We are thrilled to share that Abacus has been nominated for the Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary Emmy®. Abacus tells the incredible saga of the Chinese immigrant Sung family, owners of Abacus Federal Savings of Chinatown, New York. Accused of mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., Abacus becomes the only U.S. bank to face criminal charges in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The indictment and subsequent trial forces the Sung family to defend themselves – and their bank’s legacy in the Chinatown community – over the course of a five-year legal battle.
Nominated for a 2018 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, the film has earned a Peabody Award nomination, three Critics' Choice Documentary Awards nominations –– winning Best Documentary – as well as a nomination for Steve James by the Directors Guild of America for Outstanding Directing. The film also earned the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Sarasota Film Festival and Best Editing: Feature Length Documentary at the Ashland Independent Film Festival.