(Chelsea Update would like to thank Jud Branam for the information in this story.)
Coming to Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theater on June 20, is “Let’s Have Some Church Detroit Style,” a documentary that blends music, faith and community to show another side of the Detroit story.
Filmmakers Andrew Sacks of Chelsea and Patrick Murphy won the Audience Choice Award at the 2015 Freep Film Festival with their documentary about an all-star community choir, The Hallelujah Singers.
Both men are Detroit natives and University of Michigan graduates with deep roots in the region. Murphy worked in video production for the University. Sacks has worked for decades as a freelance photo-journalist covering the Midwest for clients from around the world.
During production, both men found they were working in neighborhoods where they went to school and spent time in their younger days.
The film, Let’s Have Some Church Detroit Style, is set in the Motor City, and explores the challenges and triumphs of the choir and its charismatic director, Dr. E. LaQuint Weaver. Shot over four years, the 90-minute film is filled with music and candid reflections on life in the city from rehearsal halls, churches, and even living rooms.
The film trailer and an excerpt focusing on the unique role of the Hammond B3 organ in gospel music are accessible via these links:
