FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Boston Athletic Association Announces Documentary
Filmmakers to Create First Feature-Length Documentary Film
of the Iconic Boston Marathon
BOSTON, MA - The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that
it has entered into an agreement with LA Roma Films, to produce "Boston"
the first ever feature-length documentary film about the Boston Marathon -
the world's most legendary running race.
Directed by Jon Dunham, award winning filmmaker/marathoner of the
critically acclaimed Spirit of the Marathon films, and produced by Academy
AwardTM nominee Megan Williams, the film is expected to be released in late
2015.
"We are fortunate to be working with Jon Dunham and LA Roma Films on this
project," said Joann Flaminio, president, B.A.A. "Their unique and
extensive understanding and knowledge of the marathon promises to make
"Boston" a highly anticipated film experience."
The film will document many of the historic moments of the Boston Marathon
from its founding through today. "Boston" will capture the spirit of the
individuals and communities who have long-made the race a world-renowned
athletic event, while also paying tribute to the tragic events of 2013.
The film will include an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the major
organizational efforts to prepare for the race, dramatic moments from past
Boston Marathons as told by former champions and competitors, and
contemporary stories of runners and spectators who have unique
relationships with the race.
"We know the world's connection to the Boston Marathon is stronger today
than ever," said Tom Grilk, executive director, B.A.A. "We look forward to
an exciting movie that tells of Boston's colorful 118-year history, and
shows the strength of spirit of those who make this race a success."
The B.A.A. granted LA Roma Films exclusive documentary rights to the 2014
race.
"We are honored to tell the story of this world famous race," said director
Jon Dunham. "We are looking for unique stories of the challenging journeys
people have had on their way to qualifying for the Boston Marathon, as well
as personal accounts of last year's event."
For more information, or to share your personal story of Boston please
contact .
About the Filmmakers
Producer, Director, Cinematographer - Jon Dunham: A Southern California
native, Jon Dunham began making films at 13. He immediately fell in love
with the art form and soon chose to pursue filmmaking as a career. The
decision led him to the University of Southern California's prestigious
School of Cinematic Arts where he graduated in 2000. Following film school
he was chosen by Top Value Television pioneer Megan Williams as the
cinematographer for Tell Me Cuba, a documentary about the difficult and
complex relations between the United States and Cuba. The collaboration
continued with Jon's directorial debut, No Distance Too Far, a documentary
featuring four individuals whose lives had been touched by AIDS as they
took part in the California AIDS Ride. Involving 3,000 cycling
participants and nearly 600 miles of California's coast and central valley,
the film previewed the epic subjects and personal human stories that have
become a hallmark of Jon's work and was featured in the International
Documentary Association's 2002 Doctober festival of outstanding films.
Pictured: Director/Marathoner Jon Dunham (right) with Johnny Kelley "the
Elder" at Boston in 200.
Teamed with three-time Academy Award winner Mark Jonathan Harris, who would
executive produce Jon's next two films, the five-year journey of shooting
and directing Spirit of the Marathon began. Premiering at the 2007 Chicago
International Film Festival, the film won the coveted Audience Award and
was subsequently released in more than 400 cinemas across the United States
by National CineMedia in a unique satellite distribution event, which
grossed $1 million dollars in two nights. The film has been distributed
theatrically and broadcast globally and has since been followed-up by
Spirit of the Marathon II, which was released in more than 600 cinemas in
June 2013.
In addition to directing, Jon continues to work as a cinematographer. He
has recently shot the documentaries There Was Once... about the Jewish
Holocaust and its lasting effect on Hungary as well as the award winning
Bound by Flesh executive produced by Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis.
Producer - Megan Williams: Megan Williams is the recipient of numerous
awards including an Academy Award Nomination, and the Alfred I. duPont -
Columbia University School of Journalism Award. In 2002 she teamed with
director Jon Dunham to produce No Distance Too Far: A film of California
Aids Ride 8 an official selection of the IDA 6th Annual Documentary
Showcase. Her work covers a variety of topics and events including: the
Democratic and Republican Conventions, the Super Bowl, the OscarsTM, Bob
Dylan's Hard Rain Concert, HIV/AIDS and childhood deafness.
From 1996-2000, Williams served as adjunct professor at the University of
Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Her work in the 1970's as
co-founder and partner of TVTV - one of the first independent documentary
video organizations - is featured in Subject to Change: Guerrilla
Television Revisited by Deirdre Boyle, Oxford University Press, 1997; and
was showcased in a major retrospective at the Museum of Television and
Radio, New York City. The TVTV archive is in the permanent collection of
the Pacific Film Archive, University of California, Berkeley.
In 1982, in response to her then infant son's diagnosis of profound hearing
loss, Williams founded TRIPOD, a non-profit organization for deaf children
and their families. The TRIPOD school has become a part of the Burbank,
California Unified School District and serves as a model program for deaf
educators and parents of deaf children worldwide. The TRIPOD archive is in
the permanent collection of Wallace Library, NTID/RIT, Rochester, NY.
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