Magnolia Acquires Roger Ebert Documentary ‘Life Itself’ for U.S. Theatrical Release
Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. distribution rights, VOD and home entertainment rights to “Life Itself,” the documentary based on Roger Ebert‘s autobiography which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Directed by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”), the film was previously acquired by CNN Films for broadcast. Magnolia
said they are considering a summer release, followed by an exclusive broadcast on CNN
later this year, a similar release strategy as the one the two companies collaborated on for the successful release of “Blackfish” last year.
“Roger
Ebert gets the tribute he deserves with ‘Life Itself,'” Magnolia
President Eamonn Bowles said in a statement. “Steve James has done a beautiful job capturing
Roger’s complexity and energy in a loving but wonderfully clear-eyed
portrait.”
James said, “Magnolia is the perfect partner for bringing this film on such a seminal figure in film to the big screen. Roger’s story deserves it.”
“Life Itself” was produced by Zak Piper for
Kartemquin Films and Garrett Basch for Film Rites, with executive
producers Martin Scorsese, Steve Zaillian, Michael W. Ferro Jr.,
Justine Nagan and Gordon Quinn of Kartemquin Films, Kat White of KatLei
Productions, Mark Mitten, and Vinnie Malhotra and Amy Entelis of CNN
Films. The
deal was negotiated for Magnolia by SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley
with Cinetic Media on behalf of Kartemquin, Film Rites, KatLei and CNN
Films.
