Organisers said on Tuesday they were “extremely disappointed” after producers on the Aretha Franklin documentary withdrew the film on the eve of the festival.
The filmmakers acted after a Colorado judge on Friday granted the soul diva an injunction blocking the Telluride world premiere of Amazing Grace.
Franklin filed papers last week arguing that she never gave permission for public viewing of footage shot in 1972 by the late Sydney Pollack while she performed at the Missionary Baptist Church in the South Central Los Angeles district of Watts.
On Friday, Toronto top brass held firm despite the development at Telluride and said they planned to go ahead with the screening.
But shortly afterwards Chicago Film Festival hierarchy announced they were pulling Amazing Grace from their October event.
“We are extremely disappointed that Toronto audiences will not be able to see this extraordinary piece of art,” Toronto International Film Festival organisers said in a statement.
“The footage in the film is truly a cinematic treasure of 20th century music and we hope global audiences will have anopportunity to experience this film once a resolution is found.”
Pre-purchased tickets for screenings on Sept 10, Sept 12 and Sept 20 may be used as vouchers for exchange into another regular screening of equal or lesser value subject to availability.
The Sept 12 screening will be replaced by Elaine Constantine’s UK music drama, Northern Soul, part of TIFF’s London ‘City to City’ strand.
Amazing Grace remains unseen by the public after Pollack shelved it when he forgot to synchronise the soundtrack during filming.
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