“The Faithful”

Hi. I’m Annie Berman. I look forward to getting acquainted with everyone and your projects through this blog. As a first time feature documentary producer, I truly feel privileged to be producing my film “The Faithful” in association with CID.

An Introduction

I had an idea 7 years ago to document the images and representations of Elvis Presley and Pope John Paul II. I travelled to Graceland to document the 23rd anniversary and to the Vatican to document Easter with the Pope.

Thinking production was over, I enlisted the help of a friend and documentary television producer, Sara Theriault. Sara pushed for the inclusion of Princess Diana and for another trip to Graceland to better understand several Elvis fans who had emerged as key subjects. Sara and I would also journey to Toronto for World Youth Day with the Pope along with 80 kids from St Mary’s Parish in Dedham, MA. We’d return to the Vatican to attend the Pope’s funeral.

What would emerge is “The Faithful,” a feature length documentary about Elvis, the Pope, and Princess Diana told through the eyes of those who cherish them most (the fans, the media, and the entrepreneurs).

“The Faithful” draws compelling connections between these seemingly disparate worlds and finds that they are different embodiments of the same quest. What initially might have seemed strange, kitschy, or crass on the surface reveals itself as a sincere expression of love, grief, and loss.

August Preview Screening
I am happy to report that thankfully the end is in sight.
We are gearing up for a sneak preview in Memphis in August to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Elvis’s death. We hope to also hold a preview screening for Princess Diana’s 10th anniversary labor day weekend in London.

“The Faithful” Online
http://www.the-faithful.com
http://www.fishinhand.com
http://www.myspace.com/thefaithfuldocumentary
http://del.icio.us/thefaithful

Distribution Advice?
We’d love advice on theatrical distribution. Also wondering if anyone has had any experience with Netflix for home distribution?

Meetup Invite
Come join me in attending the 2007 Beyond Media Conference Feb 24 at MIT. I attended last year’s conference and I highly recommend it and wish that there were more indie doc makers represented to join the discussion. http://www.beyondbroadcast.net/blog/