National Geographic Documentary Films and Picturehouse Announce Release Dates and Debut Trailer for Matthew Heineman’s “Retrograde” [VIDEO]

Today, National Geographic Documentary Films released the official trailer for RETROGRADE and announced the theatrical, broadcast, and streaming release dates – exposing the film to as wide an audience as possible with this robust distribution plan.

The feature documentary is an Our Time Projects production from Oscar®-nominated and Emmy®-winning director Matthew Heineman (“Cartel Land,” “City of Ghosts,” “The First Wave“). The film is produced by Caitlin McNally and Heineman; executive produced by Carolyn Bernstein, Baktash Ahadi, David Fialkow, and Joedan Okun; edited by Pablo Garza, Heineman, and Grace Zahrah; with cinematography by Tim Grucza, Heineman and Olivier Sarbil; and music by H. Scott Salinas.

RETROGRADE captures the final nine months of America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan from multiple perspectives: one of the last U.S. special operations forces units deployed there, a young Afghan general and his corps fighting to defend their homeland against all odds, the civilians desperately attempting to flee as the country collapses, and the Taliban take over. From rarely seen operational control rooms to the frontlines of battle and the chaotic Kabul airport during the final U.S. withdrawal, Heineman’s latest film offers a cinematic and historic window onto the end of America’s longest war and the costs endured for those most intimately involved.

“Like so many of my films, this started as one story and ended up as something very different,” said Heineman. “Ultimately, we hope to provide an deeply intimate and character-driven record of this turning point in American and Afghan history while also offering an emotional reminder of the human costs of war.”

Picturehouse will release the film in theaters in select cities starting November 11, in New York and Washington D.C., and on November 18 in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Colorado Springs.

It will premiere on National Geographic Channel on Thursday, December 8, @ 9PM ET/PT and will then be available to stream on Disney+ on December 9 U.S. only (with a broader international rollout to come), and Hulu on December 11.

“RETROGRADE is an unflinching and masterful document of the complications and consequences of war. We are thrilled to give this important film an unprecedented release plan – in theaters, on National Geographic Channel, and streaming on both Disney+ and Hulu – in order to reach the widest audience possible,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of Scripted and Documentary Films for National Geographic.

RETROGRADE premiered at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival, has been selected for the 2022 DOC NYC Shortlist, and is nominated for Best Political Documentary at the 2022 Critics’ Choice Documentary Awards.

National Geographic Documentary Films previously released the Academy Award®, BAFTA, and seven-time Emmy Award-winning film “Free Solo” and the Academy Award-nominated film “The Cave.” In 2022, they released Sundance award-winners “Fire of Love” and “The Territory,” as well as the short film “The Flagmakers.” Other critically acclaimed films under the banner include BAFTA nominees “The Rescue” and “Becoming Cousteau,” three-time Emmy Award winner “The First Wave,” and Emmy winners “LA 92” and “Jane.”