American Symphony (film) explained

Director:Matthew Heineman
Starring:Jon Batiste
Music:Jon Batiste
Distributor:Netflix
Runtime:104 minutes[1]
Country:United States
Language:English

American Symphony is a 2023 American biographical documentary film, written, shot, and edited by Matthew Heineman. It explores a year in the life of musician Jon Batiste, his music career, and his wife's struggle with leukemia.

It had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023, and was released by Netflix on November 29, 2023. The film received a Best Original Song nomination at the 96th Academy Awards.

Premise

Explores a year in the life of musician Jon Batiste, chronicling his career in music (including his 11 nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards) and the struggles his wife, Suleika Jaouad, faces with leukemia.

Release

American Symphony had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023.[2] Shortly after, Netflix and Higher Ground Productions acquired distribution rights to the film.[3] It was released on November 29, 2023.[4]

Reception

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)Result
Academy AwardsMarch 10, 2024Best Original SongJon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")[5]
Alliance of Women Film JournalistsJanuary 3, 2024Best DocumentaryAmerican Symphony[6]
American Cinema EditorsMarch 3, 2024Best Edited Documentary (Theatrical)Sammy Dane, Matthew Heineman, Jim Hession, and Fernando Villegas[7]
Astra Film and Creative Arts AwardsJanuary 6, 2024Best Documentary FeatureAmerican Symphony[8]
Black Film Critics CircleDecember 20, 2023Best Documentary[9]
Black Reel AwardsJanuary 16, 2024Outstanding Documentary Feature[10]
Outstanding ScoreJon Batiste
Outstanding Original SongJon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")
Capri Hollywood International Film FestivalJanuary 2, 2024Best Documentary FeatureAmerican Symphony[11]
[12]
Cinema Audio Society AwardsMarch 2, 2024Tom Paul, Tristan Baylis, and Ryan Collison[13]
Cinema Eye HonorsJanuary 12, 2024Outstanding ProductionLauren Domino, Matthew Heineman, and Joedan Okun[14]
Outstanding Original ScoreJon Batiste
Audience Choice PrizeAmerican Symphony
The UnforgettablesJon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad
Critics' Choice Documentary AwardsNovember 12, 2023Best Documentary FeatureAmerican Symphony[15]
Best Music Documentary
Best DirectorMatthew Heineman
Best ScoreJon Batiste
Best CinematographyTony Hardmon, Matthew Heineman, and Thorsten Thielow
Best EditingSammy Dane, Jim Hession, Matthew Heineman, and Fernando Villegas
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics AssociationDecember 18, 2023Best Documentary FilmAmerican Symphony[16]
Denver Film Critics SocietyJanuary 12, 2024Best Documentary Feature[17]
Golden Reel AwardsMarch 3, 2024Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing – DocumentaryIgnacio Bonet[18]
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature DocumentaryTristan Baylis, Tom Paul, Leslie Bloome, Matt Snedecor, and Mark Filip
Grammy AwardsFebruary 2, 2025Best Music FilmJon Batiste, Matthew Heineman, Lauren Domino, and Joedan Okun[19]
Best Song Written for Visual MediaJon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")
Houston Film Critics SocietyJanuary 22, 2024Best Documentary FeatureAmerican Symphony[20]
[21]
Indiana Film Journalists AssociationDecember 17, 2023Best Documentary[22]
[23]
Las Vegas Film Critics SocietyDecember 13, 2023Best Documentary[24]
Middleburg Film FestivalOctober 22, 2023Documentary Spotlight AwardMatthew Heineman[25]
Montclair Film FestivalOctober 30, 2023Audience Award – Documentary FeatureAmerican Symphony[26]
Documentary Filmmaker AwardMatthew Heineman
NAACP Image AwardsMarch 16, 2024Outstanding Documentary (Film)American Symphony[27]
North Texas Film Critics AssociationDecember 18, 2023Best Documentary Film[28]
Oklahoma Film Critics CircleJanuary 3, 2024Best Documentary[29]
Philadelphia Film FestivalOctober 29, 2023Audience Award – Documentary Feature[30]
Producers Guild of America AwardsFebruary 25, 2024Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures[31]
San Diego Film Critics SocietyDecember 19, 2023Best Documentary[32]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle AwardsJanuary 9, 2024Best Documentary Film[33]
Satellite AwardsMarch 3, 2024Best Motion Picture – Documentary[34]
Best Original SongJon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")
Best Sound (Editing and Mixing)Tristan Baylis, Matt Snedecor, and William Tzouris
Society of Composers & LyricistsFebruary 13, 2024Outstanding Original Score for an Independent FilmJon Batiste[35]
Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media ProductionJon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")
St. Louis Film Critics AssociationDecember 17, 2023Best Documentary FilmAmerican Symphony[36]
Vancouver Film Critics CircleFebruary 12, 2024Best Documentary[37]
Virginia Film FestivalOctober 29, 2023Audience Award – Documentary Feature[38]
Directorial Achievement AwardMatthew Heineman
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association AwardsDecember 10, 2023American Symphony[39]
Woodstock Film FestivalSeptember 30, 2023Audience Award – Best Documentary Feature[40]
World Soundtrack AwardsOctober 17, 2024Best Original SongJon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")[41]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: November 3, 2023. American Symphony (12A) . February 5, 2024 . BBFC.
  2. Web site: Telluride Lineup Includes World Premieres of 'Saltburn,' 'The Bikeriders' and 'Rustin' With Tributes for Yorgos Lanthimos and Wim Wenders. Variety. Clayton. Davis. August 30, 2023. October 20, 2023.
  3. Web site: Jon Batiste Doc 'American Symphony' Acquired by Netflix and Higher Ground; Oscar Run Set for This Season . The Hollywood Reporter. Scott. Feinberg. September 18, 2023. October 20, 2023.
  4. Web site: Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson Enter Oscars Race for Original Song With Netflix Doc 'American Symphony' . Variety. Clayton. Davis. October 12, 2023. October 20, 2023.
  5. 23 January 2024. Oscar Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here. Vanity Fair. 23 January 2024.
  6. Web site: Merin . Jennifer . December 22, 2023 . 2023 EDA Awards Nominees . December 23, 2023 . . en-US.
  7. Web site: Pond . Steve . January 25, 2024 . ACE Eddie Awards 2024: The Complete List of Nominees . January 25, 2024 . . en-US.
  8. Web site: 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations . Erik . Anderson . AwardsWatch . 7 December 2023 . 8 December 2023.
  9. Web site: Complex . Valerie . December 20, 2023 . Black Film Critics Circle Winners: American Fiction Takes Home Top Honors . January 21, 2024 . . en-US.
  10. Web site: Complex . Valerie . December 15, 2023 . Black Reel Awards Nominations: 'The Color Purple' And 'Rustin' Dominate . December 16, 2023 . Deadline Hollywood.
  11. OPPENHEIMER DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN TO BE HONORED WITH THE "CAPRI BEST ENSEMBLE CAST AWARD 2023" . December 17, 2023 . . December 29, 2023.
  12. Web site: 2024-01-02 . A Capri trionfa Oppenheimer con 7 Awards, poi Barbie e Maestro . 2024-01-02 . . it.
  13. Web site: Pedersen . Erik . January 9, 2024 . Cinema Audio Society Awards Nominations: Barbie, Oppenheimer, The Eras Tour & More . January 9, 2024 . . en-US.
  14. Web site: Saperstein . Pat . 2023-11-16 . 'Kokomo City' Leads Nominations for Cinema Eye Documentary Honors . 2023-11-19 . Variety . en-US.
  15. Web site: Zilko . Christian . 2023-11-13 . 'Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie' Sweeps the Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Complete Winners List) . 2023-11-19 . IndieWire . en-US.
  16. Web site: Jorgenson . Todd . 18 December 2023 . DFW Film Critics Name The Holdovers Best Picture of 2023 . 18 December 2023 . . en-US.
  17. Web site: Neglia . Matt . January 12, 2024 . The 2023 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Winners . Next Best Picture . January 21, 2024.
  18. Web site: Tangcay . Jazz . January 16, 2024 . Oppenheimer Dominates Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards Nominations . January 16, 2024 . . en-US.
  19. Web site: Willman . Chris . Grammy Nominations 2025: Beyonce Leads With 11 Nods as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Are Among Top Nominees . . November 8, 2024 . November 8, 2024.
  20. News: Darling . Cary . January 9, 2024 . Barbie, Oppenheimer lead Houston Film Critics Society's nominations . January 9, 2024 . . en . January 9, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240109175233/http://www.houstonchronicle.com/entertainment/movies_tv/article/houston-film-critics-society-awards-18594525.php . live .
  21. News: Darling . Cary . January 22, 2024 . Houston Film Critics Society names Poor Things the best film of 2023 . January 22, 2024 . Houston Chronicle.
  22. Web site: Rogers . Nick . December 12, 2023 . Nominations Announced for the 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards . January 21, 2024 . Midwest Film Journal . en-US.
  23. Web site: Neglia . Matt . December 17, 2023 . The 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Winners . January 21, 2024 . Next Best Picture . en-US.
  24. Web site: Neglia . Matt . December 13, 2023 . The 2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Winners . January 21, 2024 . Next Best Picture . en-US.
  25. Web site: Davis . Clayton . 2023-10-23 . Cord Jefferson's 'American Fiction' Wins Audience Award at Middleburg Film Festival . 2023-11-19 . Variety . en-US.
  26. Web site: 2023 Montclair Film Festival Award Winners Announced! Montclair Film . 2023-11-19 . montclairfilm.org . en-US.
  27. Web site: Hipes . Patrick . January 25, 2024 . Colman Domingo, Keke Palmer, Ayo Edebiri, Victoria Monét Lead NAACP Image Awards Nominations . January 26, 2024 . Deadline Hollywood.
  28. Web site: Neglia . Matt . December 18, 2023 . The 2023 North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) Winners . January 21, 2024 . Next Best Picture . en-US.
  29. Web site: Neglia . Matt . January 3, 2024 . The 2023 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) Winners . January 21, 2024 . Next Best Picture . en-US.
  30. Web site: Bogg . Smalley . 2023-11-01 . Winners of the Philadelphia Film Festival Awards . 2023-11-19 . phindie . en-US.
  31. Web site: Bergeson . Samantha . January 12, 2024 . PGA Awards 2024 Nominations: Maestro, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Past Lives Among Contenders . January 12, 2024 . . en-US . January 12, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240112185857/https://www.indiewire.com/awards/results/pga-awards-2024-nominations-1234943176/ . live .
  32. Web site: Anderson . Erik . December 15, 2023 . San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231215172434/https://awardswatch.com/san-diego-film-critics-society-sdfcs-nominations/ . December 15, 2023 . December 15, 2023 . AwardsWatch . en-US.
  33. Web site: Neglia . Matt . January 5, 2024 . The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations . January 5, 2024 . Next Best Picture . en-US.
  34. Web site: December 18, 2023 . IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards . December 18, 2023 . . en-US.
  35. Web site: Neglia . Matt . December 21, 2023 . The 2023 Society Of Composers And Lyricists (SCL) Nominations . December 22, 2023 . Next Best Picture . en-US.
  36. Web site: Anderson . Eric . 2023 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations . awardswatch.com . December 10, 2023 . AwardsWatch . 11 December 2023.
  37. Web site: Vlessing . Etan . January 22, 2024 . Oppenheimer Leads Vancouver Film Critics Circle Nominations With Six Nods . January 23, 2024 . . en-US.
  38. Web site: 2018-05-09 . Award Winners . 2023-11-19 . Virginia Film Festival . en-US.
  39. Web site: Neglia . Matt . 9 December 2023 . The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Nominations . 9 December 2023 . Next Best Picture . en-US.
  40. Web site: 2023-10-01 . Award Winners from the 24th Annual Woodstock Film Festival . 2023-11-19 . Woodstock Film Festival . en-US.
  41. Web site: Discover the first nominees for the 2024 World Soundtrack Awards! . . August 7, 2024 . August 7, 2024.

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