Banijay Rights today announces it has the global distribution rights to theatrical feature documentary The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process and feature concert film My Name’s Ben Folds, I Play Piano, as MIPCOM 2023 gets underway this week.
Both films come from powerhouse South Australian team of Oscar-nominated director Scott Hicks and celebrated producers Kerry Heysen and Jett Heysen-Hicks, with their world premieres set for this month’s prestigious Adelaide Film Festival.
The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process explores the power of the musical brain. Inspired by the 25th anniversary of his movie Shine, director Scott Hicks reveals the creative process of elite international musicians, with unprecedented access to their private worlds, processes, and obsessions. The film Shine is the linking device between four musicians /contributors: David Helfgott (subject of the original movie), celebrated musician Ben Folds, Australian rock star Daniel Johns, and Simon Tedeschi, who was hand double for the young David in the original movie.
My Name’s Ben Folds, I Play Piano is a symphonic concert spectacle featuring Emmy award-nominated composer and rock maestro Ben Folds with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. The film offers unique coverage of the rock pianist including the remarkable creation of a new song from scratch, live onstage, via audience participation when Folds achieves the extraordinary feat of inducing the crowd to sing a choral refrain in three-part harmony.
Both documentary features are Beyond May 30 Entertainment productions in association with Banijay Rights.
Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights, said: “These are two unique and highly entertaining premium documentary features that showcase world class musical talent and the inner workings of their craft. Both are excellent additions to our MIPCOM line-up and we’re in no doubt they will be highly sought after by international buyers in Cannes.”
Scott Hicks added: “I’m delighted to be working with Banijay Rights on the release of my latest music-based documentary features, celebrating superstar musicians in their private worlds and exploring their unique creative processes.”
Both features join Banijay’s outstanding slate of titles at MIPCOM including documentary highlights Four Kings (w/t) and Moulin Rouge: Yes We Can Can, as well as The Other Mrs Jordan, Sharon and Ozzy: Home to Roost, Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy and The Rise and Fall of Boris Johnson. These autumn highlights complement the 172,000 hours of globally renowned, stand-out IP within Banijay’s catalogue.
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