Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains

In 2007, former United States President Jimmy Carter toured the country to promote and speak about his book titled Palestine Peace Not Apartheid. He was followed by filmmaker Jonathan Demme, who shot footage of Carter at his various speeches and appearances for the book. The footage was edited together as part of a documentary film called Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains. The film had a premiere screening at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, and was also screened for audiences at the Venice Film Festival. The film, produced in association with Sony Pictures, features not only these speeches, but also interview footage of Carter with talk show hosts such as Tavis Smiley, Charlie Rose, and Larry King. In addition, because the subject matter deals with the peace process in the Middle East, the film includes archival footage from former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and former Egyptian Prime Minister Anwar Sadat from the 1979 Camp David Accords, as well as that of Carter's wife Rosalynn Carter and daughter Amy Carter. Demme was quoted in a Boston Globe story about the making of the film where he stated that he was denied access to a January 2007 speech Carter gave at Brandeis University due to, "logistical and legal considerations." Demme had hoped to use this as the closing for the film.

Fast Facts

1. Screened at the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival
2. Runtime: 125 minutes
3. Director Jonathan Demme followed Carter around for 16 hours a day with cameras
4. Demme won an Academy Award for directing Silence of the Lambs

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