(NDG Wire) – Much as Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry were inspired to put their weight behind last year’s Oscar contender Precious, Jamie Foxx has jumped on board to present one of this year’s most uplifting, crowd-pleasing music documentaries, Thunder Soul.
Nominated for Best Documentary at the upcoming Spirit Awards, and winner of 2010 Audience Awards at South by Southwest, the Los Angeles Film Festival, the Dallas International Film Festival, the Aspen Film Festival and Toronto’s Hot Docs Festival, Thunder follows the extraordinary alumni from Houston’s storied Kashmere High School Stage Band, who return home after 35 years to play a tribute concert for the 92-year-old Conrad “Prof” Johnson, their beloved band leader who broke the color barrier and transformed the school’s struggling jazz band into a world-class funk powerhouse in the early 1970s.
Director Mark Landsman talks about movie.
Foxx, a native of Terrell and an outspoken advocate of music education in schools, heard about the film after its South by Southwest premiere, and sought it out immediately.
“I can’t wait to share Thunder Soul with the world so that everyone can enjoy this one-of-a kind experience,” Foxx said. “It’s such an entertaining and inspirational story that touches your soul and awakens the human spirit in the way that only love and the power of music can.”
“Having Jamie Foxx on board with us is incredible,” said Roadside Attractions co-president Eric d’Arbeloff, and his enthusiasm and excitement for the movie is palpable. We couldn’t be happier that he’s mentoring the film in the same way that ‘Prof’ mentored his Kashmere High music students to greatness.
Snoot Entertainment’s Keith Calder and Jessica Wu produced Thunder Soul along with director Mark Landsman. Foxx will present Thunder Soul, and will serve as executive producer, along with his FoxxKing Entertainment partner Jaime King.
In addition to the multiple Audience Awards it has won, Thunder Soul received the Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2010 Indie Memphis Film Festival and was the Heartland Film Festivals 2010 Crystal Heart Award recipient. The film was also nominated for the International Documentary Association’s Music Award.
Roadside Attractions, who scored big with such docs as Chris Rock’s comedic Good Hair, R.J. Cutler’s The September Issue, Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me and the Academy Award-winning The Cove, plans a September release.
