Greenwich Entertainment has scooped up North American theatrical and home entertainment rights to “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President,” a press release announced. Mary Wharton’s documentary recently served as the closing night screening of AFI Docs Fest.
Described as a “rockumentary-style presidential portrait,” the doc “shows how popular music helped propel the folksy peanut farmer from rural Georgia” all the way to the Oval Office. “Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President” recalls how President Carter used music “to transcend racial, generational, and often party lines,” and features interviews with President Carter, filmed in 2018 at the age of 93, as well as archival footage from Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, and Paul Simon, among others.
CNN Films snagged broadcast rights to the project.
“When [producer Chris Farrell] and Mary came to Plains to show the film to me and my family, it was entertaining and emotional for all of us. The film exceeded my expectations in every way. I’m thrilled that ‘Rock & Roll President’ will reach a broad audience. Despite the difficult times we are in, the film highlights my personal belief that we should remain hopeful and that music is a powerful source of hope in trying times,” said President Carter.
Wharton and Farrell added, “We’ve been so gratified with the warm reception that online audiences have had for our film, and we are thrilled that Greenwich will give the American people the opportunity to experience it in a theater this fall.” The pair emphasized that “the story of an incredible man and his love of music was not just entertaining but also very timely. President Carter shows us that character and good works can serve as a guide not just for our leaders but for all of us, and that music can bring us together even in turbulent times.”
Wharton’s directing credits include “Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound” and episodes of “Biography.”
Greenwich Entertainment also recently nabbed rights to “The Donut King,” Alice Gu’s portrait of a Cambodian refugee who built a donut empire in the U.S.
