Two-time Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Barbara Kopple followed Grammy-nominated R&B powerhouse Sharon Jones around during what is described as “the most courageous year of her life.” The resulting film, “Miss Sharon Jones!” explores her music, her life, and her struggle with illness.
“Often compared to the legendary James Brown because of her powerful and energetic performances,” a release reads, “Sharon Jones is no stranger to challenge. For years her music career struggled as she was kept in the wings by a music industry that branded her ‘too short, too black, too fat.’ After decades of working odd jobs, from a corrections officer to a wedding singer, Sharon had a middle-aged breakthrough after joining forces with Brooklyn R&B outfit The Dap Kings. In 2013, on the eve of the release of the much-anticipated album ‘Give The People What They Want,’ Sharon was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. ‘Miss Sharon Jones!’ is a triumphant crowd-pleaser that captures an irrepressible human spirit as she battles back to where she belongs; center stage.”
“Miss Sharon Jones!” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015 and played at SXSW earlier this year. It won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the Sarasota Film Festival.
The new trailer is an avalanche of music and inspiring sentiment. “Miss Sharon Jones!” opens on July 29 in New York and August 5 in Los Angeles, with a national expansion to follow.
