American Symphony (film)

American Symphony
American Symphony
	Release poster
Directed by	Matthew Heineman
Produced by	Matthew Heineman; Lauren Domino; Joedan Okun;
Starring	Jon Batiste
Cinematography	Tony Hardman; Matthew Heineman; Thorsten Thielow;
Edited by	Sammy Dane; Matthew Heineman; Jim Hession; Fernando Villegas;
Music by	Jon Batiste
Production; companies	Our Time Projects; Mercury Studios; Higher Ground Productions;
Distributed by	Netflix
Release dates	August 31, 2023 (Telluride); November 29, 2023;
Running time	104 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

American Symphony is a 2023 American biographical documentary film, written, shot, and edited by Matthew Heineman. It explores a year in the life of musician Jon Batiste, his music career, and his wife's struggle with leukemia.

It had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023, and was released by Netflix on November 29. The film received a Best Original Song nomination, for "It Never Went Away", at the 96th Academy Awards.

Premise

Explores a year in the life of musician Jon Batiste, chronicling his career in music (including his 11 nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards) and the struggles his wife, Suleika Jaouad, faces with leukemia.

Release

American Symphony had its world premiere at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023.^[2] Shortly after, Netflix and Higher Ground Productions acquired distribution rights to the film.^[3] It was released on November 29, 2023.^[4]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 93% of 27 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "More than a standard musician's documentary, American Symphony uses its behind-the-scenes access to present a portrait of courage and creativity."^[5] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 74 out of 100, based on 9 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.^[6]

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipient(s)	Result	Ref.
Academy Awards	March 10, 2024	Best Original Song	Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")	Nominated	^[7]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists	January 3, 2024	Best Documentary	American Symphony	Won^[a]	^[8]
American Cinema Editors	March 3, 2024	Best Edited Documentary (Theatrical)	Sammy Dane, Matthew Heineman, Jim Hession, and Fernando Villegas	Nominated	^[9]
Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards	January 6, 2024	Best Documentary Feature	American Symphony	Nominated	^[10]
Black Film Critics Circle	December 20, 2023	Best Documentary		Won	^[11]
Black Reel Awards	January 16, 2024	Outstanding Documentary Feature		Nominated	^[12]
		Outstanding Score	Jon Batiste	Nominated
		Outstanding Original Song	Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")	Nominated
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival	January 2, 2024	Best Documentary Feature	American Symphony	Won	^[13] ^[14]
Cinema Audio Society Awards	March 2, 2024	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Motion Picture – Documentary	Tom Paul, Tristan Baylis, and Ryan Collison	Nominated	^[15]
Cinema Eye Honors	January 12, 2024	Outstanding Production	Lauren Domino, Matthew Heineman, and Joedan Okun	Nominated	^[16]
		Outstanding Original Score	Jon Batiste	Nominated
		Audience Choice Prize	American Symphony	Nominated
		The Unforgettables	Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad	Won
Critics' Choice Documentary Awards	November 12, 2023	Best Documentary Feature	American Symphony	Nominated	^[17]
		Best Music Documentary	American Symphony	Won
		Best Director	Matthew Heineman	Nominated
		Best Score	Jon Batiste	Won
		Best Cinematography	Tony Hardmon, Matthew Heineman, and Thorsten Thielow	Nominated
		Best Editing	Sammy Dane, Jim Hession, Matthew Heineman, and Fernando Villegas	Nominated
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association	December 18, 2023	Best Documentary Film	American Symphony	Won	^[18]
Denver Film Critics Society	January 12, 2024	Best Documentary Feature	American Symphony	Nominated	^[19]
Golden Reel Awards	March 3, 2024	Outstanding Achievement in Music Editing – Documentary	Ignacio Bonet	Nominated	^[20]
Golden Reel Awards	March 3, 2024	Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Documentary	Tristan Baylis, Tom Paul, Leslie Bloome, Matt Snedecor, and Mark Filip	Nominated	^[20]
Grammy Awards	February 2, 2025	Best Music Film	Jon Batiste, Matthew Heineman, Lauren Domino, and Joedan Okun	Won	^[21]
Grammy Awards	February 2, 2025	Best Song Written for Visual Media	Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")	Won	^[21]
Houston Film Critics Society	January 22, 2024	Best Documentary Feature	American Symphony	Nominated	^[22] ^[23]
Indiana Film Journalists Association	December 17, 2023	Best Documentary		Nominated	^[24] ^[25]
Las Vegas Film Critics Society	December 13, 2023	Best Documentary		Nominated	^[26]
Middleburg Film Festival	October 22, 2023	Documentary Spotlight Award	Matthew Heineman	Won	^[27]
Montclair Film Festival	October 30, 2023	Audience Award – Documentary Feature	American Symphony	Won	^[28]
Montclair Film Festival	October 30, 2023	Documentary Filmmaker Award	Matthew Heineman	Won
NAACP Image Awards	March 16, 2024	Outstanding Documentary (Film)	American Symphony	Nominated	^[29]
North Texas Film Critics Association	December 18, 2023	Best Documentary Film		Nominated	^[30]
Oklahoma Film Critics Circle	January 3, 2024	Best Documentary		Won	^[31]
Philadelphia Film Festival	October 29, 2023	Audience Award – Documentary Feature		Won	^[32]
Producers Guild of America Awards	February 25, 2024	Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures		Won	^[33]
San Diego Film Critics Society	December 19, 2023	Best Documentary		Nominated	^[34]
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards	January 9, 2024	Best Documentary Film		Nominated	^[35]
Satellite Awards	March 3, 2024	Best Motion Picture – Documentary		Nominated	^[36]
		Best Original Song	Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")	Nominated
		Best Sound (Editing and Mixing)	Tristan Baylis, Matt Snedecor, and William Tzouris	Nominated
Society of Composers & Lyricists	February 13, 2024	Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film	Jon Batiste	Nominated	^[37]
Society of Composers & Lyricists	February 13, 2024	Outstanding Original Song for a Dramatic or Documentary Visual Media Production	Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")	Nominated	^[37]
St. Louis Film Critics Association	December 17, 2023	Best Documentary Film	American Symphony	Won^[b]	^[38]
Vancouver Film Critics Circle	February 12, 2024	Best Documentary		Nominated	^[39]
Virginia Film Festival	October 29, 2023	Audience Award – Documentary Feature		Won	^[40]
Virginia Film Festival	October 29, 2023	Directorial Achievement Award	Matthew Heineman	Won	^[40]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards	December 10, 2023	Best Documentary	American Symphony	Nominated	^[41]
Woodstock Film Festival	September 30, 2023	Audience Award – Best Documentary Feature	American Symphony	Won	^[42]
World Soundtrack Awards	October 17, 2024	Best Original Song	Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson ("It Never Went Away")	Nominated	^[43]

Notes

^ Tied with Smoke Sauna Sisterhood.
^ Tied with Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.

References

^ "American Symphony (12A)". BBFC. November 3, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
^ Davis, Clayton (August 30, 2023). "Telluride Lineup Includes World Premieres of 'Saltburn,' 'The Bikeriders' and 'Rustin' With Tributes for Yorgos Lanthimos and Wim Wenders". Variety. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
^ Feinberg, Scott (September 18, 2023). "Jon Batiste Doc 'American Symphony' Acquired by Netflix and Higher Ground; Oscar Run Set for This Season". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
^ Davis, Clayton (October 12, 2023). "Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson Enter Oscars Race for Original Song With Netflix Doc 'American Symphony'". Variety. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
^ "American Symphony". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
^ "American Symphony". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
^ "Oscar Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here". Vanity Fair. January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
^ Merin, Jennifer (December 22, 2023). "2023 EDA Awards Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
^ Pond, Steve (January 25, 2024). "ACE Eddie Awards 2024: The Complete List of Nominees". TheWrap. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
^ Anderson, Erik (December 7, 2023). "'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
^ Complex, Valerie (December 20, 2023). "Black Film Critics Circle Winners: American Fiction Takes Home Top Honors". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Complex, Valerie (December 15, 2023). "Black Reel Awards Nominations: 'The Color Purple' And 'Rustin' Dominate". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
^ "OPPENHEIMER DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN TO BE HONORED WITH THE "CAPRI BEST ENSEMBLE CAST AWARD 2023"" (Press release). Capri Hollywood International Film Festival. December 17, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
^ "A Capri trionfa Oppenheimer con 7 Awards, poi Barbie e Maestro". Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (in Italian). January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
^ Pedersen, Erik (January 9, 2024). "Cinema Audio Society Awards Nominations: Barbie, Oppenheimer, The Eras Tour & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
^ Saperstein, Pat (November 16, 2023). "'Kokomo City' Leads Nominations for Cinema Eye Documentary Honors". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ Zilko, Christian (November 13, 2023). "'Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie' Sweeps the Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Complete Winners List)". IndieWire. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ Jorgenson, Todd (December 18, 2023). "DFW Film Critics Name The Holdovers Best Picture of 2023". Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
^ Neglia, Matt (January 12, 2024). "The 2023 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Tangcay, Jazz (January 16, 2024). "Oppenheimer Dominates Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
^ Willman, Chris (November 8, 2024). "Grammy Nominations 2025: Beyonce Leads With 11 Nods as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Are Among Top Nominees". Variety. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
^ Darling, Cary (January 9, 2024). "Barbie, Oppenheimer lead Houston Film Critics Society's nominations". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
^ Darling, Cary (January 22, 2024). "Houston Film Critics Society names Poor Things the best film of 2023". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
^ Rogers, Nick (December 12, 2023). "Nominations Announced for the 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards". Midwest Film Journal. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Neglia, Matt (December 17, 2023). "The 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Neglia, Matt (December 13, 2023). "The 2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Davis, Clayton (October 23, 2023). "Cord Jefferson's 'American Fiction' Wins Audience Award at Middleburg Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ "2023 Montclair Film Festival Award Winners Announced! | Montclair Film". montclairfilm.org. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ Hipes, Patrick (January 25, 2024). "Colman Domingo, Keke Palmer, Ayo Edebiri, Victoria Monét Lead NAACP Image Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
^ Neglia, Matt (December 18, 2023). "The 2023 North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Neglia, Matt (January 3, 2024). "The 2023 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ Bogg, Smalley (November 1, 2023). "Winners of the Philadelphia Film Festival Awards". phindie. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ Bergeson, Samantha (January 12, 2024). "PGA Awards 2024 Nominations: Maestro, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Past Lives Among Contenders". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
^ Anderson, Erik (December 15, 2023). "San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
^ Neglia, Matt (January 5, 2024). "The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
^ "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
^ Neglia, Matt (December 21, 2023). "The 2023 Society Of Composers And Lyricists (SCL) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
^ Anderson, Eric (December 10, 2023). "2023 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". awardswatch.com. AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
^ Vlessing, Etan (January 22, 2024). "Oppenheimer Leads Vancouver Film Critics Circle Nominations With Six Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
^ "Award Winners". Virginia Film Festival. May 9, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ Neglia, Matt (December 9, 2023). "The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
^ "Award Winners from the 24th Annual Woodstock Film Festival". Woodstock Film Festival. October 1, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
^ "Discover the first nominees for the 2024 World Soundtrack Awards!". World Soundtrack Awards. August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

External links

American Symphony on Netflix
American Symphony at IMDb

[8] Tied with Smoke Sauna Sisterhood.

[39] Tied with Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.

[1] "American Symphony (12A)". BBFC. November 3, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2024.

[2] Davis, Clayton (August 30, 2023). "Telluride Lineup Includes World Premieres of 'Saltburn,' 'The Bikeriders' and 'Rustin' With Tributes for Yorgos Lanthimos and Wim Wenders". Variety. Retrieved October 20, 2023.

[3] Feinberg, Scott (September 18, 2023). "Jon Batiste Doc 'American Symphony' Acquired by Netflix and Higher Ground; Oscar Run Set for This Season". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 20, 2023.

[4] Davis, Clayton (October 12, 2023). "Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson Enter Oscars Race for Original Song With Netflix Doc 'American Symphony'". Variety. Retrieved October 20, 2023.

[Rotten_Tomatoes-5] "American Symphony". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved November 30, 2023.

[Metacritic-6] "American Symphony". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 30, 2023.

[7] "Oscar Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here". Vanity Fair. January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.

[9] Merin, Jennifer (December 22, 2023). "2023 EDA Awards Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved December 23, 2023.

[10] Pond, Steve (January 25, 2024). "ACE Eddie Awards 2024: The Complete List of Nominees". TheWrap. Retrieved January 25, 2024.

[11] Anderson, Erik (December 7, 2023). "'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 8, 2023.

[12] Complex, Valerie (December 20, 2023). "Black Film Critics Circle Winners: American Fiction Takes Home Top Honors". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[13] Complex, Valerie (December 15, 2023). "Black Reel Awards Nominations: 'The Color Purple' And 'Rustin' Dominate". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2023.

[14] "OPPENHEIMER DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN TO BE HONORED WITH THE "CAPRI BEST ENSEMBLE CAST AWARD 2023"" (Press release). Capri Hollywood International Film Festival. December 17, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.

[15] "A Capri trionfa Oppenheimer con 7 Awards, poi Barbie e Maestro". Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (in Italian). January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2024.

[16] Pedersen, Erik (January 9, 2024). "Cinema Audio Society Awards Nominations: Barbie, Oppenheimer, The Eras Tour & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 9, 2024.

[17] Saperstein, Pat (November 16, 2023). "'Kokomo City' Leads Nominations for Cinema Eye Documentary Honors". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2023.

[18] Zilko, Christian (November 13, 2023). "'Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie' Sweeps the Critics Choice Documentary Awards (Complete Winners List)". IndieWire. Retrieved November 19, 2023.

[19] Jorgenson, Todd (December 18, 2023). "DFW Film Critics Name The Holdovers Best Picture of 2023". Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association. Retrieved December 18, 2023.

[20] Neglia, Matt (January 12, 2024). "The 2023 Denver Film Critics Society (DFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[21] Tangcay, Jazz (January 16, 2024). "Oppenheimer Dominates Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 16, 2024.

[22] Willman, Chris (November 8, 2024). "Grammy Nominations 2025: Beyonce Leads With 11 Nods as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Are Among Top Nominees". Variety. Retrieved November 8, 2024.

[23] Darling, Cary (January 9, 2024). "Barbie, Oppenheimer lead Houston Film Critics Society's nominations". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2024.

[24] Darling, Cary (January 22, 2024). "Houston Film Critics Society names Poor Things the best film of 2023". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 22, 2024.

[25] Rogers, Nick (December 12, 2023). "Nominations Announced for the 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association Awards". Midwest Film Journal. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[26] Neglia, Matt (December 17, 2023). "The 2023 Indiana Film Journalists Association (IFJA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[27] Neglia, Matt (December 13, 2023). "The 2023 Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[28] Davis, Clayton (October 23, 2023). "Cord Jefferson's 'American Fiction' Wins Audience Award at Middleburg Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved November 19, 2023.

[29] "2023 Montclair Film Festival Award Winners Announced! | Montclair Film". montclairfilm.org. Retrieved November 19, 2023.

[30] Hipes, Patrick (January 25, 2024). "Colman Domingo, Keke Palmer, Ayo Edebiri, Victoria Monét Lead NAACP Image Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 26, 2024.

[31] Neglia, Matt (December 18, 2023). "The 2023 North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[32] Neglia, Matt (January 3, 2024). "The 2023 Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 21, 2024.

[33] Bogg, Smalley (November 1, 2023). "Winners of the Philadelphia Film Festival Awards". phindie. Retrieved November 19, 2023.

[34] Bergeson, Samantha (January 12, 2024). "PGA Awards 2024 Nominations: Maestro, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Past Lives Among Contenders". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.

[35] Anderson, Erik (December 15, 2023). "San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.

[36] Neglia, Matt (January 5, 2024). "The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved January 5, 2024.

[37] "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.

[38] Neglia, Matt (December 21, 2023). "The 2023 Society Of Composers And Lyricists (SCL) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 22, 2023.

[40] Anderson, Eric (December 10, 2023). "2023 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". awardswatch.com. AwardsWatch. Retrieved December 11, 2023.

[41] Vlessing, Etan (January 22, 2024). "Oppenheimer Leads Vancouver Film Critics Circle Nominations With Six Nods". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2024.

[42] "Award Winners". Virginia Film Festival. May 9, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2023.

[43] Neglia, Matt (December 9, 2023). "The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved December 9, 2023.

[44] "Award Winners from the 24th Annual Woodstock Film Festival". Woodstock Film Festival. October 1, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.

[45] "Discover the first nominees for the 2024 World Soundtrack Awards!". World Soundtrack Awards. August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.

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v t e Jon Batiste
Awards and nominations
Studio albums	We Are World Music Radio
Collaborative albums	The Process
Soundtracks	Soul Saturday Night
Songs	"Candy Necklace" "It Never Went Away"
Related articles	The Late Show Band American Symphony

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