Burnett's Lost Film Reborn in 4K Restoration

Filmmaker Charles Burnett's 1983 film, "My Brother's Wedding," has undergone a significant 4K restoration and digital re-edit, directed by Burnett himself. This initiative allows audiences to experience the film closer to the director's original intent, following decades where its distribution was hindered.

The restored film presents a tragicomic narrative centered on Pierce Mundy, an individual working in his family's dry cleaners with uncertain prospects. Pierce faces a critical dilemma: choosing between his brother's wedding and his best friend Soldier's funeral, both scheduled for the same day.

Initially premiering in 1983, "My Brother's Wedding" faced production challenges when producers altered Burnett's edit, leading to a negative reception and the film being shelved. Decades later, Milestone Films acquired the rights, facilitating this extensive restoration in collaboration with preservation archives.

Burnett supervised the restoration, which also shortens the original runtime to 81 minutes. This revitalized version is set to be released at New York's Film Forum on Friday, September 18.