EXCLUSIVE: Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to The Stones and Brian Jones, a documentary about the “lost creative genius” who launched – and named – The Rolling Stones.
Acclaimed filmmaker Nick Broomfield (Kurt and Courtney, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love) directed the documentary, which Magnolia plans to release in theaters later this year.
“Featuring revealing interviews with all the main players and unseen archive released for the first time, The Stones and Brian Jones explores the creative musical genius of Jones, the key to the success of the band,” a release about the film notes, “and uncovers how the founder of what became the greatest rock’n’roll band in the world was left behind in the shadows of history.”
Jones assembled the Stones in 1962 as a blues-infused unit, playing rhythm and lead guitar alongside Keith Richards, and providing backup vocals to Mick Jagger. As the ‘60s progressed, the band evolved with Richards and Jagger becoming the chief songwriters. Tensions over creative direction and Jones’ substance abuse problems contributed to him being ousted from the Stones in 1969. Within a month he was dead, a victim of drowning in his swimming pool.
“The Rolling Stones wouldn’t exist without Brian Jones,” Magnolia Pictures President Eamonn Bowles commented. “Nick Broomfield brings fascinating insight to this incredibly creative, complex, and ultimately tragic soul.”
“I am incredibly excited about the Magnolia release in the U.S.,” Broomfield said. “The Stones were my heroes growing up. They were the rebels who challenged authority, who defined the Sixties and Brian Jones was the driving force behind their creation. This documentary on the early years of The Rolling Stones and Brian’s role is a compelling story of the time as well as the band itself.”
The Stones and Brian Jones is presented by BBC Music, a Lafayette Film production. The film is produced by Nick Broomfield, Shani Hinton, Marc Hoeferlin, and Kyle Gibbon; executive producers are Paul Trynka, Harriet Vyner, and Charles Finch; executive producers for the BBC are Patrick Holland, Jan Younghusband, and Mark Bell.
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden, with Matt Burke, Josh Braun, and Dan Braun of Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers. Submarine will be screening the film in the Cannes market.
Magnolia Pictures is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, with a library of over 500 titles. Recent releases include Lisa Cortés’ Little Richard: I am Everything, which premiered at Sundance; In Viaggio, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi’s chronicle of the travels of Pope Francis; SXSW Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award-winning comedy I Love My Dad, starring Patton Oswalt; double Oscar nominee Collective, Alexander Nanau’s jaw-dropping expose of corruption at the highest levels of government; Some Kind of Heaven, Lance Oppenheim’s documentary chronicling the surreal world of The Villages; Zappa, Alex Winter’s unfiltered portrait of the iconic musician and artist, and Dawn Porter’s John Lewis: Good Trouble.