"Muscle Shoals," Greg Camalier's documentary on the recording studios and musicians of Muscle Shoals, Ala., became the first music documentary to secure a distribution deal at this year's SXSW Film Festival, with Magnolia Pictures acquiring U.S. rights.
PBS' "Independent Lens" series secured the film for broadcast in the States and Films We Like purchased the Canadian rights.
The film premiered at Sundance in January and made its SXSW debut on Tuesday.
Magnolia Pictures is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of the Wagner/Cuban Cos. owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban. Its music releases include "Marley" and "Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me."
Camalier's film, which he produced with Stephen Badger, focuses on Rick Hall's FAME Studios, its house band the Swampers, and the musicians who recorded there, among them Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Wilson Pickett and Paul Simon. Among the artists in the film are Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Clarence Carter, Alicia Keys and Bono.
Josh Braun, Dan Braun and David Koh of Submarine handled the sale of the picture.