Official Trailer for ‘Merchant Ivory’ Doc About the Cinema Partnership
by Alex Billington
July 31, 2024
Source: YouTube
“No serious film lover should miss this documentary!” Cohen Film Collection has revealed an official trailer for Merchant Ivory, a documentary film by director Stephen Soucy. It’s a look back at the iconic cinema partnership known as Merchant Ivory Productions, founded in 1961 by producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory. Merchant & Ivory were life and business partners from 1961 until Merchant’s death in 2005. During their time together, they made 44 films (including A Room with a View and Howards End ). Merchant Ivory is the definitive presentation and tribute to the Merchant Ivory partnership, anchored by interviews with James Ivory and 41 other Merchant Ivory close collaborators detailing and celebrating their experiences of being a part of the “wandering company” helmed by the legendary producer Ismail Merchant. With a total of 6 Academy Award-winners among the notable artists participating with interviews, including Emma Thompson and Vanessa Redgrave, the documentary provides new and compelling perspectives on a unique partnership that produced seminal films over four decades. A must watch history doc for cinephiles.
Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Stephen Soucy’s doc Merchant Ivory, direct from YouTube:
From director Stephen Soucy, Merchant Ivory is the first definitive feature documentary to lend new and compelling perspectives on the partnership, both professional & personal, between director James Ivory, producer Ismail Merchant and their primary associates, writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and composer Richard Robbins. Footage from more than fifty interviews, clips, and archival material gives voice to the family of actors and technicians who helped define Merchant Ivory’s Academy Award-winning work of consummate quality and intelligence. With 6 Oscar winners among the notable artists participating, these close and often long-term collaborators intimately detail the transformational cinematic creativity and personal and professional drama of the wandering company that left an indelible impact on film culture.
Merchant Ivory is a documentary film directed by indie producer / filmmaker Stephen Soucy, making his feature directorial debut after producing & directing a few other short films previously. It’s produced by Jon Hart and Stephen Soucy. Executive produced by James Ivory and Charles S. Cohen. This initially premiered at the 2024 BFI Flare London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival earlier this year. Cohen Film debuts this Merchant Ivory doc in select US theaters starting on August 30th, 2024. For release details, visit their official site.
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