The Danny Wu documentary American: An Odyssey to 1947 will be screened at the It’s All True International Documentary Film Festival in Brazil in April.
Festival organizers announced today it will be screened three times between April 13-23.
Launched by film critic Amir Labaki in 1996, It’s All True is dedicated exclusively to nonfiction productions. It takes its name from Orson Welles’ ill-fated Brazilian 1942 documentary of the same name. It is an Academy Award qualifying festival for documentary films.
American: An Odyssey to 1947 looks at Welles’ progressive views and the changing political landscape of the 1930s and ’40s. American includes Welles’ crusade to bring to justice the white police officer who blinded Black serviceman Isaac Woodard. The documentary makes makes use of archival footage with commentary by prominent Welles scholars and authors including Catherine Benamou, James Naremore, Simon Callow, Harlan Lebo, Richard France, Todd Tarbox and the late Robert Carringer. Prior the Brazil announcement today, the movie was screened at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in Greece, which is also an Oscar qualifying festival.
“To be selected to our second Oscar qualifying festival is an incredible honor, especially to be in Brazil with the implications of the It’s All True Festival in context with our film,” Wu told Wellesnet. “Looking back, it’s surreal to see the unprecedented path our film has taken. In the beginning of our run, it really was just about having fun and being part of any festival experience. Since then, we’ve been selected to some of the most exclusive festivals, and even made one of the best year-end lists.”
“With this momentum, our mindset is to play out our festival run before settling with a distributor,” Wu said. “We will leave no stones unturned in trying to see how far we can take the film. In regards to a timeline, I would say expect a release by the end of the year, if not early next.”
Wu (My Life in China During a Pandemic, Square One: Michael Jackson) has said he views Welles as someone “very politically educated (who) was very ahead of his time, and for the most part very consistent… He stuck to his beliefs, even if it meant damaging his reputation, or losing ticket sales.”
The festival runs April 13-23 in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. American: An Odyssey to 1947 will be screened on April 13 and 21 in Sao Paulo and on April 16 in Rio de Janiero.
For more information on the festival, visit http://etudoverdade.com.br/br/home/
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