Exclusive: AMERICAN JEDI Heads for Release via Freestyle Digital Media

Though the very idea of following a religion based on a popular series of films may sound amusing to outsiders, it's clear that at least some of the people interviewed in American Jedi are very serious about their beliefs.

That makes it very good news that Freestyle Digital Media has acquired North American rights to the documentary and has made plans for digital distribution in November 2017. It's a timely announcement in view of the giant gathering of fans in San Diego, California for Comic-Con this weekend.

Laurent Malaquais, who previously explored unexpectedly devout fans in his documentary Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony, decided to chronicle "real life 'Jedi' who follow the Jedi path based on the Star Wars mythology," according to an official statement.

The film follows "three candidates for knighthood who must face a reckoning with the darkest issues from their past in order to be accepted into a real-life Jedi community. The documentary delves into the world of 'Jedi-ism' and the journey of Jedi testing for Jedi Knighthood. American Jedi is more than fandom, more than religion; for each Jedi initiate, it's a personal crusade for the betterment of their world."

Malaquais described the film as a follow-up to his previous fan-culture doc. He says: "It was very important to me to be with a company who not only understands my audience but also the sensibility of the film."

On the distributor's side, Dan Fisher, Vice President of Acquisitions for Freestyle Digital Media, says: "This hilarious documentary deftly walks the fine line between a satirical poke and a love letter to the Jedi community."

For more information, visit the official Facebook page here.