A shot of Aretha Franklin in the movie
The Queen of Soul got a little respect in federal court in Denver on Friday.
John Wenzel of the Denver Post reports that a federal judge in Denver granted Aretha Franklin a last-minute temporary restraining order that blocks the Telluride Film Festival from presenting the documentary "Amazing Grace," featuring Franklin, three times this weekend.
The paper reports that Franklin, 73, testified via phone from Detroit.
At issue, the Post reports " is the original intent of the footage vs. its current usage in the 'Amazing Grace' documentary. Director Sydney Pollack shot much of the footage from Franklin's 1972 concert performance at the New Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, Calif., and shelved it for decades because of problems with the sound, according to the Hollywood Reporter."
The Denver Post reports:
Tenth-district federal court Judge John L. Kane cited copyright law and a 1968 recording contract with Warner Bros. in deciding that the screenings would harm Franklin's likeness and ability to control her image.
The temporary order does not resolve a ongoing lawsuit concerning the footage, but it does prevent the film from being screened for 14 days. However, representatives from this weekend's Toronto International Film Festival, where the film is also scheduled to play, have said they will continue with their screenings, according to Deadline Hollywood.
Judge Kane quoted Shakespeare's "Othello" in his ruling for Franklin, adding, "We have so little art left in our society," and that Franklin deserves the right to have signed off on the concert film.
