LOS ANGELES (Amaru Entertainment) - Tupac: Resurrection, the Amaru Entertainment/MTV Films produced feature documentary which was distributed by Paramount
Pictures and directed by Emmy-nominee
Lauren Lazin, has been tapped by the
National Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as one of five Oscar nominees in the Best Documentary (Feature Length) category. The ceremony will be broadcast live from Los Angeles' Kodak Theater on Sunday, February 27, at 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST.
Amaru Entertainment is Afeni Shakur's entertainment company. Afeni, mother of Tupac, the most successful artist in rap history, is thrilled by the nomination. "In addition to all the thanks that are due to everyone who helped make this film a reality, I believe this nomination represents a spiritual victory for Tupac and all he stood for. It is an acknowledgement of how his life touched so many other hearts and souls out there and, whether or not the film ultimately wins, it shows the lasting power that my son, his art and his love continue to give to the world he treasured."
Tupac: Resurrection, which chronicles the life, death and art of Tupac Shakur, opened in theaters nationwide in November 2003 to critical acclaim. Lauren Lazin (nominated for two Emmys for Journey of Dr. Dre) served as director/producer for the documentary, which features extensive interview and music video footage culled from MTV, private home movies, as well as rare, never-before-seen concert performances, all tied together by excerpts from Tupac's own poetry and journals, spoken by the rapper himself.
The movie was executive-produced by Afeni Shakur, MTV's Van Toffler and David Gale, produced by Lauren Lazin, Preston Holmes and Karolyn Ali, with co-producers Michael Cole and Dina LaPolt, a noted entertainment lawyer who handles the day-to-day business affairs for Amaru Entertainment.
The movie also spawned a best-selling companion book of the same name, DVD and Amaru/Interscope soundtrack album which featured Eminem, The Notorious B.I.G., 50 Cent and Outlawz, amongst others. Some of the proceeds from both the DVD and the soundtrack album will go towards the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, which is using its contributions to help complete the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, a combination museum, theater and performing arts school for underprivileged youths, in honor and memory of the late rapper. More information is available at https://www.tasf.org.
