International Premiere
Anthony Pedone’s film documents an extraordinary response to an appalling American injustice. In 2004, up-and-coming music entrepreneur Weldon Angelos was sentenced to 55 years in federal prison. His crime? Three marijuana sales, totalling $350, to an informer. Angelos’s case became a cause célèbre, attracting rare cross-partisan support: not only did the judge and prosecutor call for his release, but so did powerful conservatives such as Charles Koch. With help from his music industry associates, including Snoop Dogg, Angelos fought long and hard for his freedom, which was only granted after more than a decade.
Taking us from Angelos’s hardscrabble youth in Utah to his music career in California, Pedone creates a touching personal portrait that complements the political message and infuses it with urgency. It’s not every day that hardcore American conservatives join forces with hip-hoppers, and part of the satisfaction of the film is in seeing people reach across a huge political divide. Passionate, uplifting, and incisive, Unlikely Allies is that rarest of things: a good-news story about contemporary America.
Media Partner
Community Partner
Weldon Angelos, Hollis, Nepolea, Lisa Angelos, Snoop Dogg, Charels Koch
USA
2023
English
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
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Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Bo Bennett, Marc Levin, Kevin Garnett, Michael Hollis Goldstein, Weldon Angelos
Producer
Mike Marangu, Hollis Goldstein, Anthony Pedone, Patrick McManamee
Screenwriter
Anthony Pedone, Max Blecker
Cinematography
Jake Bayless, Ellington Tynes
Editor
Hee-Jae Park, Anthony Pedone, Max Blecker
Original Music
Michael Hollis Goldstein
Anthony Pedone
Anthony Pedone is an independent filmmaker who dedicates his time to creating content that cultivates inclusion, community building, and collaboration. His work has premiered at Sundance, Tribeca, Slamdance, and Locarno, and can be streamed on Max, Amazon, Hulu, and Peacock.
Filmography: The Why (2009); Camp Casserole (2011); An American in Texas (2017)
Photo by Daniel B. Levin
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