World Premiere of ‘Music By John Williams’ Will Open AFI Fest in October

Photo Credit: AFI

AFI has announced that the world premiere of the ‘Music by John Williams’ documentary will open the 38th AFI Fest in October. Here’s the latest.The documentary film from Lucasfilm Ltd, Amblin Documentaries and Imagine Documentaries offers a comprehensive look at the prolific life and career of the legendary composer John Williams. From his early days as a jazz pianist to his 54 Oscar nominations and five wins, the documentary celebrates Williams’ countless contributions to the moving image arts, music for the concert stage, and his impact on popular culture.

‘Music by John Williams’ features interviews with Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Kate Capshaw, Gustavo Dudamel, J.J. Abrams, Chris Martin, Ron Howard, Chris Columbus, George Lucas, Itzhak Perlman, Lawrence Kasdan, Yo-Yo Ma, Ke Huy Quan, James Mangold, Alan Silvestri, David Newman, Thomas Newman, Seth McFarlane, Annie-Sophie Mutter, and Branford Marsalis. It is directed by Laurent Bouzereau and produced by Steven Spielberg, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Sarah Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Meredith Kaulfers, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Laurent Bouzereau, with Markus Keith and Michael Rosenberg serving as executive producers.

In 2016, John Williams was honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award, becoming the first composer to receive this highest honor for a career in film. Following the premiere, ‘Music by John Williams’ will have a limited theatrical release and will premiere on Disney+ on November 1.“John Williams is an American icon with a true and timeless global impact,” shares Bob Gazzale, AFI President & CEO. “One could say we are ‘over the moon’ to host the world premiere of the film, but that sentiment would hardly soar without the music of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.”

“Growing up in France, I discovered the soundtracks I bought on vinyl ahead of most American movies that would come out months after the U.S. release,” shares the film’s director Laurent Bouzereau. “John Williams was the composer I immediately identified with; his scores made me fall in love with music, and made me realize at a very young age, the power that a score had on cinematic storytelling.”

“This was an important story to tell, not only because it is about one of the greatest composers of all time, but because of the message it carries about the survival of orchestral music, and musicians.”