Country: Portraits of an American Sound World Premiere at the 2015 Nashville Film Festival

LOS ANGELES, April 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Annenberg Space for Photography, a signature project of the Annenberg Foundation, today announced that the documentary feature Country: Portraits of an American Sound will have its World Premiere at the Nashville Film Festival on April 22. It will be featured in the Gibson Music Films / Music City Feature Competition. Tickets to see the film will be available through the festival Box Office, opening April 8.

Produced and directed by Steven Kochones for the Annenberg Space for Photography, Country: Portraits of an American Sound is a one-of-a-kind vivid exploration of Country music through the lens of the photographers who have documented its rise from innocent beginnings to a thriving industry and to a national identity. From the Carter Family to The Band Perry, the film spans over 80 years of County music history – uncovering the ideals, struggles and triumphs of the artists who have built an American sound.

The film features the work of acclaimed and award-winning photographers: Les Leverett, Leigh Weiner, Henry Horenstein, Henry Diltz, Raeanne Rubenstein, David McClister and Michael Wilson.  Country: Portraits of an American Sound also includes interviews with top country artists such as Lyle Lovett, Keith Urban, Rosanne Cash, Roy Clark, Larry Gatlin, Marty Stuart, Brenda Lee, Terri Clark, Holly Williams and Kenny Rogers.

The documentary is a full-length feature film based on the short film that was a central component of the Country: Portraits of an American Sound exhibition at the Annenberg Photography Space in Los Angeles which attracted nearly 30,000 visitors in 2014.  The Annenberg Space for Photography then created -- for the first time -- a full length film based off of the short documentary.  The longer feature film contains never-before-seen photographs, interview footage and new interviews with people from the Country music world such as artists Ronnie Milsap and Lorrie Morgan, designer Manuel and seminal musical artist Charley Pride. 

"Few art forms capture the American experience more viscerally – with more heart and humor and raw emotion – than American country music.  That's why I'm so pleased that our first feature film focuses on some of the best photographers ever to chronicle the genre.  Their work has all of the mood, and attitude, and emotional complexity of the greatest country songs.  But this movie has allowed us to go far beyond the images themselves, to celebrate the photographers who have helped elevate country, and to tell the stories behind their iconic shots.  I couldn't be prouder of the film, and I'm delighted by its inclusion in this year's Nashville Film Festival," said Wallis Annenberg, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation.

"In Country: Portraits of an American Sound, we set out to create a way to experience this important part of American history and culture in a visually arresting way; and although the appeal of country music spans the globe, its roots are in Nashville. We began filming in Music City 18 months ago, and I am excited to return for the world premiere," said Steven Kochones.

The exhibit presented images of the pioneers, poets and icons of country music free to the public May 31 through September 28, 2014.  Guest curators for this exhibit were Shannon Perich of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Michael McCall of the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum and Tim Davis formerly of the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum. The curators are featured extensively in the film.

Country: Portraits of an American Sound will screen for the public over two days in Nashville at the following times:

For more information about tickets for press or the general public: https://nashvillefilmfestival.org/buy-tickets/

About the Annenberg Space for Photography
The Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated to exhibiting photography.  The Space conveys a range of human experiences and serves as an expression of the philanthropic work of the Annenberg Foundation and its Directors.  The intimate environment features state-of-the-art, high-definition digital technology as well as traditional prints by some of the world's most renowned and emerging photographers.  It is the first solely photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area.

SOURCE The Annenberg Space for Photography

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