20 Feet from Stardom

20 Feet from Stardom
20 Feet from Stardom
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Morgan Neville
Produced by	Gil Friesen; Caitrin Rogers; Michael Ross; Steve Jacobs
Starring	Darlene Love; Merry Clayton; Lisa Fischer; Judith Hill; Jo Lawry; Claudia Lennear; Tata Vega
Cinematography	Nicola Marsh; Graham Willoughby
Edited by	Kevin Klauber; Jason Zeldes
Music by	Various Artists
Production; companies	Tremolo Productions; Gil Friesen Productions
Distributed by	RADiUS-TWC
Release dates	January 17, 2013 (Sundance); June 14, 2013 (United States);
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1 million
Box office	$5.8 million

20 Feet from Stardom (stylized in the film's title sequence as Twenty Feet from Stardom) is a 2013 American documentary film directed by documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville^[3] and produced by Gil Friesen, a music industry executive whose curiosity to know more about the lives of background singers inspired the making of the film.^[4] Using archival footage and new interviews, it details the behind-the-scenes experiences of such backup singers as Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Jo Lawry, Claudia Lennear, and Tata Vega. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 86th Academy Awards, 23 years after In the Shadow of the Stars (1991), a similar documentary that focused on the members of an opera chorus, won the same award.

Lisa Fischer has said of backup singing: "I reject the notion that the job you excel at is somehow not enough to aspire to, that there has to be something more. I love supporting other artists." She added: "Some people will do anything to be famous. I just wanted to sing."^[5]

In 2023, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It is the eighth film designated in its first year of eligibility, as well as the second most recently released film in the Registry.^[6]

^ "20 FEET FROM STARDOM (12A)". Altitude Film Distribution. British Board of Film Classification. January 28, 2014. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
^ "20 Feet from Stardom". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 31, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
^ Caplan, B. (March 13, 2013). "Twenty Feet From Stardom Director Morgan Neville on His Own 'Cinderella Moment'". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
^ Van Syckle, Katie (January 28, 2013). "Backup Singer Documentary 'Twenty Feet From Stardom' Set for Summer Release". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
^ Barnes, Brooks (June 7, 2013). "The Voice Behind Mick (and Others)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
^ Tartaglione, Nancy (December 13, 2023). "National Film Registry: 'Apollo 13', 'Home Alone', 'Terminator 2', '12 Years A Slave' Among 25 Titles Added This Year". Deadline. Retrieved December 13, 2023.

[1] "20 FEET FROM STARDOM (12A)". Altitude Film Distribution. British Board of Film Classification. January 28, 2014. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2014.

[BOMJ-2] "20 Feet from Stardom". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 31, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.

[3] Caplan, B. (March 13, 2013). "Twenty Feet From Stardom Director Morgan Neville on His Own 'Cinderella Moment'". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on December 24, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2013.

[4] Van Syckle, Katie (January 28, 2013). "Backup Singer Documentary 'Twenty Feet From Stardom' Set for Summer Release". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved August 23, 2017.

[5] Barnes, Brooks (June 7, 2013). "The Voice Behind Mick (and Others)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2017.

[6] Tartaglione, Nancy (December 13, 2023). "National Film Registry: 'Apollo 13', 'Home Alone', 'Terminator 2', '12 Years A Slave' Among 25 Titles Added This Year". Deadline. Retrieved December 13, 2023.

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