American Harmony
Encyclopedia
American Harmony is a 2009 documentary film
directed and produced by Aengus James, produced by Colin Miller, and edited by Kate Amend.
American Harmony, the documentary, was initially screened at the Barbershop Harmony Society
’s 2008 International Convention in Nashville.
The film is a tribute to the human musical spirit as practiced in the barbershop genre. It was in production for more than three years and was edited by Kate Amend, the editor of two Oscar-winning documentaries.
American Harmony was filmed by James and his camera crews during the Society’s 2005, 2006 and 2007 International conventions and is interspersed with footage and other graphic elements provided by the Barbershop Harmony Society
.
, Max Q
, Vocal Spectrum
, and Reveille – over a span of years, on stage and at home, in their personal quests for international recognition.
"The film is a mixture of obsession, singing, zany comedy and nail-biting competition", according to writer/director, Aengus James.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
directed and produced by Aengus James, produced by Colin Miller, and edited by Kate Amend.
American Harmony, the documentary, was initially screened at the Barbershop Harmony Society
Barbershop Harmony Society
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. , is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C...
’s 2008 International Convention in Nashville.
The film is a tribute to the human musical spirit as practiced in the barbershop genre. It was in production for more than three years and was edited by Kate Amend, the editor of two Oscar-winning documentaries.
American Harmony was filmed by James and his camera crews during the Society’s 2005, 2006 and 2007 International conventions and is interspersed with footage and other graphic elements provided by the Barbershop Harmony Society
Barbershop Harmony Society
The Barbershop Harmony Society, legally and historically named the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America, Inc. , is the first of several organizations to promote and preserve barbershop music as an art form. Founded by Owen C...
.
Plot
American Harmony provides an in-depth look at the amazingly rich subculture of a true American art form. It follows the lives of some of the biggest names to emerge from international competition in the Society’s history, as well as providing interviews with many rank-and-file members, referred to as “Joe Barbershoppers.” The film features four prominent Barbershop Society quartets: OC TimesOC Times
OC Times is a barbershop quartet affiliated with the Barbershop Harmony Society; they received second place silver medals at the International Barbershop Quartet Contest at Denver's Pepsi Center on July 7, 2007, and won the International Quartet Championship on July 5, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee...
, Max Q
Max Q (quartet)
Max Q is the barbershop quartet that won the gold medal Barbershop Harmony Society International Barbershop Quartet Contest at Denver's Pepsi Center July 7, 2007.The quartet's run for the title is featured in the 2009 feature documentary American Harmony....
, Vocal Spectrum
Vocal Spectrum
Vocal Spectrum is a barbershop quartet from St. Charles, Missouri. In 2004, Vocal Spectrum won the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Collegiate Quartet Contest, and on July 8, 2006, they became International Champions, winning the society's International Quartet Contest...
, and Reveille – over a span of years, on stage and at home, in their personal quests for international recognition.
"The film is a mixture of obsession, singing, zany comedy and nail-biting competition", according to writer/director, Aengus James.
Screening
The film was theatrically released in April, 2009, and is scheduled for a traditional theatrical release. There is a Google pin map showing the markets the film has already played, markets on the schedule, and markets still to be scheduled.Critical reaction
See reviews below:Festivals and awards
- Winner: Best Documentary at the 2009 San Diego Film Festival
- Winner of the 2009 Honolulu Film Festival Silver Lei Award.
- Nominated for the 2008 International Documentary AssociationInternational Documentary AssociationInternational Documentary Association , founded in 1982, is a non-profit organization promoting documentary film, video and new media, to support the efforts of documentary filmmaking and video production makers around the world and to increase public appreciation and demand for the art of the...
Best Music Documentary Award. - Official selection for the Nashville Film FestivalNashville Film FestivalThe Nashville Film Festival , held annually in Nashville, Tennessee, is the oldest running film festival in the South and one of the oldest in the United States. In 2009, Nashville Film Festival received close to 2000 submissions from 86 countries, programmed nearly 260 films and had an attendance...
- Apr 16-23, 2009. - Official selection for the Boulder International Film FestivalBoulder International Film FestivalBoulder International Film Festival sponsored by the Colorado Film Society, is held annually on Presidents Day Weekend in Boulder, Colorado USA, and has developed a reputation as one of the most influential young film festivals in the U.S., with an extraordinary number of new-but-unknown feature...
- Feb 12-15, 2009. - Official selection and Second Place Audience Choice award for the Sedona International Film Festival - Feb 24 - Mar 1, 2009.
- Official selection for the Waterfront Film FestivalWaterfront Film FestivalThe Waterfront Film Festival takes place annually in the town of Saugatuck, Michigan in the United States. It is in its 13th year as of 2011.Ranked as one of the top 5 film festivals in the world by SAGIndie in the Screen Actors Guild Magazine, the Waterfront Film Festival draws thousands of movie...
- June, 2009. - Official selection for the Three Rivers Film Festival - Nov 6-21, 2009.