Sundance Hit Film “Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise” Opening October 14

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Category: Celebrity News, Interviews, Pictures

Published on Friday, 23 September 2016 08:32

American Masters Pictures presents a theatrical release by ARC Entertainment of the Sundance hit documentary MAYA ANGELOU:  AND STILL I RISE first feature documentary about the incomparable Maya Angelou will be released in theaters nationwide.

Directed by Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack opening in theaters across the nation on October 14 including New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. This is the first feature documentary about the incomparable Maya Angelou.  

With never before seen footage, directors BOB HERCULES and RITA COBURN WHACK present her incredible journey, shedding light on the untold aspects of her life with remarkable unmatched access.  This intimate and personal portrait of Dr. Maya Angelou's life is a touching and moving tribute to her legacy.

Distinctly referred to as “a redwood tree, with deep roots in American culture,” icon Maya Angelou gave people the freedom to think about their history in a way they never had before. Dr. Angelou’s was a prolific life; as a singer, dancer, activist, poet, and writer she inspired generations with lyrical modern African-American thought that pushed boundaries.

This unprecedented film celebrates Dr. Maya Angelou by weaving her words with rare and intimate archival photographs and videos, which paint hidden moments of her exuberant life during some of America’s most defining moments. From her upbringing in the Depression-era South to her work with Malcolm X in Ghana to her inaugural speech for President Bill Clinton, the film takes us on an incredible journey through the life of a true American icon.

The film also features a remarkable series of interviews with friends and family including President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Alfre Woodard, Cicely Tyson, Quincy Jones, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, John Singleton and Dr. Angelou’s son, Guy Johnson.

The film premiered to critical acclaim at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.  It won the Audience Award at AFI Docs and was featured at notable fests worldwide including Full Frame, Sheffield, Boulder Film Fest, and Riverrun.  The exclusive U.S. broadcast premiere of MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE will be on theAmerican Masters series this winter on PBS.

The film is a co-production of The People Poet Media Group, LLC, American Masters Pictures and ITVS in association with Artemis Rising.  Funding for MAYA ANGELOU: AND STILL I RISE is provided by the Ford Foundation/Just Films, IDP Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, National Black Program Consortium, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Loida and Leslie Lewis, and Michael Metelits. Funding for American Masters is provided by The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Rosalind P. Walter, Ellen and James S. Marcus, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, the Cheryl and Philip Milstein Family, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Vital Projects Fund, Michael & Helen Schaffer Foundation, The André and Elizabeth Kertész Foundation, the Lenore Hecht Foundation, and public television viewers.