The estate of late jazz icon Bill Evans has distanced itself from the new biopic, 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans'. The film, which opened in UK cinemas on Friday, September 11, is scheduled for release in the USA on December 4.
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Evans' official estate stated that the film was made "WITHOUT the endorsement, involvement or participation" of the estate. They added that they "were not consulted during the making of the film, were not asked for our input, and have not been given an opportunity to view the film."
Despite this, the estate expressed excitement to see the film, hoping it "accurately represents Bill Evans, his life and music with the respect he deserves." They also wished for the film's success and for it to introduce new listeners to Evans' work.
Directed by Grant Gee, 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' traces a difficult period in Evans' life, with Anders Danielsen Lie in the starring role. The script is an adaptation of Owen Martell’s 2013 novel 'Intermission', depicting Evans navigating grief after the 1961 death of his bass player, Scott LaFaro.