The life, career, and legacy of Richard “Little Richard” Penniman are explored in the official trailer for Lisa Cortes’ upcoming documentary, Little Richard: I Am Everything.
Magnolia Pictures’ new film tells the story of the music pioneer while also highlighting the Black queer origins of rock music and how it was successfully whitewashed – and almost erased – throughout American culture. It also examines how the Georgia-born entertainer contributed to a new and initially-misunderstood art form that would grow to become the most popular genre in the world.
In the trailer, viewers will get a deeper look into more serious themes such as Richard’s complicated relationship with his own sexuality, his struggle with self-acceptance, along with being an example for other queer individuals of that same generation. to live as his true self while empowering others to do exactly that. Little Richard: I Am Everything includes interviews from several Black and queer scholars, in addition to notable figures such as Billy Porter, Mick Jagger, John Waters, and Nile Rodgers, among others.
Little Richard: I Am Everything was executive produced by Dee Rees and produced by Robert Friedman, Cortés, Liz Yale Marsh and Caryn Capotosto. Earlier this year, it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and was met with stellar reviews. The documentary will debut theaters for a special one-night-only screening on April 11 before a larger-scale theatrical release on April 21.
Take a look at the trailer for Little Richard: I Am Everything below.