Higher Ground

Higher Ground Productions is a Los Angeles-based multimedia production company founded in 2018 by former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, with a mission to elevate diverse voices and tell inspirational stories. The company produces scripted and unscripted film, television, documentary, animated, audio, and live theater content, having generated over 24 projects including the Academy Award-winning documentary American Factory, the thriller Leave the World Behind, the sports docuseries Starting 5, and the Broadway revival of Proof. After an initial exclusive Netflix deal restructured into a first-look arrangement in 2024, the Obamas announced in April 2026 that Higher Ground will transition to full independence — with projects in development at HBO, Apple, Amazon, FX, Disney, 20th Century Studios, Laika, and others — while also operating an audio division under a multi-year deal with Audible.