It began as a Kickstarter campaign, raising $43,406, and now Alan Hicks‘ documentary Keep On Keepin’ On has won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival and been picked up by Radius-TWC for distribution later this year.
Produced by Quincy Jones you know there is going to be an Oscar push for this one, which comes with the following synopsis:
In his melodic debut, Australian director Hicks spent four years following the charming and sometimes poignant mentorship between jazz-legend Clark Terry and blind piano prodigy, Justin Kaulflin, during a pivotal moment in each of their lives. At eighty-nine years old, ‘CT’ has played alongside Duke Ellington and Count Basie; his pupils include Miles Davis and Quincy Jones, but his most unlikely friendship is with Justin, a 23-year-old with uncanny talent but debilitating nerves. As Justin prepares for a competition that could jumpstart his budding career, CT’s failing health threatens his own. Beautifully nostalgic with a reverence for the importance of finding your own sound, Keep On Keepin’ On celebrates an iconic musician while introducing one of equal vibrancy. It is a mentoring tale as inspirational as its subjects.
In a press release Hicks said, “In my wildest dreams, I never would have imagined working on my first film with Harvey Weinstein, Paula DuPre’ Pesmen and Quincy Jones. I’m so grateful that Mr. Weinstein believes in this story and has chosen to take us under his wing. It’s an honor to have this team help bring Clark and his story to the world.”
There is no release date information yet, but Radius has certainly become a haven for documentaries for the Weinsteins after winning the Oscar last year for 20 Feet from Stardom along with other high profile 2013 docs such as Cutie and the Boxer and Inequality for All.
Also winning at the Tribeca Film Festival was Jon Favreau‘s Chef, taking Best Narrative Feature. Chef hits theaters on May 9.
