News Release

New film uses the universal language of music to welcome South Korean travelers to iconic U.S. cities

Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the United States, and MacGillivray Freeman Films, have rejoined forces, along with global presenting sponsors Expedia Group and Air Canada, to introduce their second giant screen film, “America's Musical Journey,” to audiences in South Korea.  Starring Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Aloe Blacc, the film premieres on Monday, September 17, at the CGV Cheongdam CINECITY, where attendees will also be treated to jazz performances and speech from popular music critic Mr. Bae Soon Tak on American music. Musicians, filmmakers, influencers, and government officials will also join the celebrations for the film’s official launch in South Korea. 

The Seoul premiere of “America’s Musical Journey” comes just seven months after the film’s global release in February 2018 to a warm reception from critics and audiences alike in the United States, Mexico, France, Canada, and Spain. Uncovering the United States’ rich musical heritage, the film follows Aloe Blacc as he traces the United States’ unique musical roots, following in the footsteps of Louis Armstrong through the colorful locales and cultures of the United States’ musical heritage. During the film, Blacc visits iconic music cities in the United States including New Orleans, Louisiana; Chicago, Illinois; New York City, New York; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; and Miami, Florida, exploring the collision of cultures that gave birth to American music genres such as jazz, blues, country, rock and roll, hip-hop, and more.

As audiences join Blacc on this joyful, tune-filled tour, they'll experience adventures like paddle-wheel boating up the Mississippi Delta, flash mob dancing in Chicago, and skydiving with Elvis Presley impersonators over Memphis in scenes shot exclusively for the giant screen. Movie-goers will also meet other iconic artists, musicians, and innovators who are currently shaping American culture, including Jon Batiste, bandleader and musical director of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Latin music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and many more.

Academy Award-nominated director Greg MacGillivray threads all these images together to create an immersive experience of culture and creativity with a soundtrack that showcases the United States’ passion for creative innovation at its purest. "America’s music has its roots in the diverse cultures that came together from different parts of the world, culminating in a unique blend of sound, culture, and innovation," said MacGillivray. "This creative and innovative spirit is what makes American music such a treasured experience around the world. I hope people are inspired to explore their own creativity after seeing the film.”

"Music is an essential part of the human experience, and I look forward to helping audiences discover the unique cultural influences that gave rise to jazz, the blues, folk, and other musical genres in the United States," says Blacc. "I love the freedom of expression in this country, which is a source of creativity and innovation unlike anywhere else."

“America’s Musical Journey” is a cornerstone of Brand USA’s marketing strategy to promote the United States as a world-class travel destination. South Korea continues to be an important market for the United States as it is expected to see a 46 percent increase in visitor volume over the next five years from South Korea, according to the most recent forecast from National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Visitation to the United States from South Korea is estimated to increase from 1.9 million visitors in 2016 to an estimated 2.8 million visitors in 2022.

The Seoul premiere marks the first international premiere in Asia. “South Korea is forecasted to be a huge growth market for the United States and we look forward to introducing America’s rich musical heritage, iconic locations, and diverse experiences to South Korean audiences,” said Christopher L. Thompson, president and CEO of Brand USA. “The launch of the new giant-screen film in this market presents an opportunity for Brand USA to showcase the diversity of America through the unique lens of music.”

"Music has the power to bring people together, especially here in the United States where diversity and creative freedom are such an important part of the culture," says Shaun MacGillivray, producer of “America’s Musical Journey” and president of MacGillivray Freeman Films. "We’re using the immersive, visual giant screen experience to tell the story of America’s musical and cultural heritage in a new and powerful way."

The Seoul premiere will be the fifth international premiere of the film, showcasing how music can be seen as a universal language across all countries and cultures. "As a longtime travel partner of Brand USA, we are honored to lend support and raise awareness as a global sponsor and exclusive online travel activation partner of this film," said Wendy Olson Killion, global vice president of Expedia Group Media Solutions. "We believe music has the ability to inspire travelers from all over the world to explore new places and cultures."

“Great music both evokes particular places and transcends borders. As a global airline, Air Canada embraces this spirit and is pleased to partner with Brand USA so everyone can make their own musical journey on North America’s Best airline as rated by Skytrax. We offer easy, one-stop connections from South Korea to nearly 60 U.S. destinations through our major Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal hubs,” said John MacLeod, vice president of global sales and alliances at Air Canada.

Leveraging the experiential nature of the giant screen to show travelers the nearly limitless experiences that the United States has to offer remains an integral part of Brand USA’s marketing strategies to drive international tourism to communities in all 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia. Brand USA’s first giant screen film, “National Parks Adventure,” now available on Netflix, was voted Best Film of the Year by the Giant Screen Cinema Association and became the highest grossing documentary film of 2016. To further support its material impact, research conducted by Phocuswright and Oxford Economics found that “National Parks Adventure,” will generate $700 million in incremental spend and 172,335 incremental visitors to the United States from fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2019. The study includes an analysis of six markets – Canada, Mexico, Germany, China, Brazil, and United Kingdom – which finds a marketing ROI of 56:1 based on Brand USA’s production and marketing expenses of $12.5 million. 

Brand USA also conducted an in-theatre study of audiences in Toronto, Mexico City, Mumbai, and Paris found 57 percent of film viewers expressed a strong positive impact on their opinion of the USA as a travel destination and 20 percent now plan to visit the USA as a result of watching the film. Each international premiere has increased awareness for Brand USA in priority markets and drove interest in travel to the United States.

"America’s Musical Journey” is anticipated to play in select giant screen theaters in South Korea starting later this year. For a current list of theaters showing “America’s Musical Journey”, please click here. To discover more about the United States’ rich musical culture and the diversity of experiences the country has to offer, please visit Brand USA’s consumer website GoUSA.or.kr and follow Visit The USA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #미국여행.

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About MacGillivray Freeman Films
MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world's foremost independent producer and distributor of giant-screen 70mm films with 40 films for IMAX® and giant-screen theatres to its credit. Throughout the company's 50-year history, its films have won numerous international awards including two Academy Award^® nominations and three films inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame. MacGillivray Freeman’s films are known for their artistry and celebration of science and the natural world. It is the first documentary film company to reach the one-billion-dollar benchmark for worldwide box office. For more information about the company, visitMacGillivrayFreemanFilms.com.

About Expedia Group
Expedia Group is the world's travel platform. We help knock down the barriers to travel, making it easier, more enjoyable, more attainable and more accessible. We are here to bring the world within reach for customers and partners around the globe. We leverage our platform and technology capabilities across an extensive portfolio of businesses and brands to orchestrate the movement of people and the delivery of travel experiences on both a local and global basis. Our family of travel brands includes: Brand Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Expedia® Partner Solutions, Egencia®, trivago®, HomeAway®, VRBO®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Wotif®, lastminute.com.au®, ebookers®, CheapTickets®, Hotwire®, Classic Vacations®, Expedia Group™ Media Solutions, CarRentals.com™, Expedia Local Expert®, Expedia® CruiseShipCenters®, SilverRail Technologies, Inc., ALICE and Traveldoo®. For more information, visit ExpediaGroup.com. © 2018 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. CST: 2029030-50

About Air Canada  
Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 200 airports on six continents.  Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2017 served approximately 48 million customers.  Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 64 airports in Canada, 60 in the United States and 98 in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,300 airports in 191 countries.  Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax, which also named Air Canada the 2017 Best Airline in North America.  For more information, please visit: Aircanada.com, follow @AirCanada on Twitter, and join Air Canada on Facebook.