Her Long-Lost Film Released
BACK IN 1972, the Queen of Soul shot a concert documentary, Amazing Grace, featuring her performances of gospel classics. After decades of legal wrangling over its rights, the film is finally seeing the light of day. It’s receiving a limited release in NYC and LA to qualify for Oscar nominations before going out nationally next year. “Aretha always wanted to be a movie star, and we feel this is her chance to be a movie star,” says producer Alan Elliott. For Aretha’s loved ones, the film brings back cherished memories. “When all of her siblings passed away [by 2002], she stepped in and became our surrogate mother, our rock and our foundation,” says nephew Vaughn Franklin. “She helped us mourn and get over our grief, so whenever I can see her now, it feels like she’s reaching out to me. It’s definitely helping us as a family to heal and move on.”