As many beneficiaries of the program well know, Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program supports an inclusive variety of projects: shorts, features, both narrative and nonfiction. Plus the occasional new media project, special event or advocacy initiative. In each month’s Fiscal Spotlight column, we announce three new projects entering the program worth of your support. But maybe you’re curious how some of those prior subjects have turned out. Well, today’s your lucky day! Because it’s time for another FiSpo Update highlighting the recent achievements of previous Fiscal Spotlight subjects.
Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program opens the door to nonprofit funding for independent filmmakers and media artists. The projects and makers participating in the program express a uniqueness of vision, celebrate diversity and advance the craft of filmmaking through the creation of these special works. To see the full range of projects that are part of our program,...
Film Independent’s Fiscal Sponsorship program opens the door to nonprofit funding for independent filmmakers and media artists. The projects and makers participating in the program express a uniqueness of vision, celebrate diversity and advance the craft of filmmaking through the creation of these special works. To see the full range of projects that are part of our program,...
- 10/18/2023
- by Film Independent
- Film Independent News & More
Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace, which tells the story of the singer’s 1972 gospel album, is subject of more legal issues.
The film, which was mired in limbo for 46 years as a result of various legal battles, is now the subject of a suit from producers including Alan Elliott, against distributor Neon and CEO Tom Quinn.
The crux of the issue also involves the Hollywood trade press, including Deadline, which covered the news that Neon had acquired the U.S rights to the film in December 2018. There was one small problem, the producers allege, it hadn’t signed a deal, and in fact, the producers were in talks with other buyers, including Apple, when Neon announced the deal.
The suit (read it here) alleges that Neon “fraudulently induced” the producers to accept a distribution deal by publicly announcing the pact.
“In a plan commandeered by Quinn, Neon acquired the coveted...
The film, which was mired in limbo for 46 years as a result of various legal battles, is now the subject of a suit from producers including Alan Elliott, against distributor Neon and CEO Tom Quinn.
The crux of the issue also involves the Hollywood trade press, including Deadline, which covered the news that Neon had acquired the U.S rights to the film in December 2018. There was one small problem, the producers allege, it hadn’t signed a deal, and in fact, the producers were in talks with other buyers, including Apple, when Neon announced the deal.
The suit (read it here) alleges that Neon “fraudulently induced” the producers to accept a distribution deal by publicly announcing the pact.
“In a plan commandeered by Quinn, Neon acquired the coveted...
- 8/11/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
A group of executives and educators gathered at the American Film Market on Wednesday for a panel centered on the challenges of securing international distribution for Black-themed content.
The premise of the conversation, titled “International Film Market: Consumption of Black Culture, Rejection of Black Stories,” was that while aspects of Black culture like dance, music and fashion have been warmly embraced around the globe, Black stories brought to life through film and TV projects have not been similarly received, or allowed to flourish to a similar extent.
Kyle Bowser, who serves as SVP of the NAACP’s Hollywood Bureau, led the conversation digging into this phenomenon — and offering up some ideas on how to address it — noting the vital role foreign investment raised up front can play in ensuring a project gets greenlighted.
Panelist Johnny Jones, who serves as Warner Bros Pictures’ Executive Director of Worldwide Marketing Content, noted that...
The premise of the conversation, titled “International Film Market: Consumption of Black Culture, Rejection of Black Stories,” was that while aspects of Black culture like dance, music and fashion have been warmly embraced around the globe, Black stories brought to life through film and TV projects have not been similarly received, or allowed to flourish to a similar extent.
Kyle Bowser, who serves as SVP of the NAACP’s Hollywood Bureau, led the conversation digging into this phenomenon — and offering up some ideas on how to address it — noting the vital role foreign investment raised up front can play in ensuring a project gets greenlighted.
Panelist Johnny Jones, who serves as Warner Bros Pictures’ Executive Director of Worldwide Marketing Content, noted that...
- 11/3/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Stanley Nelson has been set to direct a feature-length documentary on the life of Charlie Sifford, the first Black golfer to play on the PGA Tour.
Sifford, who has been called the Jackie Robinson of golf, was instrumental in getting the biggest professional golf tournament in the U.S. to terminate the “Caucasian-only” membership clause, an achievement that allowed him to play at the age of 39.
He became a full member of the PGA Tour and notched several victories, including the Greater Hartford Open in 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in 1969. Through those achievements, he won more than $1.2 million and became one of the PGA’s top 60 money-winners of that decade.
Among Sifford’s many accolades, he was a six-time Uga National Negro Open champion, and he received an honorary doctorate from University of St. Andrews. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. Sifford...
Sifford, who has been called the Jackie Robinson of golf, was instrumental in getting the biggest professional golf tournament in the U.S. to terminate the “Caucasian-only” membership clause, an achievement that allowed him to play at the age of 39.
He became a full member of the PGA Tour and notched several victories, including the Greater Hartford Open in 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in 1969. Through those achievements, he won more than $1.2 million and became one of the PGA’s top 60 money-winners of that decade.
Among Sifford’s many accolades, he was a six-time Uga National Negro Open champion, and he received an honorary doctorate from University of St. Andrews. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. Sifford...
- 9/13/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace,” the moon-mission chronicle “Apollo 11” and the first film from Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company, “American Factory,” have made the short list for the International Documentary Association’s 2019 Ida Documentary Awards, the Ida announced on Thursday.
The announcement narrows the field to 30 feature films and 21 shorts that will move on to a second round of voting.
The IDA’s short list of 30 feature films contains 10 films that were on Doc NYC’s recent 15-film list of the year’s likeliest nonfiction awards contenders: “American Factory,” “The Apollo,” “Apollo 11,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “The Cave,” “Diego Maradona,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “For Sama,” “Honeyland” and “One Child Nation.”
Additional films on the Ida’s list include “Amazing Grace,...
The announcement narrows the field to 30 feature films and 21 shorts that will move on to a second round of voting.
The IDA’s short list of 30 feature films contains 10 films that were on Doc NYC’s recent 15-film list of the year’s likeliest nonfiction awards contenders: “American Factory,” “The Apollo,” “Apollo 11,” “The Biggest Little Farm,” “The Cave,” “Diego Maradona,” “The Edge of Democracy,” “For Sama,” “Honeyland” and “One Child Nation.”
Additional films on the Ida’s list include “Amazing Grace,...
- 10/10/2019
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Joyous Aretha Franklin music doc Amazing Grace has sold around the world for Endeavor Content.
The stirring Doc NYC and Berlin Film Festival title charts the Queen of Soul’s brilliant 1972 performance at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles. Neon released the film in U.S.
Deals have closed with Metropolitan in France, Weltkino in Germany, You Planet and Caramel Films for Spain, NonStop Entertainment in Scandinavia, Iceland and Baltic States, Paradiso in Benelux, Alambique in Portugal, Seven Films in Greece, and Salim Ramia in the Middle East.
The film has also landed with Edko in Hong Kong, Shaw in Singapore, Jinjin in South Korea, Movie Cloud in Taiwan, Spi International in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Czech, and Captive for airlines.
Neon released stateside on April 5 and StudioCanal released in the UK on May 10 and will launch Australia/Nz later this year.
The stirring Doc NYC and Berlin Film Festival title charts the Queen of Soul’s brilliant 1972 performance at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles. Neon released the film in U.S.
Deals have closed with Metropolitan in France, Weltkino in Germany, You Planet and Caramel Films for Spain, NonStop Entertainment in Scandinavia, Iceland and Baltic States, Paradiso in Benelux, Alambique in Portugal, Seven Films in Greece, and Salim Ramia in the Middle East.
The film has also landed with Edko in Hong Kong, Shaw in Singapore, Jinjin in South Korea, Movie Cloud in Taiwan, Spi International in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Turkey and Czech, and Captive for airlines.
Neon released stateside on April 5 and StudioCanal released in the UK on May 10 and will launch Australia/Nz later this year.
- 5/17/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
A new trailer for Amazing Grace, the long lost Aretha Franklin concert documentary set for an April 5 release by Neon, showcases the late singer delivering a stunning performance of the title song.
Filmed by Sydney Pollack in 1972 at the then-29-year-old Franklin’s concert in the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, the film was mired in legal technicalities for decades before getting screenings last year at Doc NYC and AFI Fest for Oscar-qualifying runs. Neon has now set the April 5 theatrical release in select theaters prior to expansion.
Neon acquired the North American rights in December. The film was produced by Alan Elliott, Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
In a December, Spike Lee hosted a private screening of the film in Los Angeles, calling Amazing Grace “One of the greatest concerts ever put to film. As we know,...
Filmed by Sydney Pollack in 1972 at the then-29-year-old Franklin’s concert in the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, the film was mired in legal technicalities for decades before getting screenings last year at Doc NYC and AFI Fest for Oscar-qualifying runs. Neon has now set the April 5 theatrical release in select theaters prior to expansion.
Neon acquired the North American rights in December. The film was produced by Alan Elliott, Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
In a December, Spike Lee hosted a private screening of the film in Los Angeles, calling Amazing Grace “One of the greatest concerts ever put to film. As we know,...
- 3/6/2019
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Neon previously acquired Us rights to long-gestating concert film.
Studiocanal has acquired Aretha Franklin concert documentary Amazing Grace for the UK, Australia and New Zealand ahead of its European premiere out of competition at the Berlinale on Friday (15).
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also licensed Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King. Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which took nearly five decades to make.
Amazing Grace depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland and The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
Warner Bros Records...
Studiocanal has acquired Aretha Franklin concert documentary Amazing Grace for the UK, Australia and New Zealand ahead of its European premiere out of competition at the Berlinale on Friday (15).
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also licensed Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King. Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which took nearly five decades to make.
Amazing Grace depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland and The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
Warner Bros Records...
- 2/12/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Studiocanal takes UK, Australia and New Zealand; Endeavor also inks Japan and Israel.
Ahead of the film’s European premiere at the Berlinale, Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace has been picked up by Studiocanal for the UK and Australia / New Zealand.
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also sold Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King.
Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which has taken 47 years to be completed.
It depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland & The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
Ahead of the film’s European premiere at the Berlinale, Aretha Franklin documentary Amazing Grace has been picked up by Studiocanal for the UK and Australia / New Zealand.
Worldwide sales representative Endeavor Content has also sold Japan to Gaga and Israel to United King.
Neon previously picked up North American rights to the concert film, which has taken 47 years to be completed.
It depicts the 1972 concert when Franklin performed with James Cleveland & The Southern California Community Choir at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
- 2/12/2019
- by Tom Grater
- ScreenDaily
Late singer’s estate rep and niece says, ’This film is authentic and is my aunt to her core.’
After decades of delays and an eleventh-hour intervention by the late singer herself, Us viewers will finally get the chance to see the Aretha Franklin concert doc Amazing Grace in theatres. Neon announced on Friday (7) it had picked up North American rights and has set an Oscar-qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles
Amazing Grace premiered at Doc NYC and went on to play AFI Fest. Neon, who launched awards contender and box office hit Three Identical Strangers earlier in...
After decades of delays and an eleventh-hour intervention by the late singer herself, Us viewers will finally get the chance to see the Aretha Franklin concert doc Amazing Grace in theatres. Neon announced on Friday (7) it had picked up North American rights and has set an Oscar-qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles
Amazing Grace premiered at Doc NYC and went on to play AFI Fest. Neon, who launched awards contender and box office hit Three Identical Strangers earlier in...
- 12/7/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Neon has acquired the North American rights to the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace,” a month after the movie premiered at Doc NYC.
Neon said it’s planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, was originally planned by Warner Bros. Pictures as a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,...
Neon said it’s planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, was originally planned by Warner Bros. Pictures as a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,...
- 12/7/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Neon has acquired North American rights to Amazing Grace, the Aretha Franklin concert film that has taken 45 years to get to a big screen. The 1972 concert documentary, shot by Sydney Pollack, chronicles Franklin’s famed performance with the choir at the New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts when she was 29, which became the genesis of the biggest-selling gospel album of all time. It has been mired in legal technicalities ever since.
The pic finally had its world premiere at Doc NYC and then screened at AFI Fest as part of an Oscar-qualifying run that began last month in L.A. It continues that run beginning today in New York at the Film Forum. Neon is now planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
Alan Elliott produced alongside Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
“Amazing Grace is the heart and soul of Aretha Franklin,...
The pic finally had its world premiere at Doc NYC and then screened at AFI Fest as part of an Oscar-qualifying run that began last month in L.A. It continues that run beginning today in New York at the Film Forum. Neon is now planning an early 2019 theatrical release.
Alan Elliott produced alongside Joe Boyd, Chiemi Karasawa, Rob Johnson, Sabrina Owens, Tirrell D. Whittley, Jerry Wexler and Joseph Woolf.
“Amazing Grace is the heart and soul of Aretha Franklin,...
- 12/7/2018
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
A bit of a miracle has crashed this awards season, one that has been 46 years in the making, after managing to qualify for an Oscar run with just minutes to spare in October. “Amazing Grace” is an infamous documentary that is a companion to Aretha Franklin’s same-titled, biggest-selling album – a Grammy winner with more than 2 million copies sold — that was recorded at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles over two days in January 1972. The film, directed by Sydney Pollack, was kept in a vault by Warner Bros. when sound syncing problems prevented its release. But even when those flaws were erased thanks to digital technology,the Queen of Soul herself refused to allow the doc to see the light of day.
That is, until now. Producer Alan Elliott, who bought the rights to the footage that captures the then-29-year-old performer wailing the gospel music of...
That is, until now. Producer Alan Elliott, who bought the rights to the footage that captures the then-29-year-old performer wailing the gospel music of...
- 12/7/2018
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
AFI Fest has added a screening of the Aretha Franklin documentary “Amazing Grace” on Nov. 15 at the Tcl Chinese 6 Theatres.
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, premiered Monday at the Doc NYC festival. Warner Bros. Pictures captured the footage for a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,...
The film, shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, premiered Monday at the Doc NYC festival. Warner Bros. Pictures captured the footage for a companion documentary to the double live album “Amazing Grace,” which became Franklin’s best-selling album, but technical issues prevented the release of the pic.
Producer Alan Elliott acquired the movie rights in 2007 and worked with a team of producers, including Joe Boyd, Robert Johnson, Chiemi Karasawa, Sabrina Owens, Jerry Wexler, Tirrell D. Whittley, and Joseph Woolf. Franklin, who died in August, went to court repeatedly to stop its release. “Amazing Grace” is being launched with the support of Franklin’s estate.
The movie includes an 11-minute version of “Amazing Grace,” “Mary Don’t You Weep,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,...
- 11/14/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
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