View source for Bella!

{{COI|date=February 2024}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Bella!
| image          = Bella! Documentary Film Poster 2.png
| alt            =
| caption        = Official poster
| director       = [[Jeff L. Lieberman]]
| producer       = Jeff L. Lieberman
<br>Jamila C. Fairley
| writer         =  Jeff L. Lieberman
| starring       = [[Barbra Streisand]], [[Shirley MacLaine]], [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Lily Tomlin]], [[Nancy Pelosi]], [[Gloria Steinem]], [[Maxine Waters]], [[Phil Donahue]], [[Marlo Thomas]], [[Charles Rangel]], [[David Dinkins]], [[Renée Taylor]]
| music          = The Flat Nasty
| cinematography = [[Jeff L. Lieberman]]
| editing        = [[Jeff L. Lieberman]]
| studio         = Re-Emerging Films
| distributor    = Re-Emerging Films
| released       = {{Film date|2023|08|23|Worldwide}}
| runtime        = 102 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         =
| gross          =
}}
'''''Bella!''''' is a 2023 American [[documentary film]] by director [[Jeff L. Lieberman]]. It chronicles the political career of the American politician and activist [[Bella Abzug]].<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/17/movies/bella-review-bella-abzug.html|title= 'Bella!' Review: Taking the Fight to the Streets and the House|last= Rapold|first= Nicolas|date=2023-08-17|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>  The film opened in select theatres in August 2023 and has continued to tour throughout 2024. The film features interviews with [[Barbra Streisand]], [[Shirley MacLaine]], [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Lily Tomlin]], [[Nancy Pelosi]], [[Gloria Steinem]], [[Maxine Waters]], [[Phil Donahue]], [[Marlo Thomas]], [[Charles Rangel]], [[David Dinkins]] and [[Renée Taylor]].<ref>{{IMDb title|tt8000606|Bella!}}</ref>
''Bella!'' was nominated for Best Documentary Screenplay by the [[76th Writers Guild of America Awards]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/awards/writers-guild-award-nominations-2024-full-list-1235918306/////|title= WGA Nominations: 'Oppenheimer,' 'Barbie,' 'The Bear,' 'Succession' Among 2024 Nods|last= Schneider|first= Michael|date=2024-02-24|website=Variety}}</ref> and was selected as one of two winners of The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film at an awards ceremony at The Library of Congress in October 2022. The award is a finishing grant designed to help filmmakers with completion funding.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/library-of-congress-lavine-ken-burns-prize-goes-to-bella-philly-on-fire-1235148425/|title= 'Bella!' And 'Philly On Fire' Become First Docs To Tie For Library Of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize|last= Grobar|first= Matt|date=2022-10-08|website=Deadline}}</ref>
==Release==
''Bella!'' opened at New York's Village East Cinema on August 18, 2023, with a premiere that included [[Renée Taylor]], [[Carolyn Maloney]], [[Gale Brewer]], [[Scott Stringer]], David Belafonte, Allen Roskoff and [[Irene Natividad]]. NYC Mayor [[Eric Adams]] issued an official city proclamation calling August 18, 2023 "Bella Abzug Day", writing "I am pleased to join Harlem-based Re-Emerging Films for the world premiere of its new documentary film, Bella!, which explores the remarkable life and accomplishments of the late Bella Abzug, the trailblazing congress member from New York City."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.followingfilms.com/2023/08/mayor-eric-adams-has-proclaimed-that.html |title=Mayor Eric Adams has proclaimed that Friday, August 18, 2023 will be Bella Abzug Day in honor of the World Premiere of BELLA!. |date=16 August 2023 |publisher=Following Films |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>
The film's first advance screening was at [[San Francisco]]'s [[Castro Theatre]] with [[Nancy Pelosi]] in attendance. The film was the closing night film of The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/jeff-l.-lieberman?assettype=image&family=editorial&phrase=jeff%20l.%20lieberman&events=776012277 |title=CA: 2023 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival - Closing Night Premiere Of "Bella!"
|publisher=[[Getty Images]] |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>
''Bella!''{{'s}} Canadian premiere was at the [[Park Theatre (Vancouver)]] on October 15, 2023.  Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim issued an official proclamation to mark the event, stating that ''Bella!'' "explores the remarkable life and accomplishments of the late Bella Abzug, the trailblazing activist, feminist, congress member, and global advocate for equality."<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.jewishindependent.ca/inspiration-to-improve-world |title= Inspiration to improve world|last= Ramsey|first= Cynthia|date=2023-11-23|newspaper=Jewish Independent}}</ref>
==Original song==
The film's final song is a specially composed anthem for ''Bella!'' called "The Easy Way". It is written and composed by Mark W. Hornburg and Doug Jervey.  It is performed by Ansley Stewart and The Flat Nasty. The song features lyrics that reflect Bella Abzug's own relentless determination: "I could feel defeated now / I could be broken-hearted / I could be finished long before I'd even started / But that would be too easy and I never take the easy way."<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.jewishindependent.ca/inspiration-to-improve-world |title= Inspiration to improve world|last= Ramsey|first= Cynthia|date=2023-11-23|newspaper=Jewish Independent}}</ref> The song was one of 94 songs to qualify for the 2024 [[Academy Awards]].<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://variety.com/2023/artisans/news/94-songs-149-original-scores-eligible-in-music-categories-2024-1235838570/ |title= I94 Songs, 149 Original Scores Eligible in Oscar Music Categories (EXCLUSIVE)|last= Burlingame|first= Jon|date=2023-11-23|newspaper=Variety}}</ref>
==Reception==
''Bella!'' holds a 100% rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] based on 5 reviews.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bella_2023 |title=Bella! (2023) |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=February 24, 2024}}</ref> The [[Alliance of Women Film Journalists]] selected ''Bella!'' as their Movie of the Week, with critic Loren King calling it "Enlightening, passionate, nostalgic and endlessly riveting."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://awfj.org/blog/tag/bella/ |title=MOVIE OF THE WEEK August 18, 2023: BELLA! |date=13 August 2023 |publisher=[[AWFJ]] |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>  Film Critic, Nicolas Rapold of [[The New York Times]] wrote "Her never-say-die advocacy still inspires, but the film also illustrates the merciless challenges of electoral endurance even for the fiercest fighter."<ref>{{Cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/17/movies/bella-review-bella-abzug.html|title= 'Bella!' Review: Taking the Fight to the Streets and the House|last= Rapold|first= Nicolas|date=2023-08-17|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>  On [[Larry Mantle]]'s FilmWeek on [[89.3 KPCC]], Film Critic, Lael Lowenstein called ''Bella!'' "very well-researched and thoroughly engaging."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bella_2023 |title=Bella! (2023) |publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>
===Accolades===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Award
! Date of ceremony
! Category
! Recipient(s) and nominee(s)
! Result
! class="unsortable"| {{refh}}
|-
|[[The Better Angels Society#The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film|The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film]]
|[[The Better Angels Society#The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film|October 18, 2022]]
|[[The Better Angels Society#The Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film|Best Documentary Film]]
|''Bella!''
| {{won}}{{efn|Tied with ''Philly on Fire''.}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/library-of-congress-lavine-ken-burns-prize-goes-to-bella-philly-on-fire-1235148425/|title= 'Bella!' And 'Philly On Fire' Become First Docs To Tie For Library Of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize|last= Grobar|first= Matt|date=2022-10-08|website=Deadline}}</ref>
|-
|[[76th Writers Guild of America Awards|Writers Guild of America Awards]]
|[[76th Writers Guild of America Awards|April 14, 2024]]
|[[76th Writers Guild of America Awards|Best Documentary Screenplay]]
|[[Jeff L. Lieberman]]
| {{nom}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/awards/writers-guild-award-nominations-2024-full-list-1235918306/////|title= WGA Nominations: 'Oppenheimer,' 'Barbie,' 'The Bear,' 'Succession' Among 2024 Nods|last= Schneider|first= Michael|date=2024-02-24|website=Variety}}</ref>
|-
|[[Alliance of Women Film Journalists]]
|[[Alliance of Women Film Journalists|August 18, 2023]]
|[[Alliance of Women Film Journalists|Movie of The Week]]
|''Bella!''
| {{won}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://awfj.org/blog/tag/bella/ |title=MOVIE OF THE WEEK August 18, 2023: BELLA! |date=13 August 2023 |publisher=[[AWFJ]] |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"|[[Teaneck International Film Festival]]
| rowspan="2"|[[Teaneck International Film Festival|November 17, 2023]]
| 2023 Audience Award: Best Of Festival
| ''Bella!''
| {{won}}
| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.teaneckfilmfestival.org/awards/teaneck-international-award-for-2023 |title=Teaneck International Awards for 2023 |date=16 December 2023 |publisher=[[Teaneck International Film Festival]] |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| 2023 Audience Award: Best Documentary
| ''Bella!''
| {{won}}
|-
|[[San Diego Jewish Film Festival|San Diego International Jewish Film Festival]]
|[[San Diego Jewish Film Festival|January 11, 2024]]
|Audience Award - Best Documentary Feature
|''Bella!''
| {{Won}}{{efn|Third Place.}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lfjcc.org/cjc/sdijff.aspx |title=2024 SDIFF Audience Award Winners |publisher=[[San Diego Jewish Film Festival]] |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>
|-
|Tryon International Film Festival|Tryon International Film Festival
|[[Tryon International Film Festival|November 24, 2024]]
|2024 Best Full-Length Documentary
|''Bella!''
| {{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tryondailybulletin.com/2024/11/25/tryon-international-film-festival-celebrates-10-years-of-art-and-community/ |title=Tryon International Film Festival Celebrates 10 Years of art and community|publisher=[[Tryon Daily Bulletin]] |access-date=November 25, 2024}}</ref>
|}
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.bella1970.com|Bella!}}
* {{IMDb title|tt8000606|Bella!}}
[[Category:2023 films]]
[[Category:American documentary films]]
[[Category:2023 documentary films]]
[[Category:2023 independent films]]
[[Category:Documentary films about women]]
[[Category:Documentary films about women in politics]]
[[Category:Documentary films about the civil rights movement]]
[[Category:Documentary films about feminism]]
[[Category:Documentary films about lawyers]]
[[Category:Documentary films about misogyny]]
[[Category:2020s English-language films]]
[[Category:2020s American films]]
[[Category:English-language documentary films]]
[[Category:English-language independent films]]