Tyler Perry Doc Maxine’s Baby Premieres at AFI Fest, Streams on Prime – The Hollywood Reporter
Next month’s AFI Fest will put the spotlight on Tyler Perry. The festival announced Monday that it has booked a world premiere of the documentary Maxine’s Baby: The Tyler Perry Story as the main screening at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood on October 27th.
The project from Amazon Studios and Bekele Films comes from directors Gelila Bekele and Armani Ortiz and is described as an intimate look at the multihyphenate as it “gives audiences full access to the inner world of Tyler Perry, whose story has never been fully told.” He becomes a father and media mogul with a mission to pave his own path to the top.” The title is a reference to the name of his mother, Willie Maxine Perry, who died in 2009. Following its festival debut, the documentary will stream on Prime Video starting November 17th.
“Tyler Perry is a creative force of nature – a multi-talented artist who has forged his own path to make a seismic impact in the world of storytelling while inspiring the next generation to follow in his footsteps,” said Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of AFI. “Maxine’s baby is an epic tribute to a modern outsider, and it is AFI’s honor to spotlight Mr. Perry and the film at AFI Fest.”
Bekele, who produced the film under her Bekele Films banner alongside Jasmine K. White and Asante White, said in a joint statement with Ortiz: “Working on this film over the past decade has been a life-changing journey for both of us. It was truly impressive to get to know the man behind the icon while witnessing the transformative impact of Mr. Perry’s work in diverse communities. We hope this film is more than a journey to success story, but rather a meditation on healing, unconditional love and an inspiration to audiences.”
As previously announced, AFI Fest will open on October 25th with a world premiere of Sam Esmail’s apocalyptic thriller Leave the world behind Starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la Herrold, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans and Kevin Bacon. The film ends on October 29th with a screening of Bradley Coopers maestro Starring the filmmaker alongside Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, Sarah Silverman and more.
AFI Fest is scheduled for October 25-29 and will take place at the TCL Chinese Theater. In addition to opening night, the festival features a selection of red carpet premieres, special screenings, world cinema, documentaries and short films. AFI Fest film passes are Now on offer.
