Berlin Film Festival: Aretha Franklin documentary 'Amazing Grace' added to lineup

Film realized by producer Alan Elliott after 46 years in limbo

A still image from "Amazing Grace," with Aretha Franklin at piano. Photo courtesy Neon Films

The long-delayed documentary Amazing Grace, which emerged in late 2018 after 46 years in limbo, has been added to the lineup of the 69th Berlin Film Festival. 

The film originally shot in 1972 by Sydney Pollack, and finally put together by producer Alan Elliott decades later, will play out of competition at the Berlinale, the festival announced on Thursday. The documentary, built around Aretha Franklin's live recording of her "Amazing Grace" gospel album, has received a rapturous reception beginning with its surprise debut at DOC NYC in November of last year. 

Spike Lee is among the most ardent supporters of the film. In a conversation with  Nonfictionfilm.com in December, he described Amazing Grace as "one of the greatest concerts ever put to film."

Producer Alan Elliott, who put together the documentary "Amazing Grace" from footage originally shot by director Sydney Pollack. Los Angeles, December 7, 2018. Photo by Matt Carey

---

Read: 
>Spike Lee: seeing Amazing Grace a "religious experience"
>Aretha Franklin documentary ousted from festivals in legal dispute (2015)

---

Few who have seen the film might argue with Lee's assessment. Franklin was at the height of her vocals powers when she recorded her album at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Along with the title track, Aretha sings "Wholy Holy", "Never Grow Old" and other songs and hymns with unparalleled fervor and mastery.

The footage Pollack shot in 1972 was not properly synched to audio, creating an editing nightmare that ultimately he could not resolve. Before his death in 2008 he asked Elliott to complete the film (Elliott formally acquired rights to the material in a quit claim deed from Warner Bros., the studio behind the original project). Elliott arranged for the synching of the footage and assembled the edit, but the film's release was held up after Franklin sued to keep the public from seeing it. Her death last year paved the way for the documentary to come out at last, with the blessing of the Aretha Franklin estate.

Neon Films acquired theatrical rights to Amazing Grace after its debut at DOC NYC. Elliott tells Nonfictionfilm.com the documentary will hit theaters in the U.S. in March 2019. 

Courtesy Neon Films