“Elmore Leonard: But Don’t Try To Write” Documentary (Directed by John Mulholland) To Be Featured At Freeps Film Festival In Detroit 4/29/23
Elmore Leonard documentary Writer/Director John Mulholland and Producer/Editor Richard Zampella will attend festival for documentary screening and Q & A April 29th, 2023.
A documentary about renowned author Elmore Leonard, But Don’t Try to Write, will be featured at the Freep Film Festival in Detroit, MI, April 26th to 30th. Writer/Director John Mulholland and Producer/Editor Richard Zampella will attend the festival for a special Q & A after the film with Peter Leonard, son of Elmore Leonard on April 29th, 2023.
Freep Film Festival is a documentary-focused festival produced by the Detroit Free Press — Michigan’s largest news organization — in cooperation with its business and events arm, Michigan.com. The four-day festival features films with a strong connection to the issues, people and places in and around Detroit and Michigan.
But Don’t Try to Write explores the author’s legacy and his influence on generations of writers. Directed and written by John Mulholland and narrated by Campbell Scott. The documentary is currently airing Nationwide on Public Television. The film features interviews with Jim Born, Mike Lupica, Wendy Calhoun, Neely Tucker, Graham Yost and many others. Through these conversations, the film paints a portrait of an artist who has profoundly impacted our culture and our language. It also includes 30 minutes of original, unreleased interview footage with Elmore Leonard.
The film will be shown at The Freep Film Festival on April 29th, 2023, at 3 p.m. Sat., at Michigan Science Center (IMAX). But Don’t Try to Write is a production by Dutch Films, LLC, written & directed by John Mulholland, edited & produced by Richard Zampella, executive produced by Shannon Mulholland & Craig Gilbert.
Elmore Leonard was one of the most acclaimed novelists of the past half-century. He is the author of forty-six novels including Get Shorty, Out of Sight, and LaBrava. He was known for his crime novels, but he was also a master of other genres, including westerns, comedies, and dramas. In addition to being a prolific writer, Leonard was also a gifted storyteller, and his books were beloved by readers worldwide. In this documentary, Leonard’s colleagues, friends, and family share their memories of the man and his work. Featuring exclusive images and previously unseen footage, Elmore Leonard: But Don’t Try to Write is a tribute to one of the greatest writers in recent history.
Leonard’s exploration of racism in America is unparalleled. His Black characters are rich, complex, and full-bodied. His women, both good and bad, are not victims; they are real women negotiating femaleness in a male-driven world. His cops try to do the right thing in a murky, very gray America. Leonard’s working-class men and women seem to be forever beyond the grip of the American Dream. Like Ernest Hemingway, his mentor, Leonard is a master of economy and brevity. His prose is lean and mean, and his dialogue is sharp as a knife.
Best-selling author Rachel Howzell Hall said, “Elmore Leonard’s novels more honestly represent America than any other novelist.”
For more information, visit elmoredoc.com
