‘Listen To Me Marlon’ Reveals Intimate Brando, In His Own Words – Sundance

by Jen Yamato

EXCLUSIVE: Documentary filmmaker Stevan Riley (Blue Blood, Fire In Babylon) got the chance of a lifetime when he was granted access to more than 200 hours of audio tapes Marlon Brando made during the course of his life, a personal archive of never-before-heard musings, acting studies, self-hypnosis and insights the enigmatic Oscar winner had hoped to turn into an autobiographical film before his death in 2004.

With the blessing of Brando’s estate and help from Searching For Sugar Man’s John Battsek (who produced alongside George Chignell and R.J. Cutler), Riley put Brando’s own intimate thoughts on Brando to film in Listen To Me Marlon, which premieres Saturday in competition at Sundance in the World Cinema Documentary program.

Listen to Me Marlon is one of two Showtime documentaries set to air on the cabler after debuting first in Park City, where both will court theatrical deals. The other is Amy Berg’s Prophet’s Prey, a feature documentary about polygamous FLDS cult leader and convicted child sex abuser Warren Jeffs whose exec producers include Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Dustin Lance Black.