Without Richard Wayne Penniman, aka Little Richard, rock ‘n roll as we know it wouldn’t exist today. Don’t believe that claim? Well, Lisa Cortés‘ documentary “Little Richard: I Am Everything” is ready to shed some light on the subject and unveil the black queer roots of the musical genre.
Fresh off its acclaimed world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, “I Am Everything” takes a look at the life and career of the one of a kind rock star, a self-described omnisexual whose sexual identity proves as trailblazing as his music.
Here’s the doc’s official synopsis:
LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING tells the story of the Black queer origins of rock n’ roll, exploding the whitewashed canon of American pop music to reveal the innovator – the originator – Richard Penniman. Through a wealth of archive and performance that brings us into Richard’s complicated inner world, the film unspools the icon’s life story with all its switchbacks and contradictions. In interviews with family, musicians, and cutting-edge Black and queer scholars, the film reveals how Richard created an art form for ultimate self-expression, yet what he gave to the world he was never able to give to himself. Throughout his life, Richard careened like a shiny cracked pinball between God, sex and rock n’ roll. The world tried to put him in a box, but Richard was an omni being who contained multitudes – he was unabashedly everything.
“I Am Everything” boasts a slew of interviews with iconic figures like Mick Jagger, John Waters, Billy Porter, Tom Jones, and more.
Robert Friedman, Cortés, Liz Yale Marsh, and Caryn Capotosto produce “I Am Everything”, while Dee Rees serves as executive producer.
The Playlist’s review for “Little Richard: I Am Everything” is a rave, calling it a rock doc as flamboyant and genre-busting as its subject (read it here). If that doesn’t make this a must-watch, then check out a trailer for the film below. Cortés’ film gets special one night only theatrical screenings on April 11, followed by more theatrical releases and a digital release on April 21.
