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Unlikely Allies film image; three men stand in front of step and repeat to have their photo taken

Unlikely Allies

Insights

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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

Director
Featuring

Weldon Angelos, Hollis, Nepolea, Lisa Angelos, Snoop Dogg, Charels Koch

Credits
Country of Origin

USA

Year

2023

Language

English

Film Contact
18+
95 min
Black Cinema Documentary Human Rights & Social Justice
Content Cartel, Film Exchange

Book Tickets

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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 headshot; Unlikely Allies director

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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