#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “LIZA: A TRULY TERRIFIC ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY”

Following its world premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival and a sold-out run at several festivals including Hamptons Film Festival, Provincetown Film Festival and NewFest LGBTQ+ Film Festival, LIZA: A TRULY TERRIFIC ABSOLUTELY TRUE STORY, written, produced, and directed by Bruce David Klein, is heading to Canada. The film, which opened theatrically in the US on January 24th, will begin its Canadian roll-out premiering in Toronto, for two dates, at Hot Docs Cinema, January 31 and February 1, 2025.

This star studded tribute brings into focus the dazzling, complex period of Liza’s life starting in the 1970s, just after the tragic death of her mother Judy Garland – as she confronts a range of personal and professional challenges on the way to becoming a bona fide legend. Over these years, Liza seeks out extraordinary mentors: Kay Thompson, Fred Ebb, Charles Aznavour, Halston and Bob Fosse. With insightful participation from a coterie of luminaries who know her well – Michael Feinstein, Mia Farrow, Ben Vereen, Joel Grey and the late Chita Rivera, along with the revelatory participation by the star herself – the film illuminates the contradiction of Liza Minnelli: her privilege and struggle, strength and vulnerability, unreal expectations and towering talent – the friction of which fueled her stunning rise, resilience and her enduring place as one of the greatest, most original performers in the history of entertainment.

“I’m thrilled this documentary shares the story of how my creative voice came to life with the help of my brilliant friends, mentors and collaborators,” says Liza Minnelli. “Bruce and his team dove deep to explore my relationships with the people who literally ‘invented me’ — and I can’t wait for movie audiences to experience it!”

In the process of Klein and his team wooing Minnelli to tell her life story, they were asked if they would like to watch about 25 hours of never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes footage of her that was shot in the 70s during her European Tour, to which they immediately agreed. “As soon as we pressed play on the first reel of footage, we were blown away,” said Klein. “Right in front of us was this beautiful, vulnerable superstar of stage and screen at the height of her powers. She was literally the ‘IT’ girl of the world at that time. Even the personal scenes of her just hanging out were fascinating and revealing. Our team really got a feel for who she was and what drove her.” With Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, for the first time, audiences themselves will get to see some of this revelatory footage, which is masterfully woven into the film’s narrative.

Ultimately Klein hopes that audiences will “see the meticulous artistry that went into Liza becoming an icon. Liza as a friend, lover, daughter and surprisingly humble, anxiety-ridden performer.”

CREDITS:

Written, Produced and Directed by: Bruce David Klein

Produced by: Alexander J. Goldstein

Produced by: Robert Rich

Co-Producer: Dana Craig

Co-Producers: Tom D’Angora, Manny Klausner, Willette Klausner

Executive Producer: Dori Berinstein

Line Producers: Sheila Cabano, Abby Strauss

Additional Line Producer: Donna Ferry

Associate Producers: Nelda Yaw Buckman, Drew Desky, Dane Levens, Alan Seales

Directors of Photography: Axel Baumann, Wolfgang Held

Editors: Jake Keene, Alexander J. Goldstein

USA | 2024 | 104 min | HD | 16:9 | Stereo 5.1 | English

Release Pattern:

Canadian Premiere

January 31, 2025 + February 1, 2025 – Hot Docs Cinema – Toronto (Tickets available)

Starts January 31, 2025 – Mayfair Theatre – Ottawa (Tickets available)

January 31, 2025 – VIFF – Vancouver (Tickets available)

February 2, 2025 – The Fox – Toronto (Tickets available)

February 8 to 11 – Revue Theatre – Toronto (Tickets available) 

About Zeitgeist Films

Zeitgeist Films is a New York-based distribution company founded in 1988 which acquires and distributes the finest independent films from the U.S. and around the world. In 2017, Zeitgeist entered into a multi-year strategic alliance with renowned film distributor Kino Lorber.

Zeitgeist has distributed early films by such notable directors as Todd Haynes, Christopher Nolan, Francois Ozon, Olivier Assayas, Laura Poitras, Atom Egoyan and the Quay Brothers. Their catalog includes films from the world’s most outstanding filmmakers including Margerethe Von Trotta, Ken Loach, Guy Maddin, Derek Jarman, Peter Greenaway, Yvonne Rainer, Andrei Zyvagintsev, Astra Taylor and Raoul Peck. Previous Zeitgeist Films releases in association with Kino Lorber include Alex Dean’s Bombshell, the Hedy Lamarr Story, Blerta Basholli’s Hive, Daniel Raim’s Fiddler’s Journey To The Big Screen, Pierre Foldes’ Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, and most recently the “final” Ken Loach feature The Old Oak.

Five Zeitgeist films have been nominated for Academy Awards and one, Nowhere in Africa, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Their films have been honored by festivals throughout the world with Grand Prizes at Cannes, Berlin, Sundance, Tribeca, and IDFA in Amsterdam. The Museum of Modern Art honored Zeitgeist with a month-long, 20th anniversary retrospective of their films in 2008.

About Atlas Media

For 25+ years, Atlas Media has been an award-winning producer of non-fiction television series, specials, and premium feature documentaries for cable, broadcast and streamers in the United States and in 100+ countries worldwide. Recent Atlas films include the Emmy-nominated Icahn: The Restless Billionaire (for HBO), Meat Loaf: In Search of Paradise (Universal), Robert Blecker Wants Me Dead (MSNBC Films), and Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened (Netflix). Long running television series include: Dr G: Medical Examiner, The Mind of a Murderer and Hotel Impossible.

About Kino Lorber

With a library of over 4,000 titles, Kino Lorber has been a leader in independent art house distribution for over 45 years, releasing 35 films per year theatrically and garnering seven Academy Award® nominations in nine years. The company also brings over 350 titles annually to the home entertainment and educational markets through digital and physical media releases. Kino Lorber handles ancillary media for an expanding family of distributed labels – including Zeitgeist Films, Milestone Films, Cohen Media Group, Menemsha Films, and Greenwich Entertainment – and licenses titles digitally to all major TVOD and SVOD platforms. In recent years, Kino Lorber has expanded its own direct digital platforms through the launch of TVOD service Kino Now and the acquisition of MHz Choice and Topic, the two leading North American streaming services featuring international series.

#OSCARS: “12 YEARS A SLAVE” WINS TOP HONOURS AT THE 86TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS

The World of Cinema Elite made their way to Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles tonight for the 86th annual Academy Awards.  Praised as both a  strong year for Red Carpet Fashion and Film with a heated battle between American Hustle, 12 Years a Slave and Gravity, among others for Best Picture, ultimately 12 Years a Slave would prevail with top honours tonight.

The Drama based on the Memoir by Solomon Northrup, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this past September, before going-on to sweep a litany of accolades this Awards Season including victories at the Golden Globes, BAFTAs, Broadcast Film Critics Association  and the Independent Spirit Awards just yesterday. In addition, to winning coveted Best Picture, it won also for Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Alfonso Cuarón‘s Gravity, which has grossed over $700 million worldwide, also premiering at TIFF this last Fall, won the most Oscars this evening, tallying-in at seven wins, primarily in technical categories including Cinematography, Score and Visual Effects. Cuarón himself went-on to win for Directing.

AIDS Drama Dallas Buyers Club won the important Actor and Supporting Actor Categories with Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto respectively.  Both brought along their Mothers to the Awards, the latter making a heartfelt tribute to his Mother who overcame great odds to provide for both him and his Brother.

As predicted by many, Cate Blanchett now is a two-time Oscar Winner, her first win coming for her work in 2004’s The Aviator. The Australian Actress won for her empathetic portrayal of a Woman coping with mental and addiction issues in Woody Allen‘s Blue Jasmine.

The Fashion on the Red Carpet tonight was a huge draw as several Fans via Social Media sounded-off on the tasteful styles of Kate Hudson in Versace, Cate Blanchett in Armani Privé, Amy Adams in Gucci, Angelina Jolie in Elie Saab and perhaps the most-talked-about was a Princess-like Lupita Nyong’o in what is now being called a “Nairobi Blue” Prada Dress with a Hairband.  The light pastel blue Creation was chosen by the eventual Oscar Winner, who told Ryan Seacrest on the Red Carpet that it reminded the Kenyan Native of Nairobi.

Ellen DeGeneres once again did a bang-up job, making herself right at home with the A-List Audience, poking fun at everything from welcoming Liza Minnelli as a Female Impersonator, to some of this year’s Nominees who didn’t attend College (the Camera panned on Amy Adams nodded her head, admitting she too didn’t attend) to bringing out Pizza to some of the Evening’s famous Guests.  Meryl Streep was one of the first to help herself to a slice.  In addition, DeGeneres was out to set a record for the Most Re-Tweeted Selfie and helping her along were the likes of Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence, Jared Leto, Meryl Streep, Lupita Nyong’o, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey. Quickly, the Photo received over a million Re-Tweets (overtaking a previous Tweet from President Obama upon his Re-Election) and could’ve received more if it weren’t for reported technical difficulties likely due to the onslaught of traffic.

See it below:

See more Photos here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Ellen DeGeneres)