Freestyle Digital Media Acquires Quincy Jones and Debbie Allen-Produced Doc ‘King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones’
Byron Allen’s digital film distribution wing Freestyle Digital Media has acquired the documentary King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones.
The Quincy Jones and Debbie Allen produced documentary from European filmmaker Harriet Marin Jones explores her searching for the truth about her grandfather, Edward Jones. Known as the most famous policy king, Jones rose to political and financial prominence in Depression-era Chicago.
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“Despite the years of research and the never-ending difficulties to find the funds to finance the film, as a filmmaker, I could not have asked for a better story to share with the world,” the filmmaker said in a release. “As Edward Jones’s granddaughter, I had access to countless anecdotes and personal documents retracing his incredible journey in the midst of major historical events.”
“Gangster for some, hero for others, who was really Edward Jones?” a release for the film questions. Jones became one of the richest men in the country during the 1930s and 1940s due to the policy business, an illegal numbers game similar to today’s lottery. Jones eventually led a life on the run.
“I’m thrilled that we are bringing this internationally acclaimed documentary to the people. This true yet untold story is so relevant today in this moment where we as a nation of Black people are still finding ourselves struggling for basic human rights,” Allen said in a release.
“To just know of this story; a man who came out of a family in slavery to become the biggest policy king in Chicago,” she continued. “We hear about Al Capone, but we don’t hear about Ed Jones. Ed Jones – who also was a Robin Hood to his community in giving back and ultimately responsible for the now government-owned lottery that was taken from him and his family.”
King of Kings: Chasing Edward Jones was written by Harriet Marin Jones, Michel Fessler and Giles Gardner, with Jones serving as director and producer. Quincy Jones, Debbie Allen, Stéphane Sperry and Séverine Cappa were executive producers on the project.
The film will screen in Chicago starting Sept. 20 and in L.A. on Sept. 27. It will be available to rent and own on video-on-demand and DVD on Nov. 19.
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