Making its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, and titled "Made in America," the film was shot, in part, during Jay-Z’s "Made In America" music festival in Philadelphia, in September 2012, which included (in the lineup) Drake, Santigold, Pearl Jam, Run-DMC, Skrillex, Rick Ross, Miike Snow, Odd Future, Janelle Monáe, and a few others.
The documentary was later acquired by Phase 4 Films by from the super tag-team (director/producer) Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, for a summer 2014 theatrical release.
Grazer, who produced via his Imagine Entertainment (along with Participant Media and Radical Media) previously shared that the film is told through Jay-Z’s perspective – as in, how he put the "Made In America" event together, and more.
How much more? Here’s TIFF’s breakdown:
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard joins us onstage for a live conversation, preceded by the world premiere of his star-studded concert documentary (screening at the Festival alongside Howard’s Rush), which recounts Jay Z’s rise to rap supremacy, as well as his preparations for the titular music festival he both curated and headlined […] Drawn from an enormous trove of performance footage and backstage interviews, Made in America captures the inaugural edition of an exciting new festival created by rapper and impresario Jay Z, which rocked Philadelphia over Labor Day weekend last year. In keeping with his excellent and eclectic taste, Jay Z’s extraordinary hand-picked lineup speaks to his broad and inclusive view of American culture […] As seen through Howard’s affectionate gaze, Made in America is a love letter not only to Jay Z and his unique project, but also to the city of Philadelphia. Fascinating interludes include one-on-ones with audience members about what the show means to the Philly community — the responses are both positive and negative. Howard explores the birthplace of American Independence and how it relates to this unprecedented event. He even takes some time to follow a local hip-hop group through its attempt to get added to the prestigious bill.
Last year, Grazer added, "Jay stayed the king for a very long time… I can’t even begin to explain how he is capable of remaining relevant. He is a phenom, like a musical Michael Jordan."
Phase 4 Films has set a July 11, 2014 theatrical release date for the film, and a July 22 VOD debut.
To entice you, here’s a new clip from the film, which shows Jay as he arrives in Philly to meet fans and the press, and then rehearses in preparation for his performance (the theatrical release trailer follows underneath if you haven’t seen it, followed by the poster):
Full trailer and poster follow:
