January 30, 2016 - 16:14 AMT
“Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” doc sells to Music Box

PBS & American Masters Pictures have sold theatrical rights to the documentary “Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You” to Music Box films, Variety reports.

“Just Another Version,” directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, premiered Jan. 21 as the Opening Night selection in the documentary section at the Sundance Film Festival. It includes appearances and interviews with Norman Lear, George Clooney, Bill Moyers, John Amos, Alan Horn, Russell Simmons, Amy Poehler and Jon Stewart.

Grady and Ewing, who teamed on “Jesus Camp,” “12th & Delaware” and “Detropia,” focused on Lear’s extensive work and the implications of its absorption into mainstream American culture through such landmark shows as “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons.”

Variety‘s Guy Lodge said in his review: “’Just Another Version of You’ condenses a substantial amount of information and perspective into a crisp, concise 91 minutes.”

Music Box Films, in conjunction with PBS & American Masters Pictures, will release the film theatrically in June prior to a fall 2016 broadcast on PBS stations as part of the American Masters series, followed by the SVOD premiere on Netflix. PBS Distribution will handle DVD and digital distribution.

Lear said, “At 93, I waited half my life to see myself in the cinema. And the smartest decision I ever made was to put my trust in directors, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.”

Producers are Suzanne Hillinger and Brent Miller. The executive producer is Michael Kantor. Associate producers and Alex Takats and Cara Mones.

Submarine made the deal for the rights.

Photo: Sundance Film Festival