Over the last decade or so, Jonathan Demme has been veering further away from theatrical features and focusing more than ever on producing high quality documentaries. As much as I have loved the man's feature films, from his days with Roger Corman to The Silence of the Lambs to 2008's Rachel Getting Married(wow, it's been 3 years already??), I can hardly complain when the man is clearly following a deeper passion. My personal favorite is the doc he made on President Jimmy Carter, Man from Plains. In particular, Demme has spent a good deal of time and energy chronicling the lives of musicians, such as the two films he's made with Neil Young.
Well now Demme has found a new favorite to follow, in jazz/world music fusion musician Enzo Avitabile. Set in Naples with the working title of "Enzo", Demme first got the idea after hearing one of Avitabile's tracks on the radio. Demme got in contact with the Naples mayor, Luigi de Magistris, who is backing the film and will have a cameo. Avitabile will perform a live concert in the film, which will also feature a host of other world music icons.
A jazz saxophonist, Avitabile has worked in the past with such greats as Tina Turner, James Brown, and Pino Daniele. In 2005, Avitabile and his band Bottari were nominated for the Audience Award in the BBC Awards for World Music. [Variety]
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