'Fiddler on the Roof' Doc Picked Up by Roadside, Samuel Goldwyn Films

The two distributors will release Max Lewkowicz's film about the Broadway musical in theaters this summer.

Roadside Attractions and Samuel Goldwyn Films have acquired worldwide rights to Max Lewkowicz's Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles, a documentary about the creation of the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof. Roadside and Goldwyn will release the film theatrically this summer.

The doc includes interviews with the show's lyricist, Sheldon Harnick, producer Hal Prince and original castmembers, such as Austin Pendleton, as well as archival footage of its choreographer, Jerome Robbins. It also features interviews with such Broadway figures as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chaim Topol and Harvey Fierstein, as well as authors Fran Lebowitz, Calvin Trillin and Nathan Englander.

Fiddler on the Roof, which opened in 1964, was based on the stories of Yiddish author and playwright Sholem Aleichem and tells the story of Tevye the Milkman and his struggle to find grooms for his five daughters under the oppression of czarist Russia and the early 20th century pogroms threatening the Jewish community and the mythical village of Anatevka. It won nine Tony Awards and has spawned five Broadway revivals. The documentary looks at a number of international productions of the show, as well as the most recent Broadway revival production, featuring Danny Burstein and Jessica Hecht.

In addition to directing Miracle of Miracles, Lewkowicz co-wrote it with Valerie Thomas. The doc was produced by Lewkowicz, Thomas, Ann Oster, Rita Lerner and Patti Kenner.

"Fiddler is a show very near to our hearts," Roadside Attractions founders Howard Cohen and Eric d'Arbeloff said Wednesday in a statement. "And this film is a must-see for anyone who loves this show and wants to better understand why it remains such a worldwide phenomenon, inspiring countless student and professional productions and generations of performers."

Added Peter Goldwyn of Samuel Goldwyn Films: "Fiddler is a show with themes that remain hugely relevant today. This documentary offers profound insight into the historical and cultural movements that inspired Fiddler as well as its enduring appeal around the world."

The deal was negotiated by Goldwyn, Angel An from Roadside Attractions and Adam J. Greene on behalf of the filmmakers.