking," their HBO and CINEMAX credits include the Emmy(R)-nominated "Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures," as well as "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," "Monica in Black and White" and "Party Monster."

LIBERTY: MOTHER OF EXILES is produced and directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato; executive producers, Diane Von Furstenberg, Sheila Nevins and Jason Blum. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller.

ABOUT HBO

HBO(R) is one of the most respected and innovative entertainment brands in the world, serving iconic, award-winning programming to 140 million subscribers globally. A subsidiary of WarnerMedia, HBO is the world's most successful pay TV service with an extensive array of programming that includes some of the most notable titles to be on television including Game of Thrones(R), Big Little Lies(R), Westworld(R), The Sopranos(R), Sex and the City(R), Band of Brothers(R), and The Wire(R). In the United States, HBO(R) and sister network Cinemax(R) are available across multiple platforms including HBO On Demand(R), Cinemax On Demand(R), HBO GO(R) and MAX GO(R), as well as HBO NOW(R). Internationally, HBO branded services, including television networks and the standalone streaming product HBO GO(R), are available in more than 70 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. HBO and Cinemax programming is also sold into more than 150 countries worldwide.

ABOUT WORLD OF WONDER:

For more than two decades, the award-winning production company World of Wonder has introduced audiences to new worlds, talent and ideas that have shaped culture. Programming highlights include: Emmy(R) Award winning "RuPaul's Drag Race" (VH1/Logo), "Million Dollar Listing" LA & NY (Bravo), "Dancing Queen" (Netflix), "Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce" (Fuse), and "Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric" (National Geographic); award-winning films and documentaries including "Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures," "Menendez: Blood Brothers," "Inside Deep Throat," "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," "I Am Britney Jean," "In Vogue: The Editor's Eye," "Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking," "Monica in Black and White," Emmy-winning "The Last Beekeeper," and Emmy-winning "Out of Iraq." Seven of WOW's films have premiered at the Sundance Film festival including "Becoming Chaz" and "Party Monster." World of Wonder has also created a substantial digital footprint with its YouTube channel WOWPresents (1M+ subs), SVOD digital platform WOW Presents Plus, along with an award-winning blog, The WOW Report. World of Wonder's bi-annual RuPaul's DragCon is the world's largest drag culture convention, welcoming 100,000 attendees across LA and NYC in 2018. Co-founders Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey authored The World According to Wonder, celebrating decades of production, which can be found online at http://worldofwonder.net/. Randy and Fenton were honored with the IDA Pioneer Award in December 2014, celebrating exceptional achievement, leadership, and vision in the nonfiction and documentary community, named to Variety's Reality Leaders List in 2017, and chosen for the OUT100 list in 2018 for their trailblazing work in the LGBTQ+ community. World of Wonder was also selected for Realscreen's 2018 Global 100 list, which recognizes the top international non-fiction and unscripted production companies working in the industry today. World of Wonder creates out of a historic building/gallery space in the heart of Hollywood.