Magnolia Pictures has acquired the U.S. rights to “Invisible Beauty, a documentary telling the story of fashion icon Bethann Hardison.
The film, co-directed by Hardison and Frédéric Tcheng, premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and recently screened at Tribeca. The picture is produced by Lisa Cortés with Naomi Campbell serving as an executive producer and will debut theatrically Sept. 15.
The picture shines a spotlight on Hardison, one of the fashion industry’s most influential icons who, as a pioneering Black model, modeling agent and entrepreneur, pushed the boundaries of fashion culture and has been at the forefront of progress throughout her career. Now in her 70s, the Brooklyn native is currently penning her memoir which will take stock of her legacy amid a fashion industry shaken by discrimination.
“Bethann and Frédéric have created a gorgeous, evocative memoir that serves as a cinematic blueprint for what it really means to be a maverick, and a shrewd catalyst for change,” said Magnolia Pictures co-CEO Dori Begley.
“Invisible Beauty” features interviews with the likes of Iman, Tyson Beckford, Tracee Ellis Ross, Zendaya, Fran Lebowitz, Pat Cleveland, Naomi Campbell, and Stephen Burrows. It traces her impact on the industry, from the runway shows in the 1970s to roundtables about racial diversity in the early 2000s.
“Often I have said I didn’t think I had a story to document but once I got out of my way and allowed the collaboration with Frédéric, it made me a believer,” said Hardison. “The impact of hearing the responses of the audience has made me know further that this is and will be a film of legacy. Being recognized by Magnolia to partner has been an aspiration of mine and now to go as far as we can is the goal.”
“Our collaboration with Bethann has been on a very special journey and I’m excited to continue with Magnolia, a true cinema lover’s distributor, on the road to meet our audience,” said Tcheng.
Executive producers are Hallee Adelman, John Boccardo, Derek Esplin, Ivy Herman, Rick Rosenthal, Nancy Stephens, Andrea Van Beuren, and Naomi Campbell.
Co-executive producers are David Chan, Heidi and Chris Stolte, Robina Riccitiello. A Cortés Filmworks Production, In Association with a Lane B Production, Vogue Studios, Whitewater Films, and JustFilms/Ford Foundation.
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia co-CEO Dori Begley and SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden, with Josh Braun of Submarine and Jason Ishikawa of Cinetic on behalf of the filmmakers.