The documentary about Aretha Franklin's 1972 gospel concert is titled Amazing Grace. The film captures Franklin performing over two nights at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, with gospel musician and choir director James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir.
The concert produced Franklin's landmark live gospel album, also titled Amazing Grace. The album was recorded in January 1972 and became one of the best-selling gospel recordings in history. Its performances include the hymn "Amazing Grace," along with gospel standards and Franklin's interpretation of Carole King's "You've Got a Friend."
Although the concert was filmed in 1972, the documentary was not released at that time. Technical and production problems delayed completion for decades, and the finished film finally reached theaters in 2018. That release date is why the title is sometimes described as a 2018 film about a 1972 concert, rather than simply a 1972 movie.