It’s deja vu all over again.
The Telluride Film Festival programmed Sydney Pollack’s 1972 Aretha Franklin performance documentary, “Amazing Grace,” only to pull it from the fest’s official lineup. This time, mere hours before the annual Telluride Film Festival kicked off in Colorado, the fest removed it from the Labor Day weekend program.
Last year, the passion project — completed by producer Alan Elliott after Pollack’s death in 2008 — made it all the way to the official lineup and was yanked at the last minute at the behest of Aretha Franklin, kicking off a still-simmering legal battle in the process. This time around, Pollack’s film was never officially announced as part of the lineup.
Early looks at the festival’s program did include the film, listed as part of the Repertory program, but an early morning email from Telluride brass revealed that it was no longer a part...
The Telluride Film Festival programmed Sydney Pollack’s 1972 Aretha Franklin performance documentary, “Amazing Grace,” only to pull it from the fest’s official lineup. This time, mere hours before the annual Telluride Film Festival kicked off in Colorado, the fest removed it from the Labor Day weekend program.
Last year, the passion project — completed by producer Alan Elliott after Pollack’s death in 2008 — made it all the way to the official lineup and was yanked at the last minute at the behest of Aretha Franklin, kicking off a still-simmering legal battle in the process. This time around, Pollack’s film was never officially announced as part of the lineup.
Early looks at the festival’s program did include the film, listed as part of the Repertory program, but an early morning email from Telluride brass revealed that it was no longer a part...
- 9/1/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
"Absent further order of the Court or specific written authorization from Ms. Aretha Franklin, Defendant Alan Elliott, his agents, employees and all working in concert with the Defendant, shall not publicly show, screen, project, display or otherwise release the film 'Amazing Grace,' or the 1972 concert footage... Unfortunately, given the complexity of the negotiations and the multiple parties involved (including persons or entities not involved in this litigation), there is, at present, no assurance that a final resolution will be reached in the near term," the joint motion states. "The Parties are optimistic that the stars will eventually align, but cannot in good...
- 3/7/2016
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
The Queen of Soul and Alan Elliott's latest battle over Amazing Grace has been going on for more than six months and two film festivals, but they think they might have a deal – if they can get more time. "Since the entry of the First Order in September 2015, the Parties have been engaged in extensive and extended negotiations seeking a resolution to this dispute," said a motion filed by lawyers for Aretha Franklin and the producer today. "These negotiations have taken…...
- 3/7/2016
- Deadline
The producer of the Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace has agreed to a 30-day ban on showing the film.
The move follows legal disputes over the picture, which resulted in an emergency 14-day injunction being granted to prevent it being shown at the Telluride Film Festival.
The film was due to be screened at the event on September 4, but was pulled at the last minute due to the judge's order.
The producer Alan Elliott and Franklin agreed this week to a 30-day ban for the film, which concerns Franklin's 1972 concert focusing on her album Amazing Grace.
This ban is intended to help begin negotiations over the dispute and avoid any court fights.
The dispute is over footage of a concert in 1972 at the New Missionary Baptist Church shot by the late Sydney Pollack, which Franklin claims the producer failed to get her permission to use.
The deal originally made with...
The move follows legal disputes over the picture, which resulted in an emergency 14-day injunction being granted to prevent it being shown at the Telluride Film Festival.
The film was due to be screened at the event on September 4, but was pulled at the last minute due to the judge's order.
The producer Alan Elliott and Franklin agreed this week to a 30-day ban for the film, which concerns Franklin's 1972 concert focusing on her album Amazing Grace.
This ban is intended to help begin negotiations over the dispute and avoid any court fights.
The dispute is over footage of a concert in 1972 at the New Missionary Baptist Church shot by the late Sydney Pollack, which Franklin claims the producer failed to get her permission to use.
The deal originally made with...
- 9/17/2015
- Digital Spy
“Amazing Grace,” the documentary that Aretha Franklin successfully blocked from screening at this year’s Telluride and Toronto film festivals, will not be shown to the public of film executives in the next 30 days. The producer of the film, Alan Elliott, has agreed to a 30-day injunction that will prevent the documentary, which features footage from Franklin’s 1972 gospel concert, from being shown commercially. “Amazing Grace” was scheduled to screen at both the Telluride and Toronto film fests until a lawsuit filed by Franklin to block its premiere. Also Read: Toronto Film Festival Cancels Screening of Aretha Franklin Documentary 'Amazing Grace' A federal.
- 9/16/2015
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Update, 4:13 Pm: You can't accuse Aretha Franklin on moving slow in the courts. Just hours after she dismissed her copyright-infringement lawsuit against the Telluride Film Festival over Amazing Grace, the Queen of Soul today reached a temporary détente with the documentary's producer Alan Elliott – emphasis on the word temporary. This comes days after Franklin filed an amended complaint against Elliott over the film’s buyer screenings at the Toronto Film…...
- 9/15/2015
- Deadline
Aretha Franklin has filed an amended complaint against producer Alan Elliott "to stop the unauthorized release and showing for commercial purposes" of Amazing Grace, a documentary which features footage from the singer's 1972 gospel concert at New Missionary Baptist Church. The new complaint alleges Elliott held a screening for buyers in Toronto, though the film was removed from the official festival lineup. It states that the alleged screening "violates Ms. Franklin’s contractual and statutory rights, her rights to use and control her name and likeness, and represents an invasion of her privacy." { "nid": 820975, "type": "blog", "title": "Aretha Franklin
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- 9/14/2015
- by THR Staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Update: The Toronto Film Festival will not be able to screen Sydney Pollack's controversial new Aretha Franklin doc Amazing Grace, according to Variety. The singer had previously banned the film at last week's Telluride Film Festival, arguing that she did not give Pollack consent to use selected footage.
Aretha Franklin was granted a last-minute injunction to prevent the Sydney Pollack-directed documentary Amazing Grace from premiering at the Telluride Film Festival. The film – which features Franklin's 1972 performance at Los Angeles' New Temple Missionary Baptist Church but was never released...
Aretha Franklin was granted a last-minute injunction to prevent the Sydney Pollack-directed documentary Amazing Grace from premiering at the Telluride Film Festival. The film – which features Franklin's 1972 performance at Los Angeles' New Temple Missionary Baptist Church but was never released...
- 9/5/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Aretha Franklin has won an emergency injunction to stop the screening of new documentary Amazing Grace about her album of the same name.
The singer successfully argued that the film's producer had failed to get her permission to use footage of her filmed in 1972, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.
Amazing Grace makes use of footage shot by Sydney Pollack of Franklin's 1972 performance at the New Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, but the deal the singer originally made with producers was that they would require her consent to distribute the footage.
As the documentary producer Alan Elliott failed to get permission from Franklin, she was able to argue that Amazing Grace improperly used her likeness and her name.
"In 2008, a producer named Alan Elliott obtained rights to the footage of the concert from Warner Bros. Studios via a quitclaim deed," the ruling states. "The quitclaim deed makes specific reference to the need to get Ms.
The singer successfully argued that the film's producer had failed to get her permission to use footage of her filmed in 1972, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.
Amazing Grace makes use of footage shot by Sydney Pollack of Franklin's 1972 performance at the New Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, but the deal the singer originally made with producers was that they would require her consent to distribute the footage.
As the documentary producer Alan Elliott failed to get permission from Franklin, she was able to argue that Amazing Grace improperly used her likeness and her name.
"In 2008, a producer named Alan Elliott obtained rights to the footage of the concert from Warner Bros. Studios via a quitclaim deed," the ruling states. "The quitclaim deed makes specific reference to the need to get Ms.
- 9/5/2015
- Digital Spy
In 1972, a year after their massive hit "Woodstock," Warner Bros set out to produce an Aretha Franklin performance documentary. Producer Alan Elliott completed the film that was shot by Sydney Pollack live over two nights at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles back when Franklin was recording her classic gospel album "Amazing Grace," her biggest career album. Pollack filmed with four 16 mm cameras, but due to difficulties syncing the footage, the movie was shelved. Pollack wrote a letter in 1998 to Aretha Franklin about wanting to finish the documentary, which after he died in 2008, Elliot made his passion project. Finally technology caught up 45 years later. I saw a screening of the work in progress a few years ago at Wme in Beverly Hills, which is selling theatrical rights. It's an amazing, soaring documentary showing Aretha Franklin in all her youthful gospel glory, her voice soaring with the songs of the Lord.
- 9/4/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Updated: A Colorado judge has granted the soul legend an injunction to stop Friday’s screening of Amazing Grace.
Telluride top brass have scheduled a sreening of Jennifer Peedom’s Everest documentary Sherpa in its place on Friday night.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert footage shot by the late Sydney Pollack, claiming to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
Judge John Kane on Friday afternoon granted the court order blocking the screening.
At time of writing the film was still set to play in Toronto on September 10. “We’re proceeding with plans to screen Amazing Grace at Tiff,” said Tiff Docs programmer Thom Powers. “We haven’t heard of any legal procedures regarding the film in Toronto.”
However the Chicago International Film Festival has decided not to screen the documentary during October 15-29 “..out of respect...
Telluride top brass have scheduled a sreening of Jennifer Peedom’s Everest documentary Sherpa in its place on Friday night.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert footage shot by the late Sydney Pollack, claiming to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
Judge John Kane on Friday afternoon granted the court order blocking the screening.
At time of writing the film was still set to play in Toronto on September 10. “We’re proceeding with plans to screen Amazing Grace at Tiff,” said Tiff Docs programmer Thom Powers. “We haven’t heard of any legal procedures regarding the film in Toronto.”
However the Chicago International Film Festival has decided not to screen the documentary during October 15-29 “..out of respect...
- 9/4/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Updated: A Colorado judge has granted the soul legend an injunction to stop Friday’s screening of Amazing Grace.
Telluride top brass have scheduled a sreening of Jennifer Peedom’s Everest documentary Sherpa in its place on Friday night.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert footage shot by the late Sydney Pollack, claiming to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
Judge John Kane on Friday afternoon granted the court order blocking the screening.
At time of writing the film was still set to play in Toronto on September 10. “We’re proceeding with plans to screen Amazing Grace at Tiff,” said Tiff Docs programmer Thom Powers. “We haven’t heard of any legal procedures regarding the film in Toronto.”
Pollack filmed Franklin as she performed live at the Missionary Baptist Church in the South Central Los Angeles district...
Telluride top brass have scheduled a sreening of Jennifer Peedom’s Everest documentary Sherpa in its place on Friday night.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert footage shot by the late Sydney Pollack, claiming to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
Judge John Kane on Friday afternoon granted the court order blocking the screening.
At time of writing the film was still set to play in Toronto on September 10. “We’re proceeding with plans to screen Amazing Grace at Tiff,” said Tiff Docs programmer Thom Powers. “We haven’t heard of any legal procedures regarding the film in Toronto.”
Pollack filmed Franklin as she performed live at the Missionary Baptist Church in the South Central Los Angeles district...
- 9/4/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Updated: A Colorado judge has granted the soul legend an injunction to stop Friday’s screening of Amazing Grace.
Telluride top brass have scheduled a sreening of Jennifer Peedom’s Everest documentary Sherpa in its place on Friday night.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert footage shot by the late Sydney Pollack, claiming to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
Judge John Kane on Friday afternoon granted the court order blocking the screening.
At time of writing the film was still set to play in Toronto on September 10. “We’re proceeding with plans to screen Amazing Grace at Tiff,” said Tiff Docs programmer Thom Powers. “We haven’t heard of any legal procedures regarding the film in Toronto.”
However the Chicago International Film Festival has decided not to screen the documentary during October 15-29 “..out of respect...
Telluride top brass have scheduled a sreening of Jennifer Peedom’s Everest documentary Sherpa in its place on Friday night.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert footage shot by the late Sydney Pollack, claiming to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
Judge John Kane on Friday afternoon granted the court order blocking the screening.
At time of writing the film was still set to play in Toronto on September 10. “We’re proceeding with plans to screen Amazing Grace at Tiff,” said Tiff Docs programmer Thom Powers. “We haven’t heard of any legal procedures regarding the film in Toronto.”
However the Chicago International Film Festival has decided not to screen the documentary during October 15-29 “..out of respect...
- 9/4/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Telluride top brass are moving ahead with Friday’s world premiere screening of Amazing Grace despite an eleventh-hour bid by the singer to block it.
Toronto organisers told Screendaily they plan to screen the film on September 10.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert film because she claims to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
The late Sydney Pollack filmed Franklin as she performed live at the Missionary Baptist Church in the South Central Los Angeles district of Watts but forgot to synchronise the sound track and the film was shelved.
A separate music recording known as Amazing Grace remains the legendary soul singer’s biggest seller.
Franklin sued producer Alan Elliott in 2011 over the use of footage and the parties eventually settled the matter. After Pollack shot the footage it remained in the Warner Bros vaults until recently...
Toronto organisers told Screendaily they plan to screen the film on September 10.
Franklin filed papers with the Us District Court for the District of Colorado requesting an injunction against the screening of the 1972 concert film because she claims to have never granted permission for public release of the footage.
The late Sydney Pollack filmed Franklin as she performed live at the Missionary Baptist Church in the South Central Los Angeles district of Watts but forgot to synchronise the sound track and the film was shelved.
A separate music recording known as Amazing Grace remains the legendary soul singer’s biggest seller.
Franklin sued producer Alan Elliott in 2011 over the use of footage and the parties eventually settled the matter. After Pollack shot the footage it remained in the Warner Bros vaults until recently...
- 9/4/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
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