- Share this article on Facebook
- Share this article on Twitter
- Share this article on Flipboard
- Share this article on Email
- Show additional share options
- Share this article on Linkedin
- Share this article on Pinit
- Share this article on Reddit
- Share this article on Tumblr
- Share this article on Whatsapp
- Share this article on Print
- Share this article on Comment
Magnolia Pictures has acquired North American rights to Good Ol’ Freda, a documentary about the Beatles’ lifelong secretary Freda Kelly.
Directed by Ryan White (Pelada) and produced by Kathy McCabe, White and Jessica Lawson, the doc made its U.S. premiere last month at the SXSW Film Festival.
Kelly was just a shy Liverpudlian teenager when she was asked to work for a local band hoping to make it big. As the Beatles’ devoted secretary and friend, Freda was there as history unfolded, witnessing the evolution — advances and setbacks, breakthroughs and challenges — of the most popular band in history. In Good Ol’ Freda, she tells her story for the first time in 50 years. One of a few films with the support of the living Beatles and featuring original Beatles music, it offers an insider perspective on the band that changed the music industry.
Magnolia will release the film theatrically later in the year.
“Freda Kelly is a truly remarkable woman, and Good Ol’ Freda is a treasure trove and delight for fans of the Beatles, from casual to die-hard,” Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles said. “Ryan White has done us all a great service in telling her story.”
STORY: Meet the Beatles’ Secretary
Added White: “The dignity and devotion with which Freda has lived her life inspired me to make this film. I am so thrilled to partner with Magnolia and the amazing team there; they are the perfect company to get Freda’s long-untold story out to audiences on a wider scale.”
Josh Braun of Submarine repped the filmmakers. Dori Begley negotiated on behalf of Magnolia.
Email: Tatiana.Siegel@THR.com, Twitter: @TatianaSiegel27
Related Stories
THR Newsletters
Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day