Tribeca: Sundance Selects Acquires ‘Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me’

NEW YORK, NY (April 29, 2013) – Sundance Selects announced today that the company is acquiring North American rights to Chiemi Karasawa’s directorial debut ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME, a feature documentary about the stage and screen icon that made its world premiere last week at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival. The film was produced by Karasawa and Elizabeth Hemmerdinger, and executive produced by Alec Baldwin and Cheryl Wiesenfeld.

At 87, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch remains indisputably in the spotlight. In the revealing and poignant ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME, the uncompromising Tony and Emmy Award-winner is showcased both on and off stage via rare archival footage and intimate cinema vérité. By turns bold, hilarious and moving, the film’s journey connects Stritch’s present to her past, and an inspiring portrait of a one-of-a-kind survivor emerges. In stolen moments from her corner room at New York’s Carlyle Hotel and on breaks from her tour and work, candid reflections about her life are punctuated with photographs from her personal collection and words from friends (including Hal Prince, George C. Wolfe, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones, Tina Fey, James Gandolfini and John Turturro). Whether dominating the stage, tormenting Alec Baldwin on the set of “30 Rock,” or sharing her personal takes on her struggles with aging, diabetes and alcoholism, ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME reaches beyond the icon’s brassy exterior and reveals a multi-dimensional portrait of a complex woman and artist.

The deal for the film was negotiated by Jeff Deutchman, Director of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects and Josh Braun at Submarine on behalf of the filmmakers.