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20 Feet from Stardom

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20 Feet from Stardom (stylized in the film's title sequence as Twenty Feet from Stardom) is a 2013 American documentary film directed by documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville[3] and produced by Gil Friesen, a music industry executive whose curiosity to know more about the lives of background singers inspired the making of the film.[4] Using archival footage and new interviews, it details the behind-the-scenes experiences of such backup singers as Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Jo Lawry, Claudia Lennear, and Tata Vega. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 86th Academy Awards, 23 years after In the Shadow of the Stars (1991), a similar documentary that focused on the members of an opera chorus, won the same award.

20 Feet from Stardom
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMorgan Neville
Produced byGil Friesen
Caitrin Rogers
Michael Ross
Steve Jacobs
StarringDarlene Love
Merry Clayton
Lisa Fischer
Judith Hill
Jo Lawry
Claudia Lennear
Tata Vega
CinematographyNicola Marsh
Graham Willoughby
Edited byKevin Klauber
Jason Zeldes
Music byVarious Artists
Production
companies
Tremolo Productions
Gil Friesen Productions
Distributed byRADiUS-TWC
Release dates
  • January 17, 2013 (2013-01-17) (Sundance)
  • June 14, 2013 (2013-06-14) (United States)
Running time
90 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1 million
Box office$5.8 million[2]

Lisa Fischer has said of backup singing: "I reject the notion that the job you excel at is somehow not enough to aspire to, that there has to be something more. I love supporting other artists." She added: "Some people will do anything to be famous. I just wanted to sing."[5]

In 2023, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It is the eighth film designated in its first year of eligibility, as well as the second most recently released film in the Registry.[6]

Cast

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Archival footage

Release

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On January 17, 2013, 20 Feet from Stardom premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. It was acquired by Radius-The Weinstein Company at the festival and was released nationwide in the United States on June 14, 2013.[7] The film was acquired for international distribution by Elle Driver / Wild Bunch.[8] Some of the many other film festivals that screened the film in 2013 include South by Southwest Film Festival, True/False Film Festival, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Philadelphia Music Film Festival, RiverRun Film Festival, San Francisco Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, and Montclair Film Festival.[9][10][11][12]

Reception

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Box office

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The film was a box office success, grossing $4,946,445 at the domestic box office, and $898,560 internationally, for a worldwide total of $5,845,005.[2]

Critical reception

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20 Feet from Stardom received critical acclaim. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 99% approval rating based on 129 reviews, with an average score of 8.0/10; the site's "critics consensus" reads: "Rich, insightful, and occasionally heartbreaking, 20 Feet From Stardom is an energetic tribute to the passion, talent, and hard work of backup singers."[13] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 83 out of 100, based on 25 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[14]

The Ithaca Times compared the film to the 2012 book The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret, which focuses on uncredited studio musicians from the same era as the one that features most prominently in the film.[15]

Accolades

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At the 86th Academy Awards ceremony, held on March 2, 2014, the film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.[16] It also won the award for Best Documentary Film at the 19th Critics' Choice Awards.[17] At the 57th Grammy Awards, the film won the award for Best Music Film.

Accolades for 20 Feet from Stardom
Award / Film Festival Category Recipient(s) Result
86th Academy Awards[18] Best Documentary Feature 20 Feet from Stardom – Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen, Michael Ross and Caitrin Rogers Won
AARP Annual Movies for Grownups Awards[19] Best Documentary 20 Feet from Stardom Won
ACE Awards Best Edited Documentary – Feature Douglas Blush, Kevin Klauber, and Jason Zeldes Won
Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival Music Documentary Audience Award 20 Feet from Stardom Won
2014 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Documentary 20 Feet from Stardom Won
Outstanding Original Song "Desperation" – Judith Hill Won
2013 Chicago Film Critics Association[20] Best Documentary Film 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
19th Critics' Choice Awards[17] Best Documentary Film 20 Feet from Stardom Won
2013 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards[21] Best Documentary Film 20 Feet from Stardom Won
2013 Denver Film Critics Society Awards Best Documentary Film 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing - Documentary Feature Film Al Nelson, Kim Foscato, and Pete Horner Nominated
57th Grammy Awards Best Music Film 20 Feet from Stardom – Morgan Neville (director), Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, and Judith Hill Won
2013 Houston Film Critics Society Awards[22] Best Documentary Feature 20 Feet from Stardom Won
29th Independent Spirit Awards[23] Best Documentary Feature 20 Feet from Stardom – Morgan Neville, Gil Friesen, and Caitrin Rogers Won
Iowa Film Critics Best Documentary 20 Feet from Stardom Won
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Documentary – Theatrical 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
2013 National Board of Review Awards Best Documentary 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
2013 New York Film Critics Circle Awards[24] Best Non-Fiction Film 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
2013 St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards Best Documentary 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
2013 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Documentary Film 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
18th Satellite Awards Best Documentary Film 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated
2013 Seattle International Film Festival Best Documentary 20 Feet from Stardom Won
2013 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards[25] Best Documentary 20 Feet from Stardom Nominated

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "20 FEET FROM STARDOM (12A)". Altitude Film Distribution. British Board of Film Classification. January 28, 2014. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "20 Feet from Stardom". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 31, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  3. ^ Caplan, B. (March 13, 2013). "Twenty Feet From Stardom Director Morgan Neville on His Own 'Cinderella Moment'". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  4. ^ Van Syckle, Katie (January 28, 2013). "Backup Singer Documentary 'Twenty Feet From Stardom' Set for Summer Release". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  5. ^ Barnes, Brooks (June 7, 2013). "The Voice Behind Mick (and Others)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  6. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (December 13, 2023). "National Film Registry: 'Apollo 13', 'Home Alone', 'Terminator 2', '12 Years A Slave' Among 25 Titles Added This Year". Deadline. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  7. ^ Lee, Stephan. "MOVIE PREVIEW Twenty Feet from Stardom (2013)". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  8. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 21, 2013). "Elle Driver Buys Foreign On 'Twenty Feet From Stardom'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 21, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  9. ^ "20 Feet from Stardom". Metacritic. June 14, 2013. Archived from the original on September 7, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  10. ^ Lowe, Justin (January 18, 2013). "Twenty Feet From Stardom". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  11. ^ 20 Feet from Stardom at IMDb
  12. ^ Debruge, Peter (January 18, 2013). "Twenty Feet from Stardom". Variety. Archived from the original on July 20, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  13. ^ "20 Feet From Stardom (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on April 14, 2014. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  14. ^ "20 Feet from Stardom Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 7, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  15. ^ VanCampen, Bryan (January 30, 2014). "Review: 20 Feet From Stardom". Ithaca Times. Archived from the original on September 15, 2020. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  16. ^ "Oscars 2014: live". The Daily Telegraph. March 2, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  17. ^ a b "Gravity tops Critics' Choice Movie Awards with seven wins". The Guardian. March 17, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2014. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  18. ^ "Oscars 2014 Winners: The Complete List". The Hollywood Reporter. March 2, 2014. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  19. ^ "AARP Names '12 Years a Slave' Best Movie for Grownups". AFI. January 6, 2014. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  20. ^ "'12 Years A Slave' Wins Five Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Including Best Picture". IndieWire. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  21. ^ Jones, Arnold Wayne (December 16, 2013). "DFW Film Critics reward 'Buyers Club,' '12 Years,' 'Blue Is the Warmest Color'". Dallas Voice. Dallas, TX. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  22. ^ Tapley, Kristopher (December 15, 2013). "2013 Houston Film Critics Society winners" Archived April 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. HitFix.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  23. ^ "Film Independent Spirit Awards 2014 winners list: Jared Leto, 'Fruitvale Station' and more". Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  24. ^ "'New York Film Critics Circle 2013 Winners". indieWire. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on December 4, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  25. ^ "The 2013 WAFCA Awards". wafca.com. Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association. December 7, 2013. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
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