New York Theatre Ballet LIFT Documentary Acquired by Paramount's Republic Pictures

Republic Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to LIFT for distribution by Paramount Global Content Distribution, directed by Academy Award nominee David Petersen and produced by Mary Recine. The film will be available in select theaters in the U.S. on September 15, 2023 as well as available to buy or rent on digital September 22nd, 2023. It will also be available in the UK to buy or rent on digital September 25th, 2023.

LIFT world premiered at the Tribeca Festival, where it won an Audience Award, was winner of Best Documentary at The San Francisco Dance Film Festival, was featured as Best of Fest at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and won the Shine Global “Children’s Resilience in Film Award.” The film was an official selection of numerous international festivals domestically and abroad, including Hamptons, Miami, and the 62nd Cartagena De Indias International Film Festival – FICCI, the oldest film festival in Latin America. 

shines a spotlight on the transformative power of dance and the invisible story of homelessness in America through young home-insecure ballet dancers and their mentor

. This moving documentary who inspires them at New York Theatre Ballet.

Over a decade in the making, LIFT follows children impacted by homelessness as they discover the magic of self-expression through dance. Guided by mentor Steven Melendez, whose journey leads back to his childhood shelter, their path within a remarkable ballet program becomes a celebration of joy and triumph in the face of adversity.

LIFT is presented by Vulcan Productions and Beaufort 9 Films, in association with JustFilms | Ford Foundation and Catapult Film Fund. Produced by Mary Recine and David Petersen. Misty Copeland is Executive Producer and has served as Principal Advisor since 2017. Executive Producers are Jody Allen, Ruth Johnson, Rocky Collins, Sam Pollard, Jannat Gargi, Lisa Kleiner Chanoff, Bonni Cohen, and Megan Gelstein. Co- Executive producer, Leyla Fayyaz. Executive Producers from Paramount/CBS 25 Stories are Jenny Lumet, Alex Kurtzman, and Bruce Evans. New York Theatre Ballet and the LIFT ballet program were founded by Diana Byer.

Upon coming on board as an executive producer last year, Copeland said, “LIFT demonstrates the power and importance of dance. The beauty and complexity in each of the stories told show that hope, resilience, and dance can be the lifeblood that saves lives. I’m proud - and honored - to be a part of a creative team that understands why LIFT not only deserves to be celebrated in this way, but that it’s important to uplift the names,faces and journeys whose lives have changed as a result of this program.”

“Following the challenges and hopes of these incredible kids and their mentor, Steven Melendez, took almost 11 years, but the rewards of seeing how they transformed a classical art form to tell their own story was worth every minute,” Petersen said.

About Paramount Global Content Distribution

Paramount Global Content Distribution is the leading distributor of premium content across multiple media platforms throughout the global marketplace. The division's portfolio is comprised of some of the world's most recognized brands, including feature

films and television programs from Paramount Pictures, Republic Pictures, Paramount Television Studios, CBS Studios, CBS Media Ventures, CBS News, SHOWTIME Networks, Nickelodeon, MTV Entertainment Studios, Miramax and third-party partners. The division also has the largest distributed library of series and film titles, including global franchises such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "NCIS," "Star Trek," "SpongeBob SquarePants," "Transformers," "Mission: Impossible," and more. In addition, the division

licenses a diverse lineup of scripted and unscripted formats for local production and international co-productions. Paramount Global Content Distribution is a division of Paramount. 

About Republic Pictures

The Republic Pictures label, originally founded in 1935, has been newly revitalized as an acquisition label that leverages Paramount Global’s vast worldwide distribution channels, across home entertainment, streaming, television and other distribution platforms, to distribute a wide range of acquired films. Republic Pictures is an acquisition-only label under Paramount Pictures.