46 Year Old Aretha Franklin Documentary Will Finally Be Released
The queen of soul departed this little blue marble in August of this year, and the world is a bit sadder. Aretha Franklin was the epitome of a strong and independent woman in a time when that kind of thing in short supply. To suggest that she might have inspired a few women would be like suggesting that ice may have had something to do with the sinking of the Titanic.
Unfortunately, so much of that inspiring story has been buried under layers of red tape and lawyers for decades. Back in 1972, none other than director Sydney freakin' Pollack filmed one of the most definitive moments of the singer's career - the recording of her Amazing Grace album. The gospel masterpiece would become the biggest record of Franklin's entire career, the highest selling live gospel music album of all time, and would win her the 1973 Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance.
The documentary was filmed over two days at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles where the album was recorded. The raw footage would fall victim to legal battle after legal battle, and ultimately lay untouched until 2007. Because of the way Pollock filmed the historic moment, editing would take 4 years. In 2011, producer Alan Elliot finished the film - but it would once again become mired in a swamp of red tape and litigation.
Now, it seems like this long lost chapter of Franklin's life has finally broken free. NME reports that the family members representing the late sing's estate have given the film, titled Amazing Grace, their blessing and necessary legal releases. At long last, the documentary is set to make it's world premiere at the DOC NYC festival on Nov. 12th - with a wider release being eyed for a January release timed to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr day.