Documentary Series: Amazing Grace

“Amazing Grace” is a documentary about Aretha Franklin that many fans thought might never see the light of day. It was filmed in a Watts, California, church in 1972 during the recording sessions for a live album of the same name. Now it’s a film that is a transcendent, spine-tingling, uplifting, utterly joyous experience. The film shows not just Aretha performing, but also the congregation and what it was like to be in a church in Watts in the early ’70s. Originally directed by Sydney Pollack, it was completed by Alan Elliott in 2010. Franklin wouldn’t allow it to be released, but after her death her family gave permission. “Amazing Grace” is a tribute to a staggering genius, Aretha Franklin.