The 23rd edition of Tribeca reflects a running theme of political activism and the power of art to spark change in the face of global catastrophe.
This year’s festival, which runs from June 5-16 in New York City, has a program of 103 feature films from 114 filmmakers spanning 48 countries. The lineup features 86 world premieres, two international premieres, six North American premieres and eight New York premieres.
Read full VARIETY announcement HERE
Lil Nas X’s feature documentary has been acquired by Universal Pictures Content Group for international distribution.
“Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero” is a fly-on-the-wall feature helmed by Oscar-nominated director Carlos López Estrada (“Billie Eilish: When the Party’s Over”) and filmmaker Zac Manuel. It follows the Grammy-winning artist as he embarks on his first world tour.
It is set to be released internationally on digital platforms May 20.
Full article HERE
Little Richard: I Am Everything was among the nominees for the 2024 Grammy Awards’ Best Music Film, with the nomination marking the first-ever for both the “Architect of Rock and Roll” and production company Rolling Stone Films (yes, this Rolling Stone).
The film, directed by Lisa Cortés and executive produced by Dee Rees, delved into the musical genius and transgressive power of the pioneer, who laid the foundation for rock music with singles like “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally.”
Despite the singer’s legacy and his indisputable place among music’s greatest talents, Little Richard never received a Grammy Award nomination or won in a competitive category over the course of his entire career; unfortunately for Little Richard (born Richard Penniman), his biggest hits and most impactful songs predated the establishment of the Grammy Awards in 1959. (Richard did receive a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 1993.)
“One of the organizing principles of the film is to give the mic to Richard, to let him tell his story,” Cortés previously told Rolling Stone of the film, which premiered at Sundance in January 2023 before arriving on CNN in September. “To give him the agency that oftentimes, through the course of his life, he felt he had been denied. And by giving him the mic, we’re able to have what is hopefully an immersive experience of the cradle-to-grave story.”
Little Richard: I Am Everything will face off against the David Bowie film Moonage Daydream, the Tupac Shakur film Dear Mama, and concert films Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now and Kendrick Lamar: Live From Paris, The Big Steppers Tour in the Best Music Film category.
Cortés added, “So many people when they see this film talk about Prince. From dance to his makeup choices (laughs), outfits, and electric—you know, [Prince] leads with the guitar…as opposed to Richard, who leads with the piano as his main instrument. But it’s the same energy that they’re both unleashing. I think it is fair to say you don’t have Lil Nas X, you don’t have Prince—we might not have Lizzo—if you didn’t have Little Richard.I think it’s intergenerational. That’s what I like about this film. You might have grown up with [Little Richard], or this could be your first introduction. But there’s some great music, and there’s something poignant: it is spiritual, and it always has the spirit of rock and roll.”
Rolling Stone article HERE
Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero will debut on the network on Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. ET; it will also stream on Max. The film had its world premiere at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
The documentary follows the Grammy-winning rapper, born Montero Hill, over 60 days as he performs on his Long Live Montero tour, which supported Montero, his full-length 2021 debut album. In the diary film, Lil Nas X discusses his career and his place in the pop world as a Black and queer performer.
Read full article from The Hollywood Reporter HERE
From Indiewire: “The Critics Choice Association honors the year’s achievements in documentaries released in theaters, on TV, and on major digital platforms, voted on by qualified CCA members (including me). The eighth annual awards ceremony is produced by Bob Bain of Bob Bain Productions and Joey Berlin of Berlin Entertainment. This year the awards have added a category honoring true crime films and series.”
The Thief Collector received two Critics Choice Award nominations! One for Best First Feature (congrats to director, Allison Otto!) and one for Best True Crime Doc!
And Little Richard: I Am Everything received a nomination in the Best Music Documentary category. Congratulations to all of the nominees.
Full list of 2023 nominees from Indiewire HERE
By Matthew Carey
Very Strange But Oddly True: Documentary ‘Welcome Space Brothers’ Explores Unarius Group That Claimed To Channel Extraterrestrials
Jodi Wille debuts her documentary Welcome Space Brothers this Sunday at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles, the genre-oriented film festival. This marks the first time Beyond Fest has ever hosted the world premiere of a nonfiction film.
Read full exclusive article at DEADLINE
Courtesy of Sony music Entertainment
The Toronto Film Festival said Friday that Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, a documentary shot during over the course of 60 days of the Grammy-winning rapper’s first global concert tour, will make its world premiere next month at the fest.
The film, co-directed by Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel, will appear in the Gala program of TIFF, which runs September 7-17.
The film is produced by RadicalMedia in association with Sony Music Entertainment’s Premium Content Division, Columbia Records, and Museum & Crane.
“The Jewish Film Institute has named six independent films as winners of its fourth annual JFI completion grants. The grants, totaling $85,000, are awarded to projects that underline diverse stories about Jewish identity and experience….Elan Golod’s “Nathan-ism” was awarded with the 2023 Albert and Judith Goldberg Award for Jewish Arts and Culture” at the 2023 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.”
The streamer released its first spot Monday for Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me, set to debut May 16. Featuring never-before-seen footage, home videos and interviews, the film will document Smith’s life, from her Houston upbringing to her rise to fame that included the cover of Playboy, modeling for Guess and appearing in such Hollywood projects as the 1994 film Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult and E! series The Anna Nicole Show. Smith died of an accidental drug overdose in February 2007 at age 39.
See coverage in The Hollywood Reporter
New York-based film and TV studio and streaming network FilmRise has acquired North American distribution rights to true-crime documentary feature film “The Thief Collector.”
Read the full announcement in VARIETY
