Edward Norton seeks distributor for Obama doc

Actor/producer Edward Norton is seeking a distributor for a documentary about Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, according to Variety. The as-yet-untitled documentary is being produced by Norton’s Class 5 Films and is scheduled for release in 2009.

Directors Amy Rice and Alicia Sams started shooting in 2006—long before Sen. Obama announced his intention to vie for this year's Democratic presidential nomination—when they accompanied him on a trip to Africa. The filmmakers will continue shooting for the duration of the senator’s campaign.

Although Norton and Endeavor agent Ari Emanuel (yes, he's the namesake of that Ari), who's helping the film find a distributor, are both supporters of Obama’s candidacy (Emanuel has hosted fund-raisers and Hollywood functions to support the senator and Norton has reportedly donated to his campaign), Norton told Daily Variety that the film’s purpose was not to glorify its subject.

The inspiration came as Norton, his Class 5 partners, and Rice and Sams discussed a speech Sen. Obama delivered at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. “None of us had voted for him or contributed to his campaigns,” Norton said. “None of us was saying, ‘I want to back this guy for president.’ It was more this generational experience, of seeing someone we felt represented us in a very unique and fresh way, and the desire to explore what would happen to the first person our age who staked a claim to national leadership.”

The filmmakers already have hundreds of hours of footage, but Norton said it would be difficult to estimate a production budget or timetable, as Sen. Obama’s campaign is still in progress.

Related links:
IMDb: Edward Norton
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