Ava DuVernay's '14th' closes New York Film Festival with new Howard-Glasper song
Ava DuVernay's documentary '14th' will have its world premiere as the closing-night film of the New York Film Festival on Oct. 9, with a new original song made for the film.
The song is titled 'Makings of Tomorrow' and was written and performed by Brittany Howard and Robert Glasper, according to Variety. It plays over the documentary. Details of the track were confirmed in the run-up to the premiere.
'14th' takes its name and subject from the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. The film looks at birthright citizenship, due process and equal protection, and the fight over who gets to belong in America, according to Variety. The amendment was passed after the Civil War. It remains central to American debates about citizenship and rights.
The interviewees include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Anna Paulina Luna, Sherrilyn Ifill, Robert Chang, Stacey Abrams, Donald T. Critchlow and Hasan Piker. The list spans politics, law, history and online commentary. Their conversations sit alongside archival material in the film.
Howard rose to prominence as lead vocalist of Alabama Shakes and has earned 18 Grammy nominations and five wins. Glasper has received 13 Grammy nominations and five wins, most recently winning best R&B album in 2023 for 'Black Radio III', according to Variety. Both artists write and perform across genres. Their joint song is positioned as part of Netflix's awards push.
The film was produced by DuVernay, Spencer Averick, Tammy Garnes and Paul Garnes. Netflix will release '14th' globally on Dec. 4, according to Netflix. It will play first in select theatres in the United States and United Kingdom, according to Variety. Netflix plans an Oscar campaign for best documentary feature, the Academy's prize for non-fiction film.
What makes this stand out is the festival history. '14th' is a follow-up to DuVernay's documentary '13th,' which opened the New York Film Festival in 2016. That film was later nominated for best documentary feature at the 89th Academy Awards.
This time DuVernay closes the festival rather than opens it. '14th' is the Closing Night selection of the 64th New York Film Festival, which runs from Sept. 25 through Oct. 12, according to the Film at Lincoln Center. Ten years separate the two premieres. The closing slot is the festival's final high-profile screening.
