Robert Kessel has joined Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions as executive vice president of scripted content.
Kessel will be responsible for expanding Jigsaw’s film and TV scripted projects. He will also oversee Gibney’s narrative feature debut, “Two Wolves.” The Vietnam thriller tells the story of helicopter pilot Hugh Thompson and General Ray Peers, who exposed a massive war crime and its cover-up in a way that helped to end the war.
Kessel previously served as Participant’s exec VP of narrative film, where he oversaw the development and production of narrative films, including “Wonder” and”Green Book.”
Kessel’s move to Jigsaw reunites him with his former Participant colleague Courtney Sexton, who joined Jigsaw earlier this year as EVP, film and television, and head of west coast operations. Kessel and Sexton are both based in Jigsaw’s Los Angeles office. Gibney is based at Jigsaw’s headquarters in New York City.
“I’ve long admired Jigsaw for its dedication to premium storytelling – stories that entertain, explore important issues, expose truths, and ultimately inspire,” Kessel says. “That’s always been my driving force, and I’m fortunate to have been involved in films that share that vision.”
Earlier this year, Wendy Schmidt, a longtime philanthropist and wife of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, acquired a majority stake in Jigsaw. The production company is currently in production on several projects, including Gibney’s two upcoming projects: HBO docu “Musk,” about Elon Musk, and “Knife,” inspired by Salman Rushdie’s memoir “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.” in April. Gibney most recently produced Raoul Peck’s “Orwell: 2+2=5,” which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The doc will screen at the Toronto International Film Festival and the Camden International Film Festival in September.
“Robert is an extraordinary scripted executive and producer,” Gibney says. “He possesses excellent taste and strong relationships, and crucially, knows how to deliver. He’s fully committed to our stealthy, unconventional operation, working ‘under the radar,’ to create impactful, thought-provoking films in a challenging landscape.”
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Kessel executive-produced Todd Haynes’ “Dark Waters,” Mark Forster’s “White Bird” and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s “Rob Peace. He produced Disney+’s “Out of Mind,” which was a Peabody and Television Academy honor recipient. Kessel’s “The Wave”, directed by Sebastian Lelio, and “Eleanor The Great” directed by Scarlett Johansson, which Kessel executive produced, are slated to be released later this year.
At Participant, Kessel oversaw production on the Oscar-winning “Spotlight, “Deepwater Horizon,” which earned two Academy Award nominations, “Beasts Of No Nation” and “A Most Violent Year.”
Prior to Participant, Kessel produced films and held senior executive posts at Sony Pictures’ based Matt Tolmach Productions, Overture Films, Hart Sharp Entertainment and Miramax Films. Prior to joining Jigsaw and after the closing of Participant, Kessel consulted for Pepsi Content Studio.
From Variety US