This July, indie distributor Film Movement will release a vibrant, reverential, and nostalgic documentary musical tour of the juke joints, back roads, and church halls of the Mississippi Delta in director Daniel Cross’ “I Am the Blues.”
Viewers are invited to dive deep into America’s last generation of blues devils, on an enthralling journey through the swamps of the Louisiana Bayou, the juke joints of the Mississippi Delta, and moonshine-soaked BBQs in North Mississippi Hill Country, to visit with many unsung living legends of blues, including 83-year old Bobby Rush – whose latest recording, “Porcupine Meat,” won him his first Grammy for Traditional Blues Album in February.
The film highlights a generation of veteran blues musicians rooted from the genre’s heyday, many of whom are now in their 80s, still living in the American deep south and touring the Chitlin’ Circuit, including Barbara Lynn, Little Freddie King, Lazy Lester, Henry Gray, Carol Fran, Bilbo Walker, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, RL Boyce, LC Ulmer and Lil’ Buck Sinegal.
Film Movement will open “I Am the Blues” in New York City’s Quad Cinema on July 12, followed by a limited expansion into select cities, including Dallas, Cleveland, Seattle, New Orleans, Austin, and Louisville.
“I Am the Blues” will also be available day-and-date on July 12th on cable VOD providers Comcast, Charter Spectrum, Time Warner Spectrum, Cox Communications, Verizon and others.
Following its premiere at IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam), “I Am the Blues,” an Official Selection of Hot Docs Int’l Film Festival and SxSW, captured the Best Feature-Length Documentary and Best Cinematography honors at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards.
Directed by Daniel Cross, “I Am the Blues” is written by Cross and Marco Luna and produced by Bob Moore.
Check out the trailer below: