SERGIO MENDES & FRIENDS: A CELEBRATION, a joyful salute to the pioneering Brazilian musical artist – producer, composer, keyboardist, vocalist – and Oscar-nominated songwriter will make its world premiere on PBS stations in June 2021
This program, presented by WNED PBS, was created especially for PBS and is derived from the forthcoming feature documentary Sergio Mendes: In The Key of Joy by acclaimed filmmaker John Scheinfeld (The U.S. vs John Lennon, Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary, and The Happy Days of Garry Marshall). The deal was negotiated by WNED PBS and the film’s distributor Brainstorm Media.
Mendes, a singular artist who remains as vital and relevant today as when he exploded on the scene in the 1960s with his group, Brasil ’66, played a huge role in popularizing Brazilian music around the world, and at the same time created his own genre by fusing Brazilian music with American pop. He continued to produce hits, decade after decade, staying current and relevant while staying true to his unique sound.
One of the most internationally successful Brazilian artists of all time, Mendes is a three-time Gramm Award winner with some 35 albums, including many gold or platinum, including the critically acclaimed Timeless, produced by will.i.am. Hit singles include Mas Que Nada, The Look of Love, Scarborough Fair, Night and Day, Never Gonna Let You Go and his unforgettable rendition of Fool on the Hill. In 2012, Sergio’s Real in Rio from the animated film “Rio” was nominated for an Academy Award® as Best Original Song.
SERGIO MENDES & FRIENDS: A CELEBRATION features the singer telling much of his story in his own words. He is joined onscreen by such friends and collaborators as Herb Alpert, Common, Lani Hall (lead singer of Brasil ’66), Quincy Jones, John Legend, Gracinha Mendes (Sergio’s lead singer since 1971 and his wife of 46 years), Jerry Moss, Carlos Saldhana (Oscar-nominated filmmaker of Rio) and singer/songwriter/producer will.i.am.
These friends offer unique perspectives on the man and his music, with plenty of the latter, including recordings and performances from nearly every phase of Sergio’s career.
“I am really looking forward to sharing my life and musical journey through the decades from Brasil ’66 through present day with PBS viewers across the nation,” says Mendes. “I hope viewers will have a joyful and uplifting experience.”
“Sergio’s warmth, humor and appreciation of life through all the senses made me feel a strong connection with him and I want others to feel the same way,” says director Scheinfeld. “His life is an exceptional blend of encounters, spontaneity and serendipity and makes him an irresistible subject for a film.”
About John Scheinfeld
Scheinfeld is best known for two widely acclaimed documentaries: The U.S. vs. John Lennon, which tells the true story of the US government’s attempt to silence the beloved musician and iconic advocate for peace and Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him)?, a compelling yet wildly entertaining documentary about one of the most talented and uncompromising singer-songwriters in pop music history.
His 2017 feature documentary, Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary, with Denzel Washington speaking the words of the iconic musician, was an official selection of the Telluride and Toronto Film Festival.
His most recent films include the critically acclaimed Herb Alpert Is… (nominated for a 2021 Writers Guild Award for Documentary Screenplay) and The Happy Days of Garry Marshall.
Scheinfeld was represented on PBS, with This Is Bob Hope on American Masters and Dick Cavett’s Watergate and Dick Cavett’s Vietnam. During his career Scheinfeld has also written, produced and or directed numerous documentaries about such pop culture legends as the Bee Gees, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Bing Crosby, Norman Lear, Dean Martin, the Marx Brothers, Ricky Nelson, Peter Sellers, Frank Sinatra, Brian Wilson and Jonathan Winters.
About BRAINSTORM MEDIA
Founded in 1995, Brainstorm Media is a full-service boutique U.S. film distributor and production company. Recent releases include THE WOLF HOUR starring Naomi Watts, WORKING MAN starring Peter Gerety and Talia Shire, THE CUBAN starring Louis Gossett Jr., Ana Golja and Shohreh Aghdashloo, INTO THE LABYRINTH starring Dustin Hoffman and Toni Servillo, RECON starring Alexander Ludwig and YA horror/mystery THE SINNERS. Upcoming releases include Fantastic Fest favorite BLOODTHIRSTY.
