Abramorama Acquires NA Rights To ‘Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere,’ Documentary About Brilliant Photojournalist

EXCLUSIVE: Over the course of his long career, photojournalist Steve Schapiro captured extraordinary images of some of the world’s most noteworthy people: Barbra Streisand, Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, MLK, Rosa Parks, RFK, James Baldwin, Robert Redford, Marlon Brando on the set of The Godfather, Robert De Niro on the set of Taxi Driver, Jack Nicholson on the set of Chinatown.

The photographer’s life and work are examined in the new documentary Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere, directed by Maura Smith. Today, Abramorama announced it has acquired North American rights to the film, which screens at the upcoming Mill Valley Film Festival and Newport Beach Film Festival.

The film reveals Schapiro (1934-2022) “in his own words, weaving together his photographs, stories, and singular lens on American life,” a release notes. “’I’ve shot everything from poodles to presidents,’ Schapiro often quipped. In truth, his archive is nothing less than a sweeping visual history of six decades of culture, politics, and art. From Andy Warhol, David Bowie, James Baldwin, and Barbra Streisand to Muhammad Ali, John Lewis, and Ray Charles — and no fewer than six U.S. Presidents, Kennedy, Nixon, Johnson, Carter, Clinton, and Obama — Schapiro’s camera was everywhere. He was with Robert F. Kennedy and his family on his last Christmas morning, at the Lorraine Motel in the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, and on the sets of The Godfather, Taxi Driver, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off among others. His work not only chronicled history, it helped define how history is remembered.”

Watch the film’s trailer below.

A trio of executive producers with deep personal and professional ties to Schapiro lend their talents to the project: Michael Rosenberg (longtime co-chairman at Imagine Entertainment), Sid Ganis (Out of the Blue Entertainment, former AMPAS President, and veteran of Sony, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros. and Paramount), and Rob Friedman (Ascendant Entertainment, formerly of Lionsgate and Warner Bros.). The film is produced by Dick Hansen and Theophilus Donoghue.

“Steve wasn’t just documenting history—he was living inside it,” Rosenberg, Ganis, and Friedman said in a joint statement. “His camera captured the soul of America during its most pivotal moments, and we felt compelled to ensure his extraordinary story and singular perspective reach the widest possible audience.”

Abramorama plans to release Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere in theaters across the country, beginning November 14 with a week-long engagement in New York City at DCTV’s Firehouse Cinema.

“In an era where authentic storytelling and visual truth matter more than ever,” said Karol Martesko-Fenster, CEO of Abramorama, “Steve Schapiro’s legacy reminds us of photography’s power to shape how we understand our world. This film arrives at the perfect moment to celebrate not just an artist, but a witness to the American experience.”

Schapiro’s work appeared on the covers of Life, Look, Time, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Sports Illustrated, People, and Paris Match. He documented critical moments in the Civil Rights Movement including the March on Washington, the Selma to Montgomery march, and the struggle for voter registration across the South.

“Steve’s health was declining, but his memory and passion for his work remained razor-sharp,” director Maura Smith commented. “Every conversation felt precious—we were racing against time to capture not just his stories, but the wisdom of someone who had truly ‘been everywhere’ that mattered in American culture and history.”

Abramorama presents a Sassafras Magellan Production Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere. Directed by Maura Smith. Executive Producers Michael Rosenberg, Sid Ganis and Rob Friedman. Director of Photography Ben Schreiner. Editor Maura Smith. Producers Theophilus Donoghue and Dick Hansen.

Watch the trailer for the film below.