Hope Runs High

Hope Runs High is an American film distribution company. They began preserving and distributing out-of-print documentary films digitally before expanding to narrative and first-run theatrical films. A unique element of their library is that much of it focuses on films by women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ filmmakers and subjects.[1] The company also houses a small record label that releases movie soundtracks and film scores.[2]

Hope Runs High
TypePrivate
IndustryEntertainment
Servicesfilm distribution
WebsiteOfficial website

Background

Hope Runs High acquired the distribution rights for a library of acclaimed documentary films. This collection included films from Academy Award-winning actress/director Lee Grant, including her 1986 Best Documentary Feature winner Down and Out in America,[3] as well as filmmaker Richard Morris' Oscar-shortlisted musical documentary Wallowitch & Ross: This Moment. Many of these films feature LGBTQ+ characters and were not seen in mainstream cinema at the time of their original release, rescuing and showcasing a unique corner of queer cinema.[4]

In 2019, Hope Runs High began to refocus on theatrical distribution, beginning with a limited theatrical re-release of documentaries by Grant.[5][6] Grant's films launched as part of a retrospective at New York's Film Forum and marked the first retrospective of her work to look at her time as both actor and director, and the first time many of the films had been exhibited in decades.[7]

Having begun with film preservation, some of the company's work deals with film history. Many of their digital releases include supplementary content designed to provide further cultural and historical context for the viewer.[8]

COVID-19/Virtual Cinema

An expansion of Grant's documentaries to art house and repertory cinemas was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, the re-release of Grant's films was redesigned as one of the earliest examples of a virtual cinema release. The collection of Grant's documentaries was curated for virtual cinemas by Taylor A. Purdee and has become the first virtual retrospective in the United States, as well as the largest series on Grant's directorial work.[9]

Subsequently, it was announced that the American Film Institute would honor Grant's lifetime achievements specifically as a documentarian during its 2020 AFI Docs film festival with a digital showing of Grant's Down and Out in America accompanying the celebration. This is the first time the festival has been held virtually, due to the pandemic.[10][11]

Also during the COVID-19 crisis, Hope Runs High brought Jonathan Caouette's 2003 documentary Tarnation to digital streaming for the first time in collaboration with The Criterion Collection. The film premiered June 1, 2020 in celebration of (a much changed) Pride Month.[12]

References
  1. "Films". Hope Runs High.
  2. "First Song Released from New Movie Killan and The Comeback Kids: 'Where We Should Be Today' is Folksy, Melodic and Meaningful". Suzee's Behind the Scenes. April 18, 2019.
  3. "Down and out in America". filmforum.org.
  4. Naro, Ali (May 2, 2017). "What Sex Am I?". Movies Over the Rainbow. Archived from the original on 2017-05-21.
  5. "Actor and Director Lee Grant, Lindon Beckford, and more..." OPEN STUDIO WITH JARED BOWEN (video). pbs.org. Season 8 Episode 38
  6. "Virtual Cinemas". Hope Runs High.
  7. Courogen, Carrie (December 4, 2019). "I'm Like History Passing By: An Interview With Lee Grant". Bright Wall/Dark Room.
  8. "VHS Vault Series: What Sex Am I?". www.brownpapertickets.com.
  9. Keough, Peter (May 1, 2020). "Once blacklisted, Lee Grant went on to win Oscars and make documentaries". The Boston Globe.
  10. Johnson, Ted (June 8, 2020). "AFI Docs Unveils 2020 Slate: '9 To 5: Story Of A Movement,' 'Women In Blue' Among Titles, Lee Grant To Be Honored". Deadline.
  11. Lattanzio, Ryan (June 8, 2020). "AFI Docs 2020 Has Majority Films by Women, New Movies from Julia Reichert, Ron Howard". IndieWire.
  12. "The Criterion Channel's June 2020 Lineup". The Criterion Collection. May 28, 2020.
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